Serena Joy walked into the kitchen, nervously putting an earring in here. Dressed in a blue sweater set and flowered skirt, Corrine was adjusted a plate of stuffed mushrooms. "Honey don't you think you're a bit over dressed?"
Serena Joy was currently dressed in her black off the shoulder gown in strap heels. "Do you remember what Lizzie J wore to her engagement party? That backless sage green thing?" After a beating around, she asked, "Mom, where's the drinks? Not the soda, the hard stuff." Then, seeing it in the corner, walked as fast as she could on her heels, and poured herself a class of green crème de menthe, taking large sip.
"Are you sure you should start drinking so soon?" Corrine questioned.
"If I'm going to get through this, I need something to take the edge off." Serena Joy informed her. Again, how did I let you talk me into this? "Ah, where's Rawls?"
"Oh, he wanted to help so I sent him out for some ice." Corrine told her.
Just then, as if on cue, draped in his yellow polyester sportscoat Rawls back through the door with the ice. "Corrine, where do you want this?"
"Over there." Corrine told him, pointing to a bowel of the table.
As Rawls despioted the ice, he saw how out of sorts his bride to be was. "Hey, you okay, babe?" He asked, walking over to her.
"Yeah," Serena Joy replied, "Just a little nervous." After a beat she said, "No, scratch that, I' really nervous. There's going to be a bunch of people, in a small aera, and there's a couple of dozen things that could go wrong, and what even is even the point of engagement party, and you have almost no family coming and that's not fair to you and did I mention something's going to go wrong-I mean, Amber and Aunt Sarah are in the same room, we're going to be lucky if it doesn't explode with negativity and crazy!" Clutching her hair, she declared, "One of them is going to parent shame someone, I just know it."
"Serena, Serena calm down." Rawls urged, putting his hands around her waist, "Just breathe in, and breathe out. Slowly."
Serena Joy did as instruct, taking slow deep and breathe.
"It's going to be fine." Rawls told her, "These are people who love us and are here to wish us well. And I'm fine with the family that's here. Besides, half my family is guaranteed to create a compostable situation. And besides, you're my family, too, now. Everything well be fine." Then he kissed her.
Serena Joy smiled. "Thanks Rawls."
Just then the doorbell rain. "Eliza and Nick are here!" Stan called out. "So is Sarah!"
"Well, that was beautiful five seconds." Serena Joy declared.
Fortunately, the next people to arrive were Reason and Maudie, Hannah, Sam and the boys, Elsbeth and the girls and Edith all by providence arriving in a great big bundle. "Thanks for coming, guys." Serena Joy told them gratefully, hugging each in turn. When she got to Reason she began, confused, "But I thought—"
"There was—incident with the cooler after you left." Reason explained, "It should only take the day to fix, but in the meantime, I'm all yours."
"What about—" Serena Joy began, wanting to make sure she wasn't imposing.
"Crammed it all in before I left." Reason assured her, "It was close, but I did. Now how are you doing?"
"I'm surprised she still has fingernails." Rawls declared from spot at her side.
Reason took her by the hand. "It's going to fine." She assured her. "We are all here for you."
Serena Joy exhaled. "Thanks guys." Then leading them into the kitchen, she tried to get into swing of things, "Now, food's in the kitchen, just maybe avoid the spring roll , spiced nuts, of Chai scones, cause We made then in case my cusion Amber comes and she's vegan, so there's a limited number of choices for her so—"
Just then she dumped into a woman with mousey brown hair done up, wearing a yellow dress. "Serena, who's this? 'Benedict's' family.?" Her face scrunched up at the name.
"This Rawls' cusion Edith." Serena Joy introduced her, "And his sister-in-law Elsbeth and his nieces Vanessa, Scarlet and Dory. Ladies, this is my aunt. Sarah."
"Nice to meet you." Elsbeth said, extending her hand to the woman.
Sarah just stared as if she wasn't sure what to do with it, instead, saying, "You don't really look at all like Benedict."
