Chapter 8

"Do we need the pink cups or the white ones?" Troy asked.

"Both," I said. "We'll mix and match. Saucers should be pink, though. I don't think we have any white ones."

"Alright. I'll get those set up. Are the table cloths on the tables already?"

"Yeah, Bryce and Matt did it for me. Taylor and Chad just pulled up, you wanna get Chad to help with the streamers while I help Taylor get the kids out of the car?"

"Yeah. Just send him over."

I nodded as I walked over to Chad and Taylor's car. They'd moved to Oklahoma City about a year before we did. Chad's been playing for the Redhawks since they moved, so when we got out here, it was nice to have a few familiar people to socialize with.

"Aunt Sharpay!"

I smiled, opening up the backseat as Taylor got out of the car. "Hi, Sissy. Have you been a good girl?" I asked, helping the four-year-old out of her car seat.

"Yeah. Bailey's been bad, though."

"Have you been bad, Bailey?"

"No," the two-year-old said. "I a good girl."

"Yeah, right," Taylor said. "You've both been annoying each other."

"Chad, Troy's putting the streamers up around the yard, will you help him?" I asked.

"Sure thing," Chad said.

I got Bailey out of her car seat and kissed her cheek. "I missed you."

"Me, too," Bailey said.

"You wanna go play with Lily? She's over there in the sandbox."

"Sand! I pway in the sand, I go pway."

I laughed and put her down, watching her run over to the sandbox and I closed the back door of the car before sharing a hug with Taylor.

"How've you been?" Taylor asked.

"Pretty good, actually."

"Is Gabriella coming?"

"No. She tried to get off work to make it, but they wouldn't let her. She's planning on visiting once school's out, though. Only a few more months."

"Good. We need to get the whole gang together some day."

"We do, it'll be fun."

"Where's Matty and Brycey?" Sissy asked.

"They're helping put stuff on the table. You can go help them but you have to listen to Bryce, okay? He's doing it a special way that he wants it."

"Okay," she said before running off.

Her name isn't really Sissy, it's just what everyone calls her. Her name is Cecilia. We don't call her that unless she's in trouble.

After a while, the party got started. Oh, I might want to mention what it's even for. Since It's Gracie's birthday, we're throwing her a tea party. We decided to do it every year, so we're still celebrating her life. I dread the next few days as it gets closer to the anniversary of her accident. I've been okay so far, but I just don't know how I'll be on the day of.

I invited all the families of the kids from my day care. Since I still have my license, I started the day care up again so I would still be working. I've gotten pretty close with some of the parents. One parent, Alyssa, also lost a child to heat exhaustion. Her son got locked in their car, just like Gracie. I'm closest with her.

As I looked around the yard to monitor the kids, I saw a car pull up the long driveway. I didn't recognize it at all. It almost made me nervous.

"Troy?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said.

"Did you invite someone else?"

"No. Why?"

"Someone pulled up and I don't know their car."

"Maybe it's a new car."

I watched as the car parked and I saw a small woman get out of the passenger seat. I caught a glimpse of her face, but she opened the back seat door so her face was blocked. It wasn't until someone got out of the driver's side that I knew who it was.

The second I saw his face, my eyes filled with tears and I let out a little sob, running over to him and hugging him. "Ryan..."

"Hey, Shar," Ryan said, kissing my head. "Don't cry."

"I missed you..."

"I missed you, too. How's everything going?"

"Perfect now that you're here," I said, burying my face into his neck.

"I beg to differ. You're the life of the party, you don't need me here to make it worth anything."

"I'm not complete without my other half."

"You're a strong woman. You're fine without me."

I shook my head and stayed there for a few seconds before a voice spoke up.

"Sorry to interrupt this reunion, but a little girl wants to meet her Auntie."

I pulled away from Ryan and smiled, seeing Kelsi. He didn't tell me she was pregnant. He didn't even tell me they were together. What kind of brother is he?

I smiled at the baby in Kelsi's arms and ran my finger over her cheek. "Well, aren't you just adorable?"

"Her name is Shaylin," Kelsi said, handing her over to me.

I stared at my niece for a few seconds. "She looks really familiar."

"She looks just like you," Ryan said.

"What? Nuh uh."

"Yeah, Blonde hair, brown eyes. She's got your nose and everything."

I looked at Shaylin for a few more seconds before realizing Ryan was right. She does look just like me. "Wow... That's insane..."

"Where's my niece and nephews?"

"Over there at Gracie's table."

"I'm gonna go surprise them. You two catch up," Ryan said before making his way to the yard.

"How've you been?" Kelsi asked.

"The same, I guess. Pretty good. Kids are adjusting, I'm adjusting," I said.

"I'm sorry I didn't go to her funeral. I had the worst morning sickness. I couldn't get out of bed almost."

"It's fine, no big deal."

"It's a pretty big deal. I'm sorry that happened to you guys."

"We are, too. We're a lot more careful now. Cars go in the garage and stay locked now. I just regret not being more careful before it happened."

"It wasn't your fault, Sharpay. She was just a curious little girl. It's unfortunate."

I nodded, looking at Shaylin again. "I can't get over how pretty you are. How old is she?"

"Five months."

"Ryan didn't even tell me you guys were together, let alone having a baby. He didn't mention you being pregnant at the funeral."

"I told him not to. I didn't want anything to take focus away from Gracie."

"I don't think it would have mattered that day. I was tired of getting the condolences."

"I can't even imagine how terrible it must have been."

"It was horrible."

"If you ever need anything, just let us know. You know we'll do anything for you guys."

"I appreciate it, Kelsi. Really."

"What's a sawed off sondheim good for if she can't be there for her sister-in-law?"

I smiled. "Pretty sawed off, I guess."