Sunday, 8 December, 10:45 PDT, present day
"Do you remember what today is about, Andy?" Drew asked as she picked him up out of the water basin and wrapped him up in a towel.
The little baby puckered his lips and blew. Drew smiled as she dried his curly locks. "Yes, Andy, it's your birthday," his mother said as she held him against her chest.
She had just finished setting up the backyard for the small get-together. She had placed the last goodie bag on the small plastic table out on the patio deck only fifteen minutes before coming in to get Andy ready for the party.
Drew had walked out of the en suite bathroom as the sounds of BBC4 came from the thirty-two-inch flatscreen television in her room. She finished toweling off Andy and began to get him dressed. She put on his diaper as she listened to the broadcast.
She put on his light blue onesie and smiled at her son. She allowed him to stand wobbly on his feet as she held onto his palms. The little boy smiled back at her. She took a deep breath as something on the television screen caught her eye.
The familiar young man was dressed in a dapper black suit with a black necktie. She smiled to herself as she noticed that the Muggle athlete had placed his hair neatly in a topknot. He waved politely at the cameras as he walked down the red carpet.
Her chest clenched for a moment. She bit her lower lip as she shut her eyes. She realized that there was only one reason why he would be on that red carpet leading to the London fashion venue.
"Hey, we're here," a voice rang out from the living room.
Drew blew out a breath as she turned back to Andy. She gave him a weak smile before she picked him up.
"Hey, glad you guys could make it," she said as she walked out of her bedroom.
The Latino doctor kissed her on the cheek in greeting and then kissed Andy on the head as well. The English chef also kissed her cheek in greeting as she let him carry Andy.
"We brought the warmer and cooler through the fireplace," Aston said as he made funny faces at Andy. He placed him in his playpen as Marco placed two large, gift-wrapped boxes onto the kitchen island before following Aston out onto the patio deck with the cooler.
"Those things fit through there?" Drew said as she saw the size of the rolling carts. She picked Andy up as she followed the two men out to the backyard.
"Yup," Aston said as he and Marco opened the food receptacles. Aston started to pull things from the hot warmer and placed them on the picnic table.
"Steamed white rice, mashed potatoes, gravy, chopped steak, baked chicken, grilled mahimahi, and Nalo greens," Aston said.
Marco started to pull the desserts from the cooler. He placed the punchbowl filled with a mix of fruit cocktail and some Filipino Halo Halo mix. He also brought out a pitcher of two-percent milk to mix with the fruit salad. He also brought out some purple ube tarts and some regular frosted cupcakes. Aston helped pull out the large pastry box filled with the sheet cake sized birthday cake, placing it on the small plastic table where the goodie bags were.
"All set, I think," Drew said as she looked around. Aston put his arm around her shoulder, squeezing it for assurance.
"Everything is going to be great, Drew," Aston said, "It's Andy's big day."
"Everyone else should be arriving in the next five minutes," she said as she looked at her watch as it read five minutes to eleven.
"Let the games begin," Marco said as he handed Aston an open bottle of beer. He smiled at her, "What? I don't have to do the E.R. briefing until 15:30."
Drew laughed as they heard the new arrivals in the living room. Aston nodded at Drew as she left to welcome the rest of the party guests.
o-o-o
Sunday, 8 December, 14:45 PDT, present day
"Really, Dad," Drew said as she wiped down the picnic table, "I could have cleaned that up. I am off the next couple of days."
"Nonsense, Drew," her mother said as she rocked Andy in her arms, "Your father wants to bring out his inner house elf."
Marco and Aston smiled at Drew as they placed the empty food pans into the warmer and cooler. Drew rolled her eyes.
"There, all done," Draco said as he placed his wand back into his pants pocket after placing all of the crepe paper, confetti, and other rubbish into the bins.
"Thanks, Dad," Drew said as she kissed her father on the cheek as he walked back onto the patio deck.
"This was a nice day today," her mother smiled.
"I hope he remembers it," Drew said.
"He will," her father said as he ushered all of them back into the house.
The last of the guests, Junior, and his family had left fifteen minutes earlier. Both Hans and Heath and their families had left at the top of the hour; the adults having to work the next day while the older children had school.
Her mother was right. It had been a good day. All of her contemporaries and their families enjoyed themselves. It was fun catching up with the Potters, Thomases, Zabinis, and Goyles.
"We'll see you Wednesday, noon then," her mother asked as she placed the sleeping Andy into Drew's arms. Drew nodded.
"Nice seeing you chaps again," Draco said as he shook hands with both Marco and Aston. Both of them nodded as they shook the old wizard's hand.
