Even though it was Chris's second birthday, Helen, who loved her son in one way and her daughter in another, could not have any hope of enjoying this party unless she knew who these mysterious friends of her husband were. Steve had refused to say their names. He shrugged his shoulders when she asked him: "You'll find out soon!"
The revulsion of feeling in her was too strong to be called joy, the joy of her little boy's birthday! To her, within her, everything was tumult like when one was sick to her stomach and could not reach to the bathroom soon enough! It was all agony along with the strain of getting the last minute things ready for practically two parties they had that day. It all made a painful impediment. She could only perceive this day's joy when she recovered her power to feel it!
From the time that Steve told her about these new friends to two o'clock when people began showing up with their children for the afternoon party, she felt the length of time which was only a few hours was like a long highway with no exits that one drove on it for miles and miles and hours after hours, stretched endlessly ahead, like her life, like her nightmares which now she had them in this day time while being awake and celebrating her son's birthday!
They arranged games, prizes, and many activities for the children. Chris was so excited. Elizabeth was moaning in her room and did not want to get ready. Helen did not know whom she needed to calm, Chris's incitement, Elizabeth's jealousy, or her own horror. Finally it was Steve, who calmed Elizabeth.
"Come on my beautiful Liz. You had much better party than Chris when you turned two years old. Don't you remember it? We'll have a big party for you in a few months when you turn five. I promise!"
She was always daddy's girl. She hanged on to his neck and let her daddy to kiss her. "Okay daddy!" For a while when Chris was a baby, she had become mommy's girl. At this moment, she even refused her mommy to dress her.
"No, I want my daddy!" She kept screaming.
Helen left the room. She told Chris that even though it was his birthday and his party, he needed to share his toys with his friends and to be happy when other children would win a game.
"Okay, mommy." He said while a knot was forming in his little throat!!
To Be Continued
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