The Final Gathering

Chapter 5: Carol and Mike

At 5:32am Mike DeFrank's eyes shot wide open. Sweating and in a panic, he flailed his arms around, accidentally knocking his pillow off of the bed. This had been happening to Mike for the past thirty years, ever since he had retired from the military. After a few years of failed therapy, a few unsuccessful meditation classes, and even hypnosis, Mike decided that waking up at 5:30 every morning wasn't necessarily a bad thing. After a few deep breaths, he collected himself and placed the pillow back onto the bed. 50 years, Mike thought to himself. He shook his head at the thought. He definitely didn't feel fifty and as far as he was concerned, he didn't look it either. Beside him Carol was sound asleep, her alarm not due to go off until six. He smiled at his wife before carefully getting out of bed, trying not to wake her. Carol was a heavy sleeper and even if Mike had gotten out of bed while making as much noise as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, she wouldn't have budged. He knew this, but he always made sure to be quiet just in case she happened to wake up for some reason.

Mike headed straight for his garage where he had built his in-home gym about 15 years ago. Every night before bed he would dawn his work-out attire so that he wouldn't have to change in the morning (possibly waking Carol). Mike looked around at all his equipment, as though he was making an extremely careful decision as to which one he wanted to choose, before walking over to the treadmill. Mike always began with the treadmill. Before jumping in to his workout, he grabbed his iPod that was sitting on his workbench. It was a first-generation iPod that Lilly had given to him after she deemed it no longer cool. To Mike it worked just fine. Once on the treadmill, Mike placed the earbuds into his ears and selected the playlist Logan's Mix.

Carol began to stir after the second round of her alarm clock's obnoxious beeping. Groaning, she leaned over to turn it off. Carol turned over to Mike's side of the bed to see if he was there, knowing he wouldn't be. With a sigh, she got out of bed and made her way to the shower. Once she was finished, she grabbed her robe off of the back of the door and tied it delicately around her waist. She decided to leave the shower running so that Mike wouldn't have to wait for it to warm up. Before she even left the bathroom, Mike was already barging in. Seeing him made Carol's eyes light up. This was her normal reaction but today it was emphasized. It was Mike's birthday and Carol had a thing for birthdays.

"Happy birthday, my darling!" she exclaimed as she leaned up to kiss his cheek.

"Thank you, wife," he said with a chuckle before kissing her.

"Today is going to be just perfect," Carol assured him.

"I wouldn't expect anything less." He gave her one more kiss atop her head before entering the shower.

Carol put on brown slacks and a cream-colored sweater. She examined her outfit in the mirror carefully. Mike had given her this outfit for Christmas therefore he must like it, she concluded. Carol pushed and pulled at her face before applying her makeup. Carol's daily makeup routine consisted of a slightly excessive amount of product. Every inch of Carol's face was covered in some kind of makeup she saw in a commercial, promising her to look younger. She blow-dried and brushed her light blonde hair with the slightest hint of gray roots poking out at the top. With a gasp she touched her roots, just now noticing them. Deciding that she wasn't going to let this get in the way of Mike's birthday, she wrote down make hair appointment with Mindy ASAP in her planner.

When Mike walked into the kitchen, Carol was already bustling around. She had coffee brewing, her planner out and open, and she was filling out a check.

"What's that for?" Mike asked while leaning over her shoulder and planting a kiss on her cheek.

"For the baker down the street, I'm going to send the girls out to go get it as soon as they all wake up. Since someone likes to do their birthday cake bright and early," she said with a smile. Mike laughed, "why wait? No one ever said you can't have cake for breakfast!" Carol laughed at her husband. She thought he was foolish in all the right ways. She was hoping that they would have a minute alone, but she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Mike gave her a look that implied that they'd have time later.

As the girls left through the door, Carol watched them through the window until they were out of sight. She turned toward Cruz and gave him a gentle squeeze on his upper arm and smiled at him brightly. Before she was able to say anything to him, however, Asher spoke up.

"I just wanted to say thank you both for inviting me into your home to celebrate this day with you. I really appreciate it and hope we can get to know each other better." Mike opened his mouth but Carol's voice came quicker, "oh, you weren't invited, dear. Lilly just showed up and brought you with her." She gave him a quick smile. Asher laughed and then paused, unsure if she was being serious or not. She was.

"What she means is that you were a birthday surprise! We didn't know you were coming but we're very happy to have you here, aren't we, love?" Mike looked over to Carol, hoping that she would respond appropriately. Instead, she was whispering sweet nothings to Cruz.

"Babe?" Mike said loudly. Carol pivoted toward Mike and smiled, "oh, mhmm, yes, of course," and then she turned back to Cruz. Asher excused himself to the bathroom.

"Cruz, son, if you don't mind could you step into the living room for a minute so we can speak privately?" Cruz nodded and headed into the living room. Carol looked as though a loved one had just died. "Why did you do that? That was awfully rude," Carol whispered loudly.

"That was rude?" Mike whispered back, equally loud, "that was rude but telling Asher he wasn't invited into our home wasn't?"

"Of course not, it was the truth. The truth can hurt but it is never rude, Michael."

"You know what I want from you for my birthday? I want you to be civil with Lilly and welcoming to her boyfriend. Is that too much to ask?

Carol looked like she had been slapped in the face, "yes, actually. That is too much to ask! She doesn't deserve my sympathy." Mike laughed and began to walk away. He paused and then turned back to Carol, "this act is getting real old and if you can't even pretend, for me, on my birthday, then I think we need to have a talk and reevaluate some things after the girls leave." Face red, Mike began to walk toward the garage.

"Wait!" Mike turned around to see Carol desperately reaching out toward him. He didn't want to pull that card but after what felt like a lifetime with his wife, he knew her weakness: him. Carol continued, "I'll do it for your birthday, okay? Just please don't walk away." Carol began to tear up as her husband walked back toward her and pulled her into his arms. He kissed the top of her head, "thank you, love."

Carol walked into the living room where Cruz and Asher were watching baseball.

"Boys, why don't you come help me set up?" she turned toward Mike, waiting for his nod of approval, which he gave her immediately.

The four of them had just finished decorating the kitchen (quite extravagantly as Carol had to go all out) when the girls came back with the cake. Lilly and Lola came in first, sans cake. Carol pushed by them and waited by the door for Lisa to walk in. As soon as her foot crossed the threshold, Carol had already grabbed the cake and was heading to the table. She opened the cake and thought to herself that it was perfect. Mike looked over her shoulder at it, he thought it was a little lacking in excitement but he was sure it would taste great all the same. Seeing his wife look around, he handed her the lighter he was already holding. Carol laughed and looked at her husband. What would she do without him? After lighting the candles, she called the family in.

"Everybody ready?! On three! One.... two.... happy birthday to you..."