"The food was amazing, Aston," Hermione said as she kissed Aston on the cheek.
"Thank you, Ma'am," Aston said as he smiled.
"Make sure she doesn't work too hard, Marco," Hermione said as she kissed Marco on the cheek as well.
"Will do, Ma'am," Marco said.
"Bye, Mum," Hermione said as she kissed the witch and the wizard on their cheeks, "Bye, Dad."
"Bye," the wizarding couple said in unison as they both stepped into the fireplace to Floo. Draco nodded at his wife as he dropped the powder onto the flames, calling out the name of the L.A. wizarding pub, the international travel point.
Aston grabbed three Heinekens from the refrigerator. He handed one to Marco as Drew raised an eyebrow.
Marco shrugged, "Heath gave me a Hangover cure."
They all laughed. Aston handed a bottle to Drew. "Live a little," her old friend said, "Andy won't be feeding for another few hours."
Drew laughed as she sipped her beer, the first in a long time. "That hit the spot," she said as she raised her bottle at the pair. They all nodded as they all took another sip.
"Well, Marco, let's finish cleaning up before you have to go," Aston said. Aston turned the television on to TMZ. "Drew, go take a load off."
Drew narrowed her eyes at her childhood friend, then thought better of it. She nodded and walked with Andy, placing him into the playpen, patting his back before heading back to the couch to watch the boob tube.
o-o-o
Sunday, 8 December, 15:15 PDT, present day
"See, that worked," Marco said after tanking the vial of the Hangover cure.
Drew rolled her eyes. "I've got Tuesday's briefing," she said as she kissed Marco on the cheek before he entered the fireplace.
They all turned to watch the TMZ clip highlighting the London Fashion event. Drew blew out a breath.
"I'll catch you later," Aston said as he nodded at Marco, signaling him to leave. Marco nodded as he dropped the floo powder on the flame before vanishing.
o-o-o
Sunday, 8 December, 15:20 PDT, present day
"The young couple looked extremely happy at the after-party," the voiceover began as the Muggle athlete turned the fashion model on the dancefloor. "He finally put a ring on it."
Aston blew out a breath as they listened to the entertainment journalists. He held her around her waist as if steadying her. He switched the channel to the Sunday Night Football telecast.
Drew looked up at him and shrugged before making her way to the couch to sit down. He grabbed two new bottles of beer before joining her on the couch.
"You okay?" he asked as he placed both bottles onto the coffee table.
She gave him a weak smile "He found his match," she said softly, "We should be happy for him."
"I'll get to the bottom of this," Aston said looking at her. "I'll talk to him."
"Please don't," Drew said, "He deserves to move on."
Aston studied her face for a moment. He nodded.
"You deserve to be happy, too, you know that?" Aston said. "I could set you up on a blind date. Marco and I could go on a double with you and whomever."
She canted her eyebrow up at him. He put his hands up in surrender.
"I already have an important someone in my life," Drew said, smiling as she looked toward the sleeping infant.
He handed her one of the opened beer bottles. "Live a little," he said smirking at her. "Besides, you have like ten million frozen breast milk bags in your freezer."
"You're incorrigible," she laughed.
He extended his green bottleneck to her. She sighed. She clinked her bottle against his.
"To Andy," Aston said, "it was his day today."
Drew nodded at him as they both took a sip from their bottles. She leaned into his chest. He put his arm around her, comforting her, as they watched the American football game on television.
o-o-o
Sunday, 8 December, 18:30 HST, present day
"Hey," the restaurateur said as the doctor on the other end of the line answered, "So, how was the E.R. briefing?"
"Easy peasy," Marco said. "How's Drew?"
"She's resilient," Aston said. "I left like half an hour ago. She was okay."
"So, we nixing Operation Parent Trap, then?" Marco asked.
There was a slight pause on the other end of the line. "No, stay the course," Aston said. "Those two were meant for each other. I've seen it. As Shakespeare would write, 'they're a pair of star-crossed lovers.'"
"You are cuckoo," Marco laughed, "Are you drunk?"
"I'm very much sober, thank you very much," Aston laughed. "You don't agree that they're meant for each other?"
"Touché," Marco nodded. "So, how do we get them back on track?"
"Phillip is true to his word," Aston began. "There's no way he'll back out of Friday's hospital fundraiser. You just make sure Drew shows up, too."
"Done," Marco said.
"See you Sunday morning?"
"Count on it," Marco said. "Love you."
"Love you, too," Aston said as they both ended the call.