35. Don’t Want You To Settle
DON’T WANT YOU TO SETTLE
AIDEN
The next day, I pull up in the driveway of Dad and Lisa’s place. Opening the rear passenger door, I take out the tray of cupcakes that Lisa had asked me to collect on my way over. It’s the twins’ birthday party, and I was surprised when I received the invite in my inbox.
“Are you sure it’s okay that I’m here with you?” Tara asks, smoothing down the skirt of her dress when I join her at the front of the car.
“Yes, I promise. I checked with Lisa, just to be sure,” I reply, giving her a quick kiss before taking her hand in mine.
Making sure the cupcakes are safe in their little carrier, I lead her up the stairs and into the house.
The sounds of children squealing with excitement greet us when we enter the kitchen, and I can see a number of small children running around in the backyard.
Someone has organised several inflatable houses and castles, each with large slides, and I spy a small fenced off area behind the pool that seems to have a number of farm animals in it .
“Wow. Inflatables and a petting zoo? This is the coolest party ever,” Tara comments, her eyes wide while she takes it all in.
“Yeah… I can’t even remember having a birthday party, let alone one with live animals,” I say, trying to keep the bitterness out of my voice.
She catches it anyway, squeezing my hand without saying anything.
Dad walks in while I’m looking for a place to put down the cupcakes, stopping when his gaze drops to Tara’s hand in mine. He raises an eyebrow but doesn’t say anything. I wonder how long it will be before he asks me about it though.
“Hey, here’s the cupcakes,” I say, handing them to him.
“Thank you. Head on out if you want. There’s beer and wine in the fridge on the patio, and the caterers have just started serving the food.” He nods towards the open patio doors.
“Okay,” I reply, leading Tara outside.
We find Lisa running after the twins looking absolutely exhausted, while the tiny terrors seem to have more than enough energy to spare.
“Hey. Need a hand?” I ask, reaching down to capture Mitchell as he tears past.
Lisa looks like she’s about to cry. Exchanging a glance with Tara, she grabs Daisy before she can escape, and we each hold a screaming toddler while looking at their mother.
“Thank you. I’m trying to get them wrangled into their outfits but as soon as the animals arrived, they were off and I’ve not been able to catch them,” Lisa says, a tiny sob escaping her lips.
“How about, we’ll go and get them changed and you get a glass of wine?” I suggest.
Lisa hesitates for a moment, looking between Tara and me. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. We’ve got these two, just go take a few minutes to yourself.”
She smiles gratefully, and then heads for the fridge while Tara and I carry the two squirming three-year-olds inside. We head for their room, and I’m relieved to see that Lisa has laid their outfits out on their beds.
“Now, Mitchy, buddy. How about we give the screaming a break and get into your party clothes?” I ask my little brother, who glares up at me from where he’s thrown himself on the floor.
Tara deposits Daisy next to Mitchell, and the little cherub faced demon bops her brother on the head while giggling. This sets Mitchell off again, and they start rolling all over the floor, hitting and biting each other.
“Jesus!” Tara leaps in and pulls them apart.
Getting down on their level, I look them both in the eye. “Hey. We do not hit and bite,” I say, pulling out my sternest voice.
Daisy’s lower lip starts to wobble, and I sigh, scooping my little sister up and sitting on the edge of her bed with her on my lap. Mitchell toddles off to the toy kitchen in the corner of the room, giving up on his pursuit of freedom.
“Now, Daisy, why’d you hit your brother?” I ask, looking her in the eye.
“Wanted to,” she replies.
Tara covers a laugh with a cough before grabbing Mitchell’s clothes from the bed and going to sit at his side while he plays.
“Well, it’s not nice. Now, you two have all these people here to celebrate your birthday with you. But they can’t do that if you are both being mean to each other, can they?” I level Daisy with what I hope is my most convincing gaze.
Wide blue eyes stare into mine while she considers her options. She cocks her little head to the side and then looks at the dress on the bed beside me.
“Don’t want that,” she says, her little voice showing her grumpiness.
“Well, what do you want to wear?” I ask.
She hops off my lap and goes to the cupboard, tugging on the door. I move to stand behind her and open it up for her. She hones in on a long, blue dress, tugging on it while looking up at me.
“Elsa,” she says, and I look at the dress again.
