Legacy of the Dreams

Chapter 57 - Birthday Party Talk

The rest of January passed very quickly for the Abernathys. So did the first week or two of February. Before they knew it, Susan and Jessie were making Melody's birthday cake, the cottage was being decorated for her party, and guests from out of town began to arrive.

Alan, Cindy and Olivia arrived the Friday before the party, staying this time in the little apartment beneath the Abernathy's house. Julie arrived on Friday too, explaining that Elliot and Jake would be coming after Temple the next morning. Elliot was staying just for the day, while Julie and Jake were joining them for the weekend.

"You are welcome," Greg assured her with a note of fatherly concern when he met Julie at the front door Friday evening.

"Thank you, Dad," Julie said. "Is Susan's family here?"

"Stephen and his family likewise had other plans," Greg said. "But Matt and Ashley will be here tomorrow."

"Matt's not even here?" Julie said in surprise.

"He had to work tonight," Susan told her as the father and daughter came into the kitchen.

Julie nodded as she looked about the kitchen. Susan and Jessie were decorating Melody's birthday cake. Melody was playing near them with Olivia on the floor. But Zack, Alan, and Cindy were nowhere to be seen.

"They are decorating ... in the cottage," Susan explained when Julie asked.

"Really? That's not like Alan to come early to do something like that," Julie remarked.

"I suspect he is hoping we'll return the favor next month in preparing for Olivia's birthday party," Greg said.

"Do they need help?" Julie wondered.

"They might," Susan said.

"Let me take your things to your room, then we can both go to check on them," Greg suggested.

"Alright," Julie said, and she found herself pressed into service helping to prepare for her little sister's third birthday party.

c

"What are you doing here?" Alan asked Julie when she and Greg came into the cottage from the cave.

"I'm helping. Why, what are you doing here?" Julie asked.

"Me and Cindy are helping too," Alan said. "But I don't think there is that much left to do except fill up the balloons, and Zack says we can't do that until tomorrow morning."

"They go down overnight if you do it the day before," Zack said with a shrug. "We tried that once."

"Then, aren't we about done here?" Alan asked. The furniture had all been rearranged so that the center of the floor was cleared and Melody's Little Tikes play structure had been brought in, providing a place for preschoolers to play during the party the next day.

"I think so. Matt will be here to help us with them tomorrow," Zack said.

"In that case, it might be bedtime for Olivia," Cindy said.

"It is for Melody too," Greg agreed. "Shall we lock up here?"

"Probably. I have homework to do," Zack said.

They closed up the cottage together and the five of them went back to the house through the cave.

c

Susan already had Melody and Olivia in the bathtub when those decorating the cottage returned to the house.

"You're giving her a bath?" Cindy asked in surprise.