19. Happy Birthday
“Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest.” – Father Larry Lorenzoni
My eyelids eased awayfrom the tangled embrace of my eyelashes and I squinted at a small spear of light coming through the edge of the curtains. I must have dozed off. “Will?” I called, but only silence replied.
I rubbed my eyes and flung my legs over the side of the bed, the balls of my feet cushioned by the soft carpet. I pushed up to standing, my body overtaken with post-sleep fogginess. I slid the en suite door open and switched on the light, still rubbing my eyes as I headed straight for the sink. Cool water awakened my face as I bent over the sink, then I stood back up and met my reflection in the mirror.
I was about to wipe some sleep from my left eye when a jolt of shock coursed rapidly from my toes to my scalp and I gasped, flinging my hands to my mouth. The wrinkles I’d met earlier had disappeared. The crow’s feet I’d despised were nowhere to be found. Instead of laughter lines, forehead furrows and the dreaded lip wrinkles lay smooth, unblemished skin. I’m back! I’m twenty-five again!
I stood and stared at my face, examining every feature, making sure there were no remnants of fifty-year-old Kelli. I lifted my nightgown and let my hand grace my flat stomach, then cupped my firm breasts that were back in their correct geographical location above the equator and twirled my varicose-vein-free ankles in easy, creak-free circular movements.
Ha! My old young self had definitely returned! I lifted my wrist to check my e-pad, but no e-pad was there. Of course, they hadn’t been invented yet. I dashed back into the bedroom and plucked my phone from its charger to check the date. Yep – definitely my birthday! I swished open the curtains and daylight flooded the room and, as I blinked my eyes to adjust to the light, I remembered. Diora!
She should have had the baby by now, only how could she, when my return to the past signalled the return to a life she was not yet a part of? I didn’t even get to meet my grandchild! I didn’t even know if it was a boy or a girl!
Ryan! I wanted to thank him for taking care of the guests after we left the party due to the unexpected waters-breaking incident, and ask him how Ben reacted on sharing his feelings for him, even though their cosy presence on my couch implied he responded just as Ryan would have hoped.
And Will! He might have come out of the shower wondering where the hell I’d disappeared to. Except… he wouldn’t have because if I was back in the past, he was too. He was probably getting out of bed like on any other Friday morning, shaving the small growth of hair on his face and putting on a pinstriped shirt with a plain tie, sliding a pen or two into his shirt pocket, ready for work.
I missed them already. How could I have become so connected to them in only one day? I ached to see them again, but knew there was only one way that would happen. I had to make things right. I had to change the course of my life before destiny slipped through my fingers into the ether of lost possibilities.
I pinched the screen on my phone and then shook my head at my stupidity. No holographic phones here yet. I made a quick phone call to the restaurant my party was to be held in, then pressed the screen for a new message option to appear, adding multiple numbers from my contacts before typing a text message:
Hi guys, change of plans. Have cancelled restaurant for tonight, feel like something different. Meet at 8pm on North Beach for fish chips ~ K
Selena replied instantly. Selena!
Okay then, but why? Oh, and happy birthday hon ;)
I replied back:
I already told you why. Feel like something different. And thanks xo
Soon after, Kasey replied too:
Oh right, change plans at the last minute to suit yourself, typical!
Bugger, Kasey was still mad at me. A few seconds later another text from Kasey came through:
Anyway, it is your birthday, so… happy birthday I guess.
I replied back telling her thanks and that I was sorry and couldn’t wait to see her tonight. I thought my other friends would reply too but the phone stayed silent. I guess I would just see them all tonight.
I slid my hands across my flat stomach again. Oh, how I’ve missed you! Then I sighed in relief at not having to try and get out of the support underwear. I’d been saved! I’d never buy one of those in the future – ever, not even version 2.0 with the expandable release valve, uh-uh.
I opened the web browser on my phone and summoned the Foogle, I mean, Google page and typed in a search, and on finding the website I was after made a phone call.
“Hi, I’d like to book in with your best personal trainer,” I said into the phone. Five minutes later I was scheduled in to see Roxanne at 9am Monday.