"That's because I'm not his sister." Elsbeth explained, "I'm his sister in law, well, ex sister in law."
"Oh." Sarah exchanged curtly, "Called it quits?"
Elsbeth raised an eye brow. "Excuse me?"
"I'm sorry, it's just that it seems to be that if you—" Sarah began.
Fortunately, that was when Corrine, realizing things were about to take a turn came over. "Sarah, why don't you try these pigs in a blanket?" Then she started actually stopping hour de vors into her sister's mouth, pushing her away from the group, silently wondering what had possessed them to invite her.
"Elsbeth, I am so, so, sorry." Serena Joy began quickly, clearly upset by her aunt's action, "My aunt, she's very—opinionated, and critical, and has no verbal filter—"
"Serena Joy, its okay." Elsbeth assured her calmly, "If people blamed me for my crazy relatives, I wouldn't have any friends left. "
Serena Joy sighed in relief. "Thank you."
Sensing his intended was still tense from the encounter, Rawls began rubbing her shoulders, saying, "You want me get you a drink, babe?"
"Now that you mention it, I wouldn't say no to a grasshopper right now, thank you." Serena Joy berthed.
Five minutes later, Serena Joy was nursing a deep mint green concoction in a martini glass, looking around at the scene. So far apart from the close call with Aunt Sarah and Elsbeth, nothing bad had had happened. Serena Joy's maternal grandparents, Mike and Nell, Corrine's friend Alice , and Pastor Jeff had arrived, putting them at two to go, and everyone was miggling.
Just then, Serena Joy was flanked by either side if her by a blonde and a brunette. "Hey." Reason greeted her.
"You feeling any better?" Hannah asked.
"Yeah." Serena Joy responded, "I'm actually doing a lot better now. But, um, has anyone seen Elsbeth since—you know."
Just then Edith walked over. "She's fine, she's talking with Eliza over there. See?"
Elsbeth was yes, at the table, talking to Eliza Jane, who was holding a blue Hawaiian.
"Yeah, they bonded over the holidays over Mom stuff." Serena Joy commented.
"See?" Reason added, gesturing, "And all the kids are running around playing or still eating, everything's fine."
Indeed, the kids, which at that point consisted, of Dean, Castiel, Maudie, Vanessa, Scarlet, Dory, and Eliza Jane's daughters, Amy and Jennifer, the later of who Dean kept trying to pick up and carrying around, much to the toddler's chirgin.
"Dean, let her down." Sam ordered, "That crying sound she's making means she doesn't like it."
Dean sat her down. "Sorry baby." He said, patting her on the head.
Sam last in spite of himself, right along with Rawls. "That's going to be fun when the baby gets here." Rawls commented, "She's about to get there, right?"
"Month and a half, give or take." Sam confirmed, "We are—probably really not ready. Like, really not ready. I mean, we got a crib, I still have to put up the crib, we have a lot of baby proofing up for when the boys were younger, but we took some it off as they got older, we're still debating between cloth or disposable diapers so we don't have either, and Hannah doesn't if she's going to be able to breast feed or should we do formula—that's probably too much information." Then changing subject, Sam asked, "So, how's the wedding planning going?"
"We've still haven't picked a date yet, but we were thinking either May, or June, maybe July at the latest. "Rawls said, "It really depends on when we can get a venue, and when we can get most of the family together. We were at least hopping to do it where my sister could come down."
"Sister?" Sam repeated. Rawls never talked about his family much, though he got the gist, but this was the first he was hearing of a sister. At least he thought.
"Half-sister from step dad number five." Rawls elaborated, "Consequently one of my favorite step fathers. She's at school right now. I know this may sound weird, but I want thinking about asking her to be my best man. Or best woman I guess."
"That's not that weird." Sam assured him.
After a moment, Rawls added, "You know, I'm going to need at least a couple more groomsmen…"
Just then Serena Joy walked up to them. "Babe, I think we have a couple more guess to receive."
In the doorway were two women, one in her early twenties, with long amber colored hair, dressed in jeans in a t-shirt tank, and an older, short, solidly built woman with faded blonde hair, in green dress tastefully decorated with sliver rhinestones.
