Family is Forever

Part 74- Party

The pizzas were in the oven and there were nibbles on the coffee table. Ali had on Zosia's prom dress that now lived in her wardrobe and her charm bracelet. She'd blown up a few ballons. There was French wine and polish vodka for the adults and squash for the children. Marta had a smart skirt and top on looking every inch the strong polish woman who had lived through so much. The doorbell rang "Natala, Cześć" Ela jumped into Ali's arms. "Ćześć Kotek," Ali smiled before placing Ela down gently on her feet when she made a beeline for the chocolate fingers. "Hello love." Colette smiled planting a kiss on Ali's cheek then moving the chocolate fingers, which her daughter already had a handful of, out of Ela's reach. She sat by Marta and had Ela on her knee who amazed her as she translated what both the ladies were saying. She made a mental note to learn more Polish. "Hey Colette, Ela." Zosia came in. "Anything I can do to help Zosh?" Colette asked.
"Not really, Natalia's done everything."
The doorbell went again "I've got it." Ollie called and smiled as Dom came in. 10 minutes later Agata and Elsie where sat in the lounge too. "Bonjour madame Yates!" Elsie exclaimed at seeing her French teacher sat on the sofa. "Elsie, hello, and outside of school please call me Agata."
"Agata? Are you Polish too? How many languages do you speak Mi.. I mean Agata."
"4 fluently, English French, Polish and Spanish. I can get by in German and Russian too and my Italian is getting there." She laughed at Elsie's shocked face.
There was some music on in the background and conversations in both English and Polish going on. The doorbell went and Ali answered it to her mother. "Cezść mama." She kissed her mum. "This is Józef." Klaudia smiled at the tall man behind her. Ali smiled warily at the man. "You must be Natalia, hello. Lovely to meet you, thanks for allowing your mother to bring me along, I've been looking forward to meeting you." Ali's smiled grew as he spoke to her in Polish and handed her a plant. "Dziękuję." Ali smiled and thought to herself, maybe this ones a good 'un, but knew she had to keep her guard up, just in case. She showed them to the lounge where Jozef introduced himself personally to everyone. It was just Guy to arrive. The bell went and Zosia stood up to let him in. "Nie." Marta said and went to get it herself. Guy looked shocked when Marta answered the door. "Guy, wait a moment," she said and took his hands in hers. "I know that over the years I have been rather cold towards you. Which had made you cold towards me. I felt you had stolen two of my daughters and granddaughters to the UK, and I suppose you felt the same when Ania and Zosia came for the summer holidays and Christmas. But I realise now. How much you love Zosia and loved Ania, I mean you learned a whole other language just to be able to communicate with me and our family. You made Ania so happy while she was on this earth so can we try to get along?"
"I'd like that." Guy answered her in Polish.

Ollie went to get the pizzas out of the oven. "Let me help." Josef smiled.
"Thanks"
The pizzas were on the table as were the salads that Zosia had made. There were some shop bought pierogi and some fruit. Everyone piled their plate high, even Elsie and Ali ate a fair amount, since Ollie allowed them to eat together in the kitchen while everyone else ate in the living room.

"Natalia, may I speak to you in private?" Josef's heavily accented voice asked Ali in English after dinner. She looked at Elsie confused and a little worried. Last time she'd been alone with a partner of her mothers she'd been abused. "I'll be in the living room, just outside." Elsie said and left the room. Josef smiled warmly at Ali "which language do you prefer?" He asked.
"I'm good with either." She replied
Josef switched to Polish "Polish is easier for me if you don't mind. I wanted to ask you something. I met your mother a few months ago at mass and really enjoyed getting to know her. I asked her out on a date and at that point she told me she had a daughter. It had never come into conversation before. So I told her I couldn't take her on a date until I'd asked you." Josef told her. "You're asking me, if you can take my mother on a date." A confused Ali clarified.
"Yes. You are the most important thing to her, as a child is to anyone, and i couldn't take her out if you didn't agree, it would be disrespectful. I know a little of what happened in the past, no details just that your mothers ex was not a pleasant man so would understand if you didn't want someone to date your mother." Josef said. Ali was amazed and confused maybe her mothers luck was changing and she'd actually found a good man for once. "I have no problem with you dating my mother if you make her happy. But you'd better treat her right or you'll have me to answer to." Ali laughed.

The evening went by in games of charades and guess the song, Pictionary and other games that could be played across language barriers. Although fun was had it was an occasion tinged with sadness, for Ali and Klaudia as Marta was soon leaving and for Marta and Zosia because they really felt the absence of Ania. It was 11pm before people were leaving and Ela had been passed out on the sofa for hours. Ollie was planning to drop Elsie home but Agata offered to instead and soon it was just Zosia, Ollie, Ali and Marta. They all went to bed with sadness in their hearts knowing not long after they woke, Marta would be leaving them.