Now, for something more important… I opened my contacts page and pressed C in the surname list. As I was about to select Malcolm Crawford, a text message came in:
Happy birthday sweetheart. Thought you might be sleeping in so I didn’t want to call and wake you. Have a great day, call you later ~ Dad.
Warmth crept through my eyes and I blinked away tears. Dad was still here and there was no way I’d be going through this day without seeing him to set things right with him and Kasey.
Thanks Dad, and by the way, can you meet me for lunch at Parkside Cafe at 12 noon? I know you’re probably busy, but it’s very important.
Dad replied:
If it’s important, then I’ll be there for sure. See you then.
I sent the same request to Kasey, not mentioning the fact that Dad would be there. I knew she would have just found out he wasn’t her real father. She said she’d come but probably couldn’t get there till 12.15 pm, which was fine with me as I wanted to see Dad alone first.
I looked at my text messages again and noticed one from Grant that I’d missed:
Happy birthday gorgeous, dying to give you your present, wanna meet earlier today? How about 10am in the park, at our usual spot? ~ G xoxo
Crap. The proposal. He wants to propose to me in… I glanced at the time on my phone… one hour and fifteen minutes. I typed a reply:
Actually, that would be good because we need to talk.
After showering and putting on a floaty purple winged top over slim black pants and wedge heels – no curved coral hems for me today – I strode down to the park. I paused for a moment, spotting Grant sitting on the bench opposite the fountain, his leg tapping up and down. Black sunglasses covered his eyes and his hair looked tidily messy, the sight triggering a slight yearning for him again. Swallowing the lump that had wedged in my throat, I pushed on, reminding myself of what I was doing and trying to keep the fifty-year-old image of him hand-in-hand with what’s-her-name at the front of my mind.
“Hey, gorgeous,” he said, standing to kiss me on the lips which I accepted but subtly pulled away from before it lingered and before I changed my mind and threw my arms around him, telling him how much I missed him. “The big twenty-five today, huh?”
“Yeah, guess so,” I replied, finding it extremely difficult to maintain eye contact.
“Look, Grant… I–”
“Here.” He held out a small, wrapped present. “This is for you.”
Oh, man. The ring. “Grant–”
“Open it,” he urged, smiling.
Oh well, better get it over with and then break the bad news.
I tugged at the curly ribbon and slid my finger under the folded corner of the wrapping paper, pulling out a velvet box. My heart raced as I remembered how much I’d longed for this day and now here I was, dreading it. Because I knew I wouldn’t be saying yes and I didn’t want to bruise his ego. Not that his fifty-year-old ego had seemed bruised.
I glanced up at Grant whose eyes eagerly awaited me to open the box. I gulped on the lump in my throat but like a cork in water it bobbed back up. Drawing a light breath in through my nose I slowly lifted the lid, catching a glimpse of something shiny until the full beauty of Grant’s gift captured my attention. A perfect circle of silver tied like a piece of string in a mock knot, with a lone diamond on the end, sparkling under the morning sunlight.
I stifled a laugh of relief. It was a bracelet! A very beautiful, original DSJ designed bracelet, which would have cost a lot, especially considering the size of the diamond.
“Do you like it?” Grant asked, eyes wide.
Those weren’t the words I’d expected to hear. “I love it, I really do, but–”
“Put it on,” he said.
“Grant.” I closed the lid on the box. “I really appreciate your gift, but before we go any further I need to talk to you.”
His eyebrows drew together curiously. “Okay then, what is it?”
“What would you say if I told you I was planning a career change?”
His eyebrows drew so close together they almost collided. “What sort of career change could you possibly be interested in? And why?”
“Well, when I was younger, I used to spend a lot of time drawing and designing things, and I was thinking I’d like to take it more seriously now. You know – do up some proper designs, make a portfolio of beautiful homewares and look into options for manufacturing them. I have a feeling it’d make a great business.”
Grant shook his head in confusion. “So let me get this straight, you want to give up on a lucrative modelling career for… homewares?”
“I’d still do some modelling jobs to make ends meet, but once the business turned a profit, I’d consider letting the modelling slide. I can’t do it forever anyway,” I explained.
