Aubrey (Axis Rising)

026:

*****026:

Marshall and Angie brought their entire family, six kids and two older kid friends to play out on the beach with all Rafe's beach toys. And he had them, make no mistake. He was in his element---- showing the older teenage boys how to use the SeaBob F9's, Rafe's newest underwater jet skis. Even I wished I could have played on those. They really looked fun.

The party started early in the afternoon to provide plenty of time for play. Marshall and Rafe were out on their old timer's surf boards, probably talking as they sat the waves, and bobbing here and there, sailing over the white caps, and then resurfacing yards away and starting over. I could see them from my perch on the patio.

Laura was completely in charge of food and refreshments, and my mom and dad were both wearing aprons and helping. The kids were alternately in the water or in the sand, but running helter skelter all over the place. Which was how Eli and Juan came across us, shown in by Abbie and Jeremy.

I'd had some feet swelling, so I wasn't inclined to rise. Angie had placed herself at my beck and call, only too aware of the stress I was facing. Stress on the mother of quintuplets can be a very bad thing. I knew in my heart I needed to allow Rafe and others to handle the stress inducers.

"Hey, Aubrey!" Eli chortled, coming across the patio, a gift for Felicity in hand. He literally knelt to offer me a hug and ask about my health. For a few minutes he stayed close to my chair, kneeling on the tiles, and finally backed his butt up to a wicker chair. Juan had immediately gone out to play.

It was duly noted that there were more adults at the five-year-old's party than there were children, but there were still a number of children.

"Angie, this is Eli. He's a client at ABCSC that we've become friends with, he's actually in our ward too." I introduced, and Eli and Angie shook hands with the proper amount of gushing greetings. My mother placed a cool glass of punch in his hand.

The talk swirled around inconsequential things, things you might talk about at a little girl's party. Mostly, the little girl. Who honestly had her two bestest friends, Celeste and Kaye with her as they played fake makeup in the sand and made each other into buried mermaids, and then jumped through their artwork.

Mom sat down and started questioning Eli about all kinds of personal things, she'd hit that age where tact seemed to matter less and less. And what I noticed about Eli, was that he didn't answer much. He was a master deflector. If she asked him about his career, he deflected to hers, her husband's, Rafe' and finally mine. When Ben got there, he gave a shout out to Ben, who was accompanied by a new gal I didn't know.

If she asked Eli about grief, since that was the common factor that brought us together, that and my delivering his wife three years ago--- he deflected to her grief, her multiples, and her family. Eventually, their conversation moved on to parenting a troubled child, and mom the expert dove in. I had nothing to say. Currently, I felt that my kids were perfect.

And then it happened. Lance walked in.

Since the kids were already here, and Fred was acting lifeguard, without his girlfriend tonight, I was absolutely shocked as the group Lance brought came around the side of the house instead of through it, and honestly, I had to stand up, feeling the blood rushing to my cheeks.

Jeff and Justine had the kids, and they scattered.

Chris and Doug were here.... For the first time since the funeral-- and she looked like she'd aged about ten years. Her shiny and sleek dark hair had been cut to match her brother's--- not her dead mother's which might have been understandable. She wore a stringy tank top and she now sported a full sleeve tattoo on her left arm, with squiggles and curly-cues, a parrot, a coffin and a skull and crossbones, fire and a ship. It was fantastic, fantasia---and so similar to Rafe's it couldn't be a coincidence.

She wore a ton of garish makeup, very unlike herself and was literally taking a selfie with her husband in front of the barbecue as she traveled across the patio dressed in a bikini--- and she looked amazing in it for sure--- she was built like her brother's, although both of them worked out intensively. But she had retained her figure after two kids, and a job and life--- she looked good, just not herself. I wished Rafe to my side with a closed eye wish. Wondered even if I'd had a penny, and if the toilet inside would count as a wishing well.

Lance, Lance! Oh, Lance!

Are you freaking kidding me?

"Hey, sis!" His voice and demeanor challenged me to say any word at all. Anything unsupportive and I will be hauled inside.

His new "girlfriend" was a---- girl. She wore boxer shorts and a men's t-shirt, her platinum blonde hair was cut like a man's, and she wore no makeup at all. In direct contrast to Chris. The whiteT-shirt sported a big green shield that had three letters--- C.T.R. which I would agree everyone present would recognize as Mormon lingo for Choose The Right.

Trailing behind her was a boy about ten, looking uncommonly bored—maybe uneasily scared. He also had that bright blonde, probably dyed hair. His may have been longer than his mom's, and she was one hundred percent his mother. They walked the same, eyes darted the same, relaxed-- smiles-- sharky-toothed and assuming--- attested to it.

He'd found his church member non-practicing lesbian. I pretty much thought I might have a heart attack.

"Aubrey, this is my new friend, Nicky Smith. Nick--- meet my sister-in-law, the mother of our birthday princess, Felicity, out there on the sand with Kaye." Nicky had amazingly inquisitive eyes and an amazingly refreshing real smile after her fake assessing smile.

She literally leaned in and hugged me, front on, over the belly, touching and rubbing the belly with her sudden closeness. I backed into the wicker chair unexpectedly. This gal broadcast her sexuality blatantly. I sniffed, and smiled and gave Lance a questioning glance, and then asked to be introduced to her son, so I could show him out to the sand and the kids.

This accomplished, Lance got cans of soda for himself and his gal- partner. Gees, I shook my head, if I could see aura's, I'd know these two sparked to each other in the weirdest way. I wasn't even sure what way yet, just that they either repelled each other thoroughly, or else, with a funny sort of determination, they gravitated toward each other. I suspected the latter.

I knew a talk was forthcoming—likely sooner, and was glad when Laura announced dinner was ready.

*****