Of course she wants to dress up like an ice queen.
I help her into her costume, and she grins up at me, giving me a cute little curtsey before racing off again. I move to follow her, but Tara stops me.
“I’ve got her. You work that magic on your brother.” She disappears out the door in pursuit of my blonde headed tiny sister, leaving me to negotiate with Mitchell.
It appears that the large part of their issue was that they didn’t like the outfits their mother had picked for them, so I cave and let him dress in his own Elsa costume. I carry him back out to the party, and Dad sighs when he sees what he’s wearing.
“Mummy picked out such cute outfits. Couldn’t you both give up being Elsa for one day?” he asks, taking Mitchell from me.
“No,” Mitchell says, kicking to be let down.
Dad sighs again and puts him down. Mitchell races off to join his sister in the bouncy castle. Tara is standing nearby, watching Daisy bounce around with her little friends.
“We can keep an eye on the kids, if you want?” I say.
Dad raises an eyebrow. “You’re volunteering to look after the two demons?”
I splutter a laugh. “I didn’t realise you had nicknamed your offspring the two demons?”
He shrugs. “If the shoe fits. They were sweet when they were babies, but as soon as they started walking, it was like their energy levels went through the roof. Poor Lisa is exhausted. They are like this from the moment they wake up until they go to bed.”
“That sounds full on. Well, Tara and I can give you both a break if you want to try to mingle with all your guests?”
“Tara and I, huh? When did this happen?” he asks, nodding towards Tara .
“Singapore. We’re keeping it private for now, though.” I grab drinks from the fridge for myself and Tara.
“Good idea. The last thing we need is anyone claiming she’s using you to work her way up the ladder,” he replies, to my disbelief.
It sounded almost supportive of Tara.
I nod before heading down the stairs to join Tara beside the bouncy castle and hand her a can of soft drink.
“I volunteered our services as tiny human watchers,” I tell her, and she nods.
“No problem. They’re actually kind of cute.”
“Dad just referred to them as the two demons.” I smile and take a mouthful of drink.
At that moment, Daisy jumps on top of Mitchell while he’s rolling around in the corner of the bouncy castle, and they both begin screaming blue murder.
Tara raises an eyebrow. “Oh, he’s definitely right about that.”
We spend the rest of the party keeping an eye on the twins and making sure they don’t injure themselves or each other. There was one hairy moment when I thought they might hurt the calf in the petting zoo, but thankfully, we got them under control before there were any disasters.
On the drive home, Tara turns in the passenger seat to look at me. I decide this is a small victory, as she’s usually clinging to the passenger door handle and trying not to scream.
“You’re really good with kids, you know that?”
I glance over at her before returning my eyes to the road. “I guess. I’d actually wanted to be a teacher when I was younger. It’s what I’d planned to do after university. But life had other plans for me.”
She’s quiet for a moment, studying me closely. “You said you didn’t get to finish your degree, right?”
I shake my head. “No. Only got to do one semester before Mum had her stroke.”
“Have you thought about finishing now? You were so good with the twins, I think you’d have the patience needed to be a teacher.”
I mull over her words before shrugging. “I can’t really afford to study. I need to be working, and I feel like I’m too old now, anyway.”
She shakes her head. “Plenty of people start new careers in their thirties. And you hate insurance. Wouldn’t you rather try to do something you enjoy?”
“Maybe.”
She reaches over and places her hand on my thigh. “I won’t push it anymore. I just want you to be happy.”
I cover her hand with mine. “I am happy.”
“I meant happy at work.”
“Is there anyone who is really happy at work?” I ask, deflecting.
Tara isn’t to be swayed. “I think there are plenty of people who like their jobs. Bri certainly does. I don’t mind certain parts. Kylie and Seth love their jobs.”
I laugh. “I don’t think I can compare myself to a professional hockey player. He’d have to love his job to put up with all that attention.”
“True. But people find jobs they enjoy. I just don’t want you to settle. You’re still young, with no responsibilities yet. Promise me you’ll think about it?”
I pat her hand. “I promise I’ll think about it.”
“Good. Now both hands on the steering wheel.” She resumes her normal passenger position and I laugh, returning my hand to the steering wheel while shaking my head.
There is truth to her words. Plenty of people start again when they don’t find satisfaction in their first career attempt. Why can’t I?