Chapter 33
On Sunday, I head over to Jeremy’s house at noon.
I spent the morning trying to take Ezra’s advice and not think about the fact that my son’s sixth birthday party has been going on without me being there.
I have to keep in mind that I will have Teddy on his real birthday later in the week, and we will get to spend the rest of today together. This party isn’t a big deal.
When I pull onto our old street, it’s hard to find parking because the curbs are so crowded with cars. Is this party still going on? It seems like nobody ever knows when to go home during these kids’ events. Really, you need to hire a bouncer.
I should be grateful Jeremy handled things. I don’t need that kind of hassle in my life right now.
I finally squeeze into a parking spot on the curb all the way down the block, and then it’s a five-minute walk back to the house. As I get closer, I can hear music and children’s laughter coming from the backyard. I wonder if he got a bouncy castle—there’s certainly room in the massive yard.
The gate to the backyard is closed, but when I try it, it’s not locked. So I’m able to step into the backyard of the house where I lived for four years and get a good look at what is clearly the party of the century.
This party has everything. There’s a bouncy house—no, a bouncy castle complete with a waterslide. There is a three-tiered birthday cake. There’s a clown blowing up balloon animals. There’s a pony. A freaking pony.
But the worst part is the sheer number of people here. This party is clearly the place to be on this particular Sunday morning. It looks like Teddy’s entire class showed up. Hell, it looks like the whole town was invited.
The only kid I don’t see at the party is my son. I scan the bouncy castle, the pony line, and the children gathered around the clown, but Teddy is nowhere to be seen.
A frisson of fear sparks in my belly. I assumed Teddy would be safe at his own birthday party, but now I wonder if that’s true. Wouldn’t a huge party like this be an easy place for a small child to disappear? What if…
“Mommy!”
Teddy’s excited voice comes tearing through the crowd, immediately dissolving my fears. A second later, my son propels himself into my arms. This level of excitement is usually reserved for Jeremy, so I’m flattered—it’s a small consolation prize on a day like today.
“Mommy, you came!” Teddy says happily. “Daddy said you wouldn’t.”
As if on cue, Jeremy emerges from the crowd, dressed casually for a change in blue jeans and a T-shirt. He’s always wearing suits, and I forgot how handsome he looks in casual clothes. Although he looks more handsome when he is smiling, which he is definitely not doing right now.
“Naomi,” he says in a low, angry voice. Since the mediation took a turn recently, Jeremy always seems furious with me—it’s painful to see him that way. “What are you doing here?”
I check my watch. “You told me to come at noon. You said the party would be over by noon.”
A blood vessel bulges in his temple. “I said one!”
“Mommy!” Teddy tugs on my skirt. “Mommy, you have to see the pony! His name is Sparkles!”
A second later, Veronica materializes, her silky hair pulled back into a high ponytail, her flawless skin scrubbed clean of makeup. She looks fantastic in jeans and a tank top—actually beautiful, not whatever Ezra was talking about. She smiles sweetly at me. “Hello, Naomi. Glad you could make it.”
“Naomi is leaving,” Jeremy says, loud enough to be heard over the sound of the screaming children, which makes a few of the adult guests swivel their heads. We’re on the verge of creating a scene.
“No!” Teddy wails. “I want Mommy to stay!”
I look at Jeremy helplessly, but he’s still glaring at me. It is Veronica who finally steps between us. “Please, stay for the party, Naomi. We’ve got food in the house. The kitchen is right in through the back doors.”
I want to snap at her that I know where the kitchen is in my own damn house, but at least she does not want to kick me out like Jeremy does. Then again, it’s because of Veronica that I am being kicked out of my entire life.
Why can’t Jeremy see it? I’ve got proof that she’s after him for his money. Doesn’t he care? Does he want to be taken advantage of?
I allow Teddy to lead me into the throng of partygoers. He shows me the giant cake and the bouncy castle and the pony, and he even has the clown make me a little balloon crown, which I obligingly rest on my head. But then Teddy gets distracted by his friends, leaving me all to myself.
I haven’t had anything to eat today, so I wander into the house to see what sort of food they have.
And naturally, the display is spectacular.
They have dozens of mini sandwiches in every variety, a smoked salmon mousse thing, deviled eggs topped with caviar, stuffed mushrooms, some sort of croquettes, and a massive charcuterie board where the meat has been formed into the shape of flowers.
And best of all, several bottles of wine.
I pour myself a large glass of red, not even bothering to look at the label. I should probably eat something first, but more than anything, I need a drink right now. Just as I am gulping it down, I lower my glass at the sight of a familiar face.
“Cora?” I say.
Cora Janzen, who I thought was my new best friend, is standing a few feet away from me, looking striking in a white summer dress. She stops short when she notices me standing there, and all the color drains out of her face. “Naomi?”
A few days ago, I complained to Cora about this very party. I told her how horrible I felt about being excluded, and she seemed just as angry as I was. And yet here she is.
“What are you doing here?” I ask her. I’m trying not to sound too accusing, but come on.
“I, uh…” She squirms as two little circles of red pop up on either cheek. “I’m really sorry, Naomi. Zack just wanted to go so badly. I couldn’t say no. I mean, all the kids at school were talking about it. He would’ve felt really left out.”
“Yes,” I say. “I understand exactly how it feels to be left out.”
“Naomi.” Her voice has gotten irritatingly whiny. I am losing respect for her by the second. “You’re not really mad over this, are you? It’s just a party.”
“Right. It’s just a party, Cora.”
“Look,” she says, “let’s talk about this tomorrow after school, okay? I’ll be in the usual spot, and we can chat.”
“If you’re in the usual spot, I’ll be somewhere else.”
I turn away from her then, downing the rest of my glass of wine. I’ve been at this party for about fifteen minutes, and it’s already been the worst fifteen minutes of my life. Cora looks like she’s going to say something else but then realizes it’s a lost cause and goes back outside.
I can’t wait for this to be over.