"Aunt Rose!" Serena Joy beamed, her moved instantly improved, wrapping her arms around the woman.
"Serena." The woman beamed back, squeezing her tightly, letting her go as she got a look at Rawls, "Oh, this must be him."
"Yeah," Serena Joy confirmed, "Aunt Rose, this Rawls, Rawls, this is my dad's cusion, Rose."
"Nice to finally meet you." Rawls smiled at her, taking her hand, "I've heard good things."
"Stan and Corrine have said wonderful things about you." Rose said, pulling pack, "We met your sister on the way, in, she's lovely."
"My sister?" Rawls repeated, confused.
Rose began to look around, confused. "I could've sworn she was right behind us."
Just then someone from behind them cleared their throat. The two women stepped back, revealing a girl about the same age as Reason with thick sandy blonde, almost light brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, wearing a sleeveless red dress that feel to her knees.
Rawls just stood there for a minute, staring at her shock.
"Hey, Benny." Persephone Walters said with a smile.
"Steph." He beamed embracing her, then pulling back began, "How—"
"Two classes canceled due to bad weather, and there might be the pledge master two buildings down from me in the car and he might have a lead foot." Persephone explained, "Seriously, he drives crazier than Edith."
"I heard that!" Edith called from the kitchen.
In the kitchen, the ladies had all been conversing. "Girls, can you come here a second?" Elsbeth called out.
The girls ran up to her, Scarlet having Dory by the arm.
"Come on," Elsbeth told them, "There's someone I want you to meet." With that she walked them over to Persephone, who has just entered the kitchen with her brother and future sister in law.
"Who's that?" Hannah whispered over to Reason.
"I don't know." Reason whispered back.
"She's his sister." Edith whispered, "He's really the only one she'd kept in contact with since she went off to school."
"Girls," Elsbeth began, "This is your Aunt Stephie."
Persephone's eyes got a little misty. "Hi," She said, whipping her eyes and leaning down, "You were so tiny the last time I saw you. What did I tell you about not growing?"
"Huh?" Venessa responded.
"Never mine." Persephone replied, "You were too young to remember. "Looking to the middle sister, she said, "And you, Scarlet, you were just a baby. "After a beat she asked, "Guys, you think I can get a hug?"
Both girls let themselves be scooped up. "Ah! That's it!" Then she saw Dory. "And who's this?"
Dory head behind Elsbeth's legs as Rawls whispered over Persephone. "Oh."
"She's a little shy." Elsbeth explained.
"That's okay." Persephone assured the toddler, "I was shy when I was kid too. "
After that, things were going smoothly. Everyone was having a good time; everyone was happy for the couple. Serena Joy even started to enjoy herself.
At least until Maudie started eying the cupcakes.
Serena Joy had made a two dozen of them, German chocolate topped with creamy white icing that had been frosted to look like a rose. Reason had been chatting with Amber, who seemed a bit of a strong personality but not as bad as described at that point, by the cupcake display, when Maudie came over. "Mommy, can I have a cup cake?"
In a somewhat condescending tone, Amber pipped off, "You know, you really shouldn't eat those, Maudie. Sugar is really bad for you."
Being admonished by an adult, and not even sure what for, Maudie looked down, embarrassed.
Reason was so stunned for a moment that she stood there, shocked. Quickly getting her barrings back, she said, grabbing a cup cake, "But in moderation, it's perfectly fine." Leaning over to give it to her, she said, "Here you go."
Maudie's face lit up as she took it. "Thank you." Then she went off, beginning to eat the treat.
When she was sure her daughter was out of ear shot, Reason turned to face Amber. "What was that?" It wasn't that she automatically rejected the input of others, but straight up hijacking was another matter.
"You're serious going let your child eat poison?" Amber demanded, ignoring Reason's question and suddenly talking to her like she was an idiot.