“I don’t understand, why pursue a little hobby like that when you can make money from,” he gestured his hands down the length of my body, “this?” He shook his head. “It’s ridiculous.”
I stood, his words jolting me like the paper being ripped by Mum all over again. “Because it’s something I love to do, it’s what I’m most passionate about!” I raised my voice and a few people walking by stared in our direction, but I didn’t care. “I enjoy modelling, but to be honest, sometimes it bores me. I need to use the creativity inside me, do something with my hands and create things.” I moved my hands about with enthusiasm.
“Don’t you get it? You are the creation. The photographers, like me, show you in your best light and the graphic designers and artists enhance the picture to create a piece of art. Most women would kill to look like you and have your job!” Grant stood too, redness rising up his neck. “We’re a team, you and I, and if you go off and do something else, it won’t be the same, it won’t feel right.”
“It’ll feel right to me,” I replied.
“And what about me?”
“Why should my career choices affect you?”
“My career takes me all over the place and I plan on it taking me overseas on a regular basis, as should yours if you stick to your plans of gracing the catwalks. But if you’re serious about starting a business, you’ll need to stay put and that just won’t work for us.”
“Then maybe we should do something about that,” I said quietly, sitting on the bench. “Grant, I’ve been thinking a lot about my life and what I thought I wanted, I don’t think I want anymore. Sure, I’ll keep modelling for a while, but it’s not my passion. I also think I’d like to have a family one day too.”
Grant collapsed on the seat next to me. “What? Are you serious? I thought you never wanted children!”
“Well, let’s just say I’ve been persuaded,” I said, looking him in the eye. “I didn’t want to become a mother for fear of dredging up memories of my own mother, but I don’t resent her anymore. I know what a privilege it is to bring a child into this world and have a family. It’s what I want.”
“How do you know?”
“I just know.”
Grant kept shaking his head. “This isn’t just a hormonal outburst is it? Some temporary insanity thing? I’ve read that can happen to some women, you know.”
Oh my God, he was infuriating me! “Absolutely not, how dare you even consider that!” I stood again. “This is real. This is me, this is what I want. If you don’t want to be a part of who I am, I guess we shouldn’t be together.” I ran my fingers through my hair and looked up at the sky.
“Unless there’s any hope of knocking some sense into you, then no, I guess we shouldn’t be together.”
“Believe me, I have more sense now than I ever did.”
“So this is it then, you’re breaking up with me, on your birthday?” Grant asked, still sitting on the seat, his eyes peering up at mine.
“That’s exactly what I’m doing,” I replied with a straight tone. I went to walk away but then turned back. “I’m sorry, Grant. I didn’t mean for things to end like this, but I have to do what’s right for me.” I placed the bracelet box into his hands. “As beautiful as this is, I think you should save it for someone else. Someone special, who’s traveling the same journey as you are.” I closed his fingers over the box and looked him one last time in the eye. “Bye, Grant.”
My shoes clicked as I walked away, my eyes firmly fixed on the path in front of me.
At five past twelve I looked up from my table at Parkside Cafe to see my dad walking towards me with a large present wrapped in pink, the sight of him completely smashing the bizarre memory of seeing his grave only yesterday. I stood, wrapping my arms around him without a word.
“Whoa, you’d think we hadn’t seen each other for years. Is everything all right?” He pulled back and held on to my shoulders.
“Everything’s perfect. I’m so glad to see you, that’s all.” I blinked away the threat of tears that hung by a thread from the edge of my eyes.
“I’m glad to see you too,” he said, smiling. “Happy birthday.” He handed me the gift and I sat down to unwrap it.
I held up the vase after pulling it from its box. “Oh, I love it. Thanks, Dad!” It was shaped like a splash of water rising upwards in a spiral, clear glass marbled by a hint of magenta swirling from the bottom to the top. The vase! The one I’d seen on the gift table at my fiftieth birthday party! So I didn’t design it – Dad gave it to me, which held even more importance. “I’ll treasure it forever.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
I smiled then stiffened as Kasey came to a standstill near the entrance, having just noticed Dad sitting at the table with me. She turned to walk away.
