I watched Shannon and Kristen carry the toys and clothes up to Emily's room and knew that Shannon was probably feeling her out for me. He made it clear that he and our mother wanted us back together. When they returned a few minutes later, he avoided eye contact with me and darted right over to Ashley. Then I realized that maybe Kristen finally succeeded in getting him to ask Ashley out.
She really had it pretty bad for him and I smiled to myself watching her face light up when he approached. I looked over at Kristen and shook my head, noting the way she and my mother exchanged a silent thumbs up. Funny, we couldn't save our own failing marriage, but we could play matchmaker for others. I'd been trying unsuccessfully for almost a year to get Shannon to ask Ashley out on a date, but give Kris less than five minutes and she's successful. Ashley was smitten with Shannon and she was also very attractive, so who knows what will happen.
The party was wrapping up and I grabbed Emily, lifting her so that she was sitting on my hip. My little girl was growing up so fast and soon I wouldn't be able to hold her anymore. She leaned in to kiss my cheek and I raised her up once more, throwing her over my shoulder and carrying her over to my mother. "Baby you're going with grandma, tell mommy goodbye. Daddy's going to stay and help mommy clean up."
Emily was so occupied by what Granny Connie was promising her to even care about anyone else. She impatiently kissed Kristen's cheek and insisted that I put her down because Uncle Shannon was waiting for her. Emily leaned in, giving me a pathetic excuse for a kiss goodbye and bolted toward my brother. He caught her and she erupted into high pitched laughter as he raised her to sit on his shoulders. I stood outside, watching Shannon put Emily into her car seat as the rest of the party goers left.
Kristen was saying goodbye to Matt near his car and I watched as his arms slid around her thin body and playfully rocked her from side to side. I watched closely as I pondered their relationship. I knew that she had gone away with him twice, but they didn't appear as a normal, affectionate couple, and my daughter calling him uncle Matt didn't go unnoticed. Not wanting to be seen staring, I went inside and ambled to the kitchen for a garbage bag.
I opened the large white bag, surveying the damage. All of the wrapping paper from Emily's gifts was still lying on the floor, shredded in some places. Teal party cups and purple paper plates lined every flat surface downstairs and I began tossing trash into the bag. The house went from noisy as hell to complete silence and I forced a smile on my face when Kristen joined me. "Oh, you started without me."
"Yeah, there's a huge mess in here." She picked up some plates that still had bites of cake and melted ice cream on them and stepped closer, tossing them into the bag I was holding. Her hair brushed my arm and I just watched her for a few seconds. The outfit she chose for the day accentuated every curve of her lean body. I was mesmerized by the sheer fabric of her black top. It only became solid over her breasts and even though I'd seen her naked so many times before, I found myself desperate to see what was underneath. Her long hair was obviously getting on her nerves as she repeatedly shoved it back, out of the way. I pulled the hair tie from my own and handed it over.
"Thanks." She said, dropping the cups in her hand into the bag and drawing her long tresses up into a ponytail. I couldn't stop myself from checking out her ass while she made sure to get every single strand.
"So, how have you been? I heard that you're working for Matt." I asked, hoping that she didn't misinterpret my question. I leaned down, grabbing the plates from the table and tossing them into the bag.
"That's true, I am working for his band and, you know, I love it. It reminds me of when I was younger and I love the music." She noted. "What have you been up to? It's been a while since we have actually spoken. Oh, how's your girlfriend? Christina, is it?"
I laughed, wondering if she purposely said the wrong name. "Not my girlfriend. Her name was Christine and it didn't work out." What I left out was, 'she's not you.' I knew that I would forever be comparing everyone I became involved with to Kristen.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Aside from that, you've been doing okay though?" She stopped cleaning and walked into the kitchen, only to return a few seconds later with two bottles of water.
She handed me one and I opened it, taking a long sip. "I've been good, working on new music." I did my best to try not to stare at her as we finished chucking the trash into the bag.
She caught me completely off guard when she spoke again. "I think that we should be friends again. I think that it would be good for Emily if we actually had a functional, cordial relationship.
Relieved, my body relaxed a bit. "I'd like that."