Reason took a deep breath. Lord, please give me strength and patience. A ton of patience. Like, Job-level patience here .Then she began diplomatically, "Look I understand that you have a certain diet and lifestyle that includes no sugar, put I am her parent, and I don't give her a ton of sweets but think once and a while on special occasions, like a party."
Amber mouth fell open and her noise scrunched up. Wanting out of the conversation, Reason, seeing Serena Joy called out, "Hey, Serena!" Then she walked off, leaving Amber to stand in shock.
When Serena Joy could see her friend was out of sort. "Oh my gosh, what happened?"
"Nothing." Reason insisted, smiling.
Unfortunately, that was Amber decided she needed to have the last word, calling, "I should call CPS on you!"
"Though you cusion might be having a conception because I let my kid eat a cupcake." Reason grimaced, "She wouldn't really-"
"No, her parents made it clear the next time she was arrested for filing a false report they were going to let her rot in jail and she doesn't have any friends to bail her out because—well, things like what just happened." Serena Joy answered. Then a after a moment of thought, she declared, "Though just in case, let me get Aunt Rose."
After that, there was an incident every five minutes or less.
The next one started as Aunt Sarah cornered Sam and Hannah and was going on and on about her disapproval of Rawls.
"Serena's never been very bright, if I'm being completely honest, but I don't know what she was thinking with this one." She was ranting, "And why did Corrine and Stan let her? I always said they were too permissive with those girls…."
"Well, she's twenty-two, uh, I don't think they can legally stop her." Sam spoke up awkwardly, wanting to be anywhere but here. By chance, that was when a few of the children had decided to play chase, running around the table and causing the plates and glasses to safe. "Guys, Guys," Sam called out, getting their attention, "Chase is more of an outside game, okay? Or at least a game for a larger space, find something else to play."
"Okay." The boys agreed, walking off.
Sarah back and forth at the boys and Hannah rather noticeable tummy, incredulous. "How many children do you have?"
"Two and one on the way." Hannah answered, resting arm on her stomach, because it was getting to the point where that was the only place she could comfortably rest her upper ligaments.
Suddenly Aunt Sarah's face contorted into a look of disgust. "You must be Mormon."
"Actually, we don't have a reglious affliction…" Hannah began, caught off balance by the sudden derogatory and somewhat odd comment.
"Well, then it's just irresponsible having so many children…" Sarah began another rant.
Trying to change the subject, since he didn't think they were getting out of there anytime soon, Sam said, "Serena Joy, um says you have two daughters. I actually think I ran into one of them earlier. I tried to talk to you them, but they seemed a little shy."
That was actually an understatement. All he did was say hi as he got an egg roll, and they went stiff like frightened rabbits and began backing away slowly before running off.
"I've thought them not to talk to strangers." Aunt Sarah burst it off in snitty tone, "Lynette is eighteen and Misty just turned sixteen."
"They both must be really excited." Sam replied.
"I suppose." Aunt Sarah responded, "Lynette keeps sending off all these applications to these out of city and even out of state schools, I don't know what she thinks is going to happen? Really, what's wrong with the collages in Topeka? You really don't even need to travel more than a few miles from home anyway. I don't know where I went wrong." For once it was her who changed the subject, "So, what about you?"
"Oh, Dean and Cas?" Sam responded, "We're a long way away from collage. They just start preschool in the fall, the way their birthday falls." He decided to leave out that they were planning on homeschooling, as he had no doubt this horrible woman would have a field day with it.
However, he had unknowingly given her something else to play with anyway. "Cas?" She repeated, a look of distaste on her face, "That's sort of…girlish, don't you think?"
"Well, it's short for Castiel…." Hannah began.
The woman pratically snorted. "That's an uncomfortable name, isn't it?"
"It's not…." Hannah began, when she saw the boy himself coming over, well within ear shot already.
Indifferent to his presence. Sarah continued, in a tone used to entitlement and running the mouth unchecked, "I could never give my child such an odd sounding name."
And yet you'd give your child a name better suited for horses and strippers. Sam thought, crouching down to see what his son needed. "What is it, bud?"
"I need to go potty." Cas told him, apparently unaffected by the insult.