“Kasey, wait!” My chair screeched as I pushed it out from under the table and ran towards her. “I know about you and Dad. I know you’ve just found out the truth.”
“He told you, huh?”
I ignored the question. “Look, I invited Dad so we can all talk about this. You two need to get all your doubts and fears out in the open, otherwise you’ll regret it later. Trust me.”
“Oh, I don’t know. It’s probably not the right time. It’s your birthday. We shouldn’t be discussing something like this today. Besides, I have to get back to the university soon.” She looked longingly at the exit.
I grasped her hand. “C’mon, have some lunch, talk to Dad. Tell him what a great father he’s been to you.”
She drew a deep breath and nodded. “Fair enough.”
“Kasey, hi.” Dad stood and gestured for her to take a seat. “What a nice surprise.” His words belied the uncertainty in his voice. I’d taken a risk bringing them both together when the emotions were still raw, but if they didn’t make time to talk now, they never would.
“Let’s order, shall we?” I suggested, signalling a waiter before the discussion began. We exchanged small talk for a while and ate our meals, and finally Dad said, “I think Kelli wants us to discuss our situation, right, Kel?”
I nodded. “I couldn’t bear the thought of seeing you two lose the great father-daughter relationship you’ve had. I thought it would be good to get everything out in the open now, before it’s left too long.”
Kasey squirmed and Dad cleared his throat. “Well,” Dad turned to Kasey. “How are you feeling after finding out the truth?”
“How am I feeling?” she responded. “How do you think? I’ve just been told my dad isn’t really my dad, and the person responsible for this secret isn’t alive for me to confront her about it. I’m angry at Mum, and I’m angry at you for not telling me until now, and I’m angry at, oh I don’t know, I’m just angry that I’ve been taken for a ride. This spoils everything I thought was real in my life, it’s all been a lie!” Kasey’s eyes welled up with tears and her face reddened. Dad placed his hand over Kasey’s on the table but she sharply withdrew it.
“It hasn’t been a lie. Our relationship, the times we shared, Kasey, they were real. Nothing’s changed.”
“Are you kidding? Everything’s changed! My mother’s dead and my real father might as well be since I haven’t even met him.”
“Look, we can talk about the possibility of finding him sometime, if that’s what you want, but for now, we need to talk about us.” Dad pulled her hand back onto the table. “Kase, I was angry at your mother too, maybe I still am a little bit, but more for hurting you than me. I’m still the father you’ve always known, even though we have different DNA.”
“It just feels weird, you know? I feel like the odd one out, not that that’s new to me, but this confirms it. I’m not a Crawford.”
“In my eyes you are,” Dad said, as my head swivelled right and left from my father to my sister as their conversation continued. Dad lowered his head. “That is, if you still want me in your life? The way you reacted I thought… maybe you didn’t want anything to do with me anymore.”
“What? Of course I do, I mean, I just need some time to process everything and… hang on – you thought I wouldn’t want anything to do with you?”
Dad shrugged.
“But I thought the opposite. I thought you wouldn’t want to continue this paternal facade now that the truth was exposed. I thought you’d be glad to see the back of the daughter who will always remind you of your wife’s infidelity.” Kasey swiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
“Kasey, no. I may not be your biological father, but I raised you. Even though we don’t share genes, I’m one hundred per cent sure you’ve carried on my propensity for hard work, for persisting with something until you’re satisfied, for never giving up. When I see you the only thing I’m reminded of is the amazing young woman you’ve become, nothing else. As far as I’m concerned, you’ll always be my daughter.” Dad’s voice faltered on the last word and he cleared his throat.
Kasey’s bottom lip trembled. “I don’t want to lose you, Dad. I still want you to be my father.” Her eyes pleaded and my own bottom lip trembled too, as Dad shuffled his chair closer to Kasey and enveloped her in his arms.
“I’ll always be here. I’ll always be your father,” he said, stroking her hair as her head rested on his chest. “Let’s make that a given, huh? I’m sure there’ll be more emotions to deal with, but as they come up, we’ll deal with them together, okay?”