"Come on," Sam, taking Cas by the hand and grabbing Hannah's hand, dragging her away from the quagmire.
Upon Castiel finishing his business, the couple exited the bathroom, Serena Joy and Rawls waiting for them. "Norma told us what happened." Rawls said, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, we all talked about it, it's fine." Sam assured them.
Covering Cas' ears, Hannah added, "Miraculously he didn't hear enough to realize she was talking about him."
"Guys, on behalf of my entire family, I appolize." Serena Joy began, mortified, "What she did was inexcusable, we never should have invited her, we only did invite is because we didn't think she would come and we didn't want to start a thing, but that's really no excuse…."
"Serena," Hannah cut her off, "It's not your fault. The only person to blame here is that -horrible woman. Don't let it ruin your night."
Serena Joy wrapped Hannah into a hug. "By the way, I think Castiel is a great, great, name."
That would have been the end of it, were it not for the minute Sam and Hannah came back out, still talking Rawls and Serena Joy, Aunt Sarah tracked them down. "Serena, can I talk with you," She was saying, where her eyes landed on Castiel, "There's the boy with no proper…"
"What did you want to talk to me about?" Serena Joy cut her off, giving Sam and Hannah time to flee with Cas.
"What was that lady—" Cas began.
"Don't worry about the lady, little one." Hannah told him, "She's not right in the head." She had to be a little mal adjusted to talk to child like that. Saying it to them was one thing. Saying it in front of or two Cas was another.
After that couple just sat on the couch, taking a minute to recover, Cas going back to play with brothers and the others.
"The nerve of her!" Hannah was saying, "Saying that right in front of him! Right to him! I have half a mine to smite her. If I still could." She hated her powers being on the fritz like that this. It made her feel so helpless.
"I know, I know," Sam hushed in a soothing tone, rubbing her arm, "In fact, if you see me going for my boot, stop me." He hadn't brought in any guns because of the number of children around, but had taken in a couple of knives, in case of emgerncy.
"Do you…do you think we made a mistake not changing his name?" Hannah asked.
"No." Sam assured her quickly, shaking his head, "Look people name their kids a lot of crazy things now a days. Castiel is definitely better than Apple, I can tell you that."
Hannah tilted her head up, "Someone actually—"
"Yeah." Sam replied, "And now it's like a thing. Who knows, maybe next thing you know, every other boy will name Castiel."
Hannah smiled. "Can you imagine…."
"And in Victorian times the name was even worse. Raspberry, Never, Farthing, and I think that was girl's a name."
Hannah giggled a little.
Getting up, they walked back into the kitchen, holding hands, when Pastor Jeff walked up to them. "Are you alright?" The pastor asked, "I hadn't seen you in a while."
"Yeah," Sam assured him.
"We just needed a little time to recover." Hannah explained, "We just a had a few encounters with Serena Joy's aunt. She's, um…."
" What Jerry Bridges would call a critical spirit." Jeff finished for her.
"I was going to say an acquired taste, but, yes, I believe what you said works much better." Hannah replied.
"You should add selfishly inconsiderate on top of that." Priscilla Jean called out.
Just then, Sarah found them for a third time. "You're a preacher or something, right?" She began, "Maybe you should talk to this one about naming their next child, "That was when she started touching Hannah's belly, "Something more sensible."
"Uh, please stop that." Hannah requested. While she was okay with a moderate amount of touching from relatives and close friends, she did not like strangers touching her belly, and in fact, had only had to deal with it once throughout the entire pregnancy.
However, she didn't listen, continuing to touch Hannah's belly, saying, "How do you think he's going to handle it when he gets older? He is going to hate you for naming him that. Seriously, you're just a bad mother."
Hannah gasped at that and Sam took a step forward, then Jeff grabbed him by the wrist. "Sam, don't do anything rash." Then he addressed the woman in question, "Sarah, that's enough."
"Please, stop touching my stomach." Hannah pleaded, pushing the hand away.
"It's okay, I'm a mother." Sarah insisted, starting the petting again, this time getting rough, scaring Hannah.
"Ma'am, my wife asked you to stop." Sam said in his you-really-don't-want to mess with me tone, before grabbing Hannah and walking away.
Lacking all self-awareness and not use to being so openly challenged, Sarah walked after them, starting to touch Hannah's belly again, saying in nasty tone, "Why on earth would you give that poor boy such an unusual name?"
Doing a quick check to make sure the woman's own daughter weren't around, they were teens, but he still wanted to show them that curtesy, Sam said, not missing a beat, "Well, if you give a kid a common name, it will be a common kid."
The backhanded declaration shocked the woman enough that she dropped her hand, looking like a pufferfish that had somehow wound up on land, giving the couple enough time to escape. It also Pastor Jeff time to catch up. "Sarah, I think it's time we had a talk…." He wasn't sure how much good it would do, Corrine confined him once that her sister and her family had gone through five churches, usually leaving when an elder or pastor would try to have an honest conversation with Sarah about her antics, but it would at least keep her occupied for a while. Besides, maybe they'd get a miracle.
The next thing that happened wasn't that bad, actually. It started when a boy no one recognized, sinewy build with short clipped light brown hair, poked his head in. Seeing Persephone talking with Rawls and Serena Joy, he hissed, whispering. "Steph! Steph, over here!"
Persephone turned around at his voice. "I, ah, got to go for a minute, guys, my ride needs something."
They watched her go over and talk to the boy. "I'm not sure about her ride." Rawls said, staring at him with suspicion, "I don't know her ride."
"I'm sure he's a perfectly nice boy." Serena Joy assured him.
"She said he was pledge master." Rawls pointed, "Pledge masters aren't nice. Watch any sorority film, or a horror movie."
Just then Persephone walked back. "Hey, guys, is it okay for Preston to come in a use the bathroom?"
"Sure." Serena Joy assured her, giving her a smile, "In fact, let him come in. Join the party."
Persephone turned and nodded to the Preston, who carefully hurried towards the bathroom.
Just then, there was the clanging of glass. "I'd like to make a toast." Eliza Jane called out. As the room went silence, she began. "When Serena Joy told us, she had a new boyfriend, we were all surprised. She's really good at keeping a secret. Like, really good. But I also knew she was in love. Because she looks at him the same way I look my husband." After a beat she said, "Rawls?"
Rawls' eyes glanced towards her.
"You're a great guy, and I like you, but if you hurt my sister, I will kill you, is that understood?" Eliza Jane asked.
"Yes, ma'am." Rawls confirmed.
"But it's not going to come to that." Eliza Jane said confidently, "Because I know you two are going to have many, many years together, and I wish you both the best of luck. "Raising her glass, she said, "To –"
Just then she was cut off by the sound of a toilet flushing.
Eliza Jane smirked, the broke into laugher. Soon the whole room was laughing.
But the last one, the very last incident, took the cake, and nearly sent everything careening off the cliff.
It all started when Persephone and her friend, Preston, who had been invited to stay along with the rest of the group, were having a conversation with Lynette and Misty. Or at least they were trying to do.
"And that's how I picked pharmacology." Persephone finished.
"I—I didn't know that was a thing." Misty responded, "I just thought pharmacist were like, check out people or something."
Both of the other young women thought this was a really odd assumption, but they brush it off, Persephone saying, "So Lynette, I heard you're graduating this year. What's next? Collage, trade school, appetence, community college?"
"I…" Lynette began, looking like a dear in the headlights, "I…." Then suddenly the girl broke down into tears.
"I'm sorry." Persephone said, panicking, not sure what she had said wrong, "I didn't mean to upset you."
"What did you do?!" Sarah screeched, marching over and tearing her daughter away, wrapping her in her arms, "It's alright, baby, it's alright." Then glaring over at Persephone, "I should've known the entire family was trash!"
She just did the one thing that could set Rawls off. "Hey!" He began, marching towards, "You can't talk to my sister."