Kasey nodded, more tears flowing down her face, until eventually she sat up again and wiped her eyes with the tissue I handed her. “I’m sorry, Kelli, it’s supposed to be a happy day for you and here we are crying,” Kasey said.
“Oh, it is a happy day, sis, it really is,” I replied, a smile widening on my face. “This is the best birthday present I could have received. Well, besides the vase, Dad.” I winked.
Dad smiled and Kasey said, “Oh, I didn’t have your birthday present with me, but I’ll bring it tonight. You really want to have a party on the beach instead?” she asked.
“Yep. Oh, and could you bring some wood and branches from your backyard, I want to make a small campfire.”
Kasey’s eyes brightened. She practically lived outdoors when she wasn’t holed up in the university laboratory or lecture halls. “Consider it done. I’ll bring some newspaper for kindling too, and matches. Hey, do you want me to drive us both there?”
“That’d be great, thanks.”
“So anyway, what’s new with you, sweetheart?” Dad asked.
Actually, I just returned from the future where I was married with grown children and ran a successful company and didn’t look one bit like a model anymore.
“What’s new? Oh, not much… except that, I’m going to get back into my creative pursuits. Start drawing and designing again.”
Dad sat up straight in his seat. “Really? I’m so glad to hear that, you always had a knack for all things artistic. It was such as shame to let your talent go to waste after–”
“After Mum literally ripped my confidence to shreds?” I interjected. “It’s okay, I’ve forgiven her now. I know she didn’t mean to hurt me. I’m really excited about what I could do with my skills. I’m actually planning on setting up a business eventually, once I’ve worked on a decent portfolio and done a course or two.”
Dad’s face beamed. “If you need to run anything by me, I’m here. I’d like nothing more than to see you follow your dreams.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“And hey, maybe you and I could go into business together, huh?” Kasey laughed. “Although I’d have to be a silent partner because unless you’re designing lab equipment, I’d be hopeless.” She winked, not knowing she’d be playing a very important role in the realisation of my dream.
“Who knows? You never know what might happen around the corner.” I winked back and noticed Dad staring at his hands. “What’s wrong, Dad?”
He flicked his hand in the air. “Ah, nothing. It’s just… I wish I’d been able to help your mother more. I should have got more help for her. If only she hadn’t shot you down like that. I’ll never forget your face after that dreadful day.”
I held my palms in front of Dad. “Stop, Dad. Don’t go there. You did everything you could, it wasn’t your fault.”
“But if I’d taken her to a different psychiatrist, got a second opinion, maybe she would have had a better chance.”
“No, Dad, you can’t waste time or energy wondering what might have been, you can only change what’s in front of you right now. You did your best and Mum made her own choices in life. Her happiness wasn’t your responsibility.” I grasped his arm with my hand and he brought his other hand up and patted mine.
“You’re right.” He nodded. “What’s important is what we choose to do now.”
“Dad, promise me we’ll never let life get in the way of our family? Promise me you’ll never go away, that you’ll always stay close?”
“I promise. I’m not going anywhere,” he replied, his eyes unblinking and fixed on mine.
Only the future would tell me if that was true and although he would eventually leave us of course, at the end of his life, I hoped and wished that that day would not come for a very, very long time.
After wandering around admiring the delights of the city, basking in the pleasure of not needing to be anywhere right now and just walking where my feet took me, I remembered something. I dashed back to my apartment, flipped open my laptop and typed FastForwardExperiences.com into my web browser.
The webpage cannot be displayed. Damn. It didn’t exist yet. Oh, I wanted to submit my experience! Unless… I searched for domain name registration and then typed the web address into the ‘search for a domain’ field. This domain is available! Click here to register this domain.
So, the person who made the website in the future hadn’t registered it yet. I should just wait and check on it every now and again. Unless… What if it’s meant to be me? What if I was the one who was supposed to have made the website?
Tentatively I clicked on the registration link. I’d never registered a website domain before, I didn’t even know how it all worked, or how to make a website, but heaps of people had them so it couldn’t be that hard, could it?
But what if someone else was destined to make the website and me registering it would stuff things up for them somehow? I thought about the experiences I’d read on the site, especially the one about Polly who seemed permanently stuck in her fast forward, and a pang of sympathy ran through me. One way or another, this website needed to be born. If someone was to contact me down the track and say they had thought of creating this website, then I would simply let them take it over.
Yes. That sounded like a plan. Okay, here we go. I typed in my details and gave up my credit card number, something I was quite used to doing and the website tried to get me to purchase other domains as well.
Would you like to add the following to your order?
fastforwardexperiences.net
myfastforwardexperiences.com
fastforwardexperiencesnetwork.com
Um, no, thank you very much. One would be enough and I wasn’t just talking about websites. As valuable and life-changing an experience it was, I couldn’t bear to go through another shock like that. I just wanted to get on with living my life and creating the future that was right for me.
A minute or two later I was the proud owner of a domain name. As for the website itself, I’d figure that out later, at least for now I’d got the ball rolling.
Oh damn! While I was in the future why didn’t I think to check on Foogle for other important things that had occurred between my twenty-fifth and fiftieth birthdays? Like, winning lotto numbers, fashion trends, Oscar winners – apart from Selena – and whether anyone else had been to the moon. Maybe there was a hotel on the moon. Or a prison. Oh, I can’t believe I didn’t check! Oh well, too late now.
I went to close the laptop but hesitated. There was one more thing I wanted to do. I opened Facebook and searched for a profile. As expected, there was only one William McSnelly. I clicked on his profile and giggled at his picture. I’d become used to seeing him as a fifty-year-old man yet here he was, a twenty-five-year-old with a soft, sexy smile on his face, gentle eyes, cropped brown hair – much better than the wavy disaster he’d had in high school – and a simple blue shirt. Unassuming, but from what I’d discovered, completely, totally and utterly irresistible.
I hovered the cursor over ‘add friend’, then moved it away. This wasn’t the way to go about reconnecting with him. I knew exactly how I would do it, but today was about my birthday, my friends and my family. Will could wait a little longer. I was saving the best for last.
“Right, I’ve got the wood, newspaper and matches for the campfire, anything else we need?”
“Hello to you too, Kasey.” I chuckled as I opened the door of my apartment to my sister.
“Oops, sorry. Hi, and happy birthday… again. Now, what about a picnic rug?”
“Oh yes, hang on.” I dashed to the linen cupboard and withdrew my non-tartan rug, which I had to order online. Did you know how difficult it was to find a non-tartan picnic rug?
“Okay, let’s go,” I said.
“Wait, let me give you your birthday present now.” Kasey smiled as she handed me the large slim package she had tucked under her arm.
“Okay, thanks! Here, let’s swap.” I handed her the picnic rug and accepted the gift. I placed the package on the dining table and tore off the paper, realising how cool it was that I’d got to experience two birthdays. Shame I wasn’t able to bring back the gifts I’d received from the future, I’d have to wait another twenty-five years to get my hands on that magical vacuum cleaner!
“Oh, Kasey,” I said, eyeing the artist’s quality sketchbook, drawing pencils, empty portfolio and a selection of inspiring home magazines. “This is perfect.” A shimmer of anticipation rose up inside and appreciation for my sister who knew what mattered to me. “Thank you so much, I can’t wait to get started with all this!”
“And I can’t wait to see what you come up with.”
“Thanks,” I said again, wrapping my arms around her and pecking her cheek.
“So, let’s get this party started!”
Fifteen minutes later, we were spreading out the picnic rug by Kasey’s awesome campfire on North Beach. I looked up to find Selena approaching and flung my arms around her.
“It’s so good to see you!” I almost apologised for missing her call yesterday during the meeting but bit my tongue.
She smiled curiously. “I only saw you last night, but I’ll accept your compliment anyway.” She greeted Kasey then handed me a small gift.
I unwrapped it and held the garnet teardrop earrings up to my ears. “They’re beautiful,” I exclaimed. “Thanks, Selena, I’ll put them on now.” I took my silver hoops off and replaced them with my new earrings. Selena snapped a photo with her phone while I flashed my best model pose.