That was also the time when Amber commented, just loud enough for Sarah to hear, "Looks like someone's not consistent enough."
"Oh, great, she's one of those, too." Reason commented, running over to Maudie and picking her up, knowing that between Sarah and Amber, whatever happened next, it wasn't going to be good and she didn't want her daughter to see it.
"What is that supposed to mean?!" Sarah demanded whirling on her.
"Tantrums are caused by parents not being consistent in their discipline." Amber declared matter of factly.
"She's seventeen not two." Sam whispered, taking his wife by the hand and looking for their children as well.
Just then Serena Joy got between the four of them. "Stop it! All of you!"
That when Sarah shouted out, "At least I never sent anyone to looney bin!"
Serena Joy froze, as if she a had been slap, tears forming at her eyes. She had to go there? Really? Suddenly she ran off, sprinting out.
"Serena!" Rawls called out, running after her.
Suddenly Sarah found herself surrounded by her sister and parents, all looking rather angry. "Sarah, I think it's time we had a little talk." Corrine said, her arms folded.
Stan and Rose cornered Amber. "I think we do, too." Rose said.
Her shoes in her hands Serena Joy walked down the street, sobbing. Of the things she thought could go wrong, Aunt Sarah had to throw that out there? And like that? It was so embarrassing. And like she needed reminded, that her life went off the rails for a while and how long it took her recover? Suddenly it was like she was that kid again pulled over on the side of the road."
Suddenly a voice broke through her ruminations. "Serena! Serena Joy!"
She turned around, and saw Rawls standing there.
"Things went sorta pear-shaped in there." He began, "I' sorry, I shouldn't have reacted that way."
"Trust me, you were the least of the problems." Serena Joy got out before breaking into more sobs, "Rawls, remember what I told you that night on the bridge in that park? That I was damaged goods and you should run. "
"Uh-huh." Rawls responded, putting his arms around her, "And remember what I told you?"
"That no matter how crap I thought my stats were yours were far worst." Serena Joy told him, actually laughing, "And then you started singing. Which by the way, 'Crazy Girl' is probably not the best thing to sing to someone who's been in metal health facility."
Rawls smiled, "I know, you said that then, too." Rocking her back and forth, he started singing, "Crazy girl, don't you know that I love you? I wouldn't dream of going nowhere. Silly woman, come here let me hold you. Have I told you lately, I love you like crazy, girl?"
"You're still sort of off key." Serena Joy quipped and they both started laughing.
They sat in the sidewalk for a while before walking back to the house, where her friends were all waiting on the front stoop. "You okay?" Reason asked.
"Yeah," Serena Joy answered, "I took a minute calmed down. But I feel I owe you guys an explanation. "
"No, you don't." Sam told her, "Whatever that was about, they were completely out of line."
"It's your party, run off and cry if you want to." Elsbeth quipped.
"Rather you want to talk about it now or not, it's your business." Reason added.
" Maybe in a little bit." Serena Joy said.
"If you're not, then I think you're really going to like what's going on inside." Hannah smirked.
They got inside where standing in the door was Amber, Rose holding her by the ear like a naughty child. "Now, what do you have to say to your cusion?"
"I'm sorry for ruining your engagement party, Serena Joy." Amber said, sounding almost scared, "I'm a domineering, obsessive, vapid yuppie who thinks that reading one book or article makes me an expert on a subject with no verbal filter. Reason, I'm sorry for trying to parent your child when there was clearly no need."
Serena Joy couldn't help but grin. "Apology accepted."
Walking past her, Serena Joy found in the kitchen, Sarah looking rather abashed surrounding by a rather stern looking Grandpa Mike and Grandma Nell, and Corrine. "I'm sorry, too, Serena. I'm a controlling, selfishly inconsiderate, critically spirited shrew who needs to learn when to keep her mouth shut."
By the point, Serena Joy was fighting off full blown schadenfreude. "You are forgiven." Then she went over to the drink aera.
As she poured herself a glass of green crème de menthe, Rawls came over, pour himself a drink. "Here's to us." She said, and they clinked their glasses.