Then Selena sidled up close to me. “So, when’s Grant getting here, are you ready for his proposal?” She nudged me in the ribs.
“Ah, actually, he’s not coming.”
“What?” Selena and Kasey said in unison.
“We broke up.”
“What?” they said again, mouths gaping.
“Are you okay? What happened?” Selena asked.
“I’m fine, it was my decision. It’s a long story, but it’s for the best,” I replied.
“But I thought he was going to propose. Did he propose?” Selena asked.
“No, he didn’t. When you saw him walk out of DSJ, it was because he’d bought me a bracelet. It was beautiful, but I gave it back to him.”
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I was sure he must have bought an engagement ring!” Selena covered her mouth.
“It doesn’t matter, I would have assumed the same.”
“How did he react?” Kasey asked.
“Well, things got a little heated, but to be honest, I think he was more upset by my decision to change career than my decision to end the relationship.”
“What? What’s happened to your modelling contract?” I thought I might have to call an ambulance for Selena soon if she didn’t stop gasping.
“I’ve still got it, but I’m going to start working on a design business. Homewares that bring more beauty to people’s living environments.”
“Really? I didn’t know you worked on art in your spare time.”
“I don’t. Well, I used to, years ago and it’s time I got back into it,” I said.
“Oh, Kel, so much is changing, are you sure everything’s all right?” Selena asked.
I nodded. “Absolutely.”
“Then in that case, promise me you’ll design some kind of multi-purpose jewellery holder that attaches to the wall so I can free up space in my bedroom?”
“What a great idea!” I got out my phone.
‘What are you doing?” she asked.
“Adding it to my ideas list. I already have an idea for an automatic decorative tissue dispenser.”
Kasey and Selena laughed and agreed to test the prototype once it was manufactured.
I threw another stick on the fire and noticed Kasey gulping as she looked behind me. I turned to see Max Sheldon walking towards us, his loose white shirt hanging half out of his jeans and unbuttoned at the top revealing chiselled pecs. He was gorgeous, but funnily enough, we’d never had any spark between us. I saw him as a friend, or a brother and in the future, no doubt he’d become my brother-in-law. I held back a knowing chuckle at Kasey’s nerves. If only she knew.
“Max is here, oh my God,” she whispered, wringing her hands and clearing her throat.
“Happy birthday, beautiful,” he said, kissing both of my cheeks and handing me a huge bunch of exotic flowers, along with a bottle of Mo?t.
“Thanks, Max, the flowers are gorgeous and I’m sure we can make use of this.” I held up the bottle and winked.
He smiled, but his eyes held an edge of sadness. “I don’t think we’ve officially met. You’re Kelli’s sister?” He held out a hand to Kasey.
“I’m Kasey. Nice to meet you, Max,” she replied, shaking his hand and offering her best smile. I could practically hear her heart pounding in her chest and worried it might leap right out and knock Max to the ground.
Max kissed both of Kasey’s cheeks, then did the same to Selena, but his usual charming demeanour seemed subdued as his eyes kept falling to the ground.
“Are you all right, Max?” Selena had noticed too. Kasey hadn’t, she was still beaming from her face having made contact with an underwear model’s lips.
“Yeah, fine. It’s nothing.” He shooed a hand towards us.
“It must be something,” I said.
“Ah, don’t worry. It’s your birthday, time to celebrate.” He rubbed his hands together and glanced around.
Okay, now I was worried. Max had never shown any emotion except happiness and complete confidence, but his eyes lacked their usual sparkle and his body appeared tense with apprehension. “Max, it’s okay, if something’s on your mind, you can share it with us.”
He wandered over to the campfire and warmed his hands, then sat down on the picnic rug which Kasey had ensured was close enough to the fire but not too close as to be a fire hazard. Sensing an important revelation was imminent, I sat next to him as Selena and Kasey joined us.
“I have to go to hospital on Monday,” he said. “I’ve been diagnosed with skin cancer. Melanoma.”
Holy crap. Stunned faces stared at Max and he tossed a stray stick onto the fire.
“Max, oh my God.” My hand covered my mouth, then rested on top of his forearm.
“Do you need us to come with you?” Selena asked and Kasey nodded, her radiant glow replaced with fierce concern.
“Thanks, but I’ll be fine. I’m having surgery and they’ll check if any of my lymph nodes are affected. Most likely I’ll need radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or both.” He ran a hand over his short hair. “Ah well, at least I won’t have much hair to lose, eh?” He attempted a laugh, but the mood remained sombre.
“If you don’t mind my asking, where is the actual melanoma?” Kasey asked and I shot her a “Kasey!” glance.
Max slipped off his left shoe and lifted his foot, exposing a small black lump on the underside, between his toes. “Can you believe it? Too much time lying on my back in the midday sun. Who thinks to put sunscreen on the soles of their feet, huh?”
Gosh. I never did. But I’d start, even if it did make my shoes all squelchy.
“It started to get itchy and that’s when I noticed it. I thought I had something stuck to my foot, but it wouldn’t come off, so I went to the doctor.”
“Max, I’m so sorry. If there’s anything I can do…”
“Thanks, Kel. I’ll take it one day at a time, but I’m sure I’ll be all right.” He stared at the flickering fire. “I have to be.”
“You will.” Kasey placed her hand on his other arm and he sent her a gentle smile.
“Anyway,” Max said. “Enough of this, I’ll have plenty of time to think about it later, for now I just want to enjoy the night. So, is anyone else coming to the party?”
I glanced at my watch. My other friends were either late or not coming. I felt a slight pang of disappointment but then dismissed it. The only friends that really mattered to me were right here. It would be a small party, so what? Last night’s adventure was enough excitement to last another twenty-five years anyway. “Um, looks like it might just be us.”
“Okay, let’s get some fish and chips, hey? Probably be the last time for a while I’ll get to indulge,” Max said, standing. “I’ll duck across the road and get it. My shout.”
“I’ll go with you,” Kasey said and they wandered up the hill and over the road, as Selena and I shared a concerned glance.
“I can’t believe it,” Selena said. “Max always seemed so… so… perfect. Like he was invincible.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Selena crossed her arms and chewed on her bottom lip. “Kelli, what if he doesn’t make it? What if the treatment doesn’t work?”
I slid an arm around her shoulder. “Hey, worrying won’t do any good. I have a strong feeling he’s going to get through this just fine.” It finally made sense, what Kasey had mentioned in the future about her husband being involved in a skin cancer campaign. He wasn’t a scientist, he was an ambassador. “Who knows, maybe something positive will come of this. With him being in the public eye, he might be able to encourage young people to better protect themselves in the sun.”
“You’re right. Wow, Kelli, you’re so positive today with everything that’s happened. It feels like…”
“Like what?”
“Like you’ve, I dunno, matured a few years overnight or something.”
If she only knew the half of it. “Are you saying I was immature before?” I spiced my words with sarcasm.
“Haha, no,” she replied. “Actually…” She brought a curved finger to her lips, squinting her eyes as though in deep thought, before laughing.
“Hey, you!” I gave her a friendly slap on the arm, then blew a raspberry in her direction. “Is that immature enough for you?”
“I can do better.” Selena inhaled sharply and released a raspberry of epic proportions, her fringe flying up from her forehead before slapping back against it.
I burst out laughing, tears streaming down my face. “You know, if you really want to get serious, a burping competition would be even more immature.”
Selena tried and failed to summon a burp. “If I was a guy I could do it. What is it with men? They can summon a burp at a moment’s notice!”
“I know, it’s crazy. I think they must store them up or something, keep them in a reservoir in their Adam’s apple until required.”
“Oh, Kel, you crack me up.” Selena doubled over with giggles.
I pulled my friend close. “Selena, promise me we’ll always stay close?”
“Of course.”
“I mean, really promise me. When your career takes you around the world and little old me is left behind, let’s not lose contact with each other. In fact, let’s make a pact.”
“A pact?”
I stood in front of her and held on to her shoulders. “Yeah. Let’s make a pact that no matter where life takes us, we won’t let a year go by without seeing each other.”
Selena nodded. “Okay.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.” She crossed her heart with her finger. “Even though right now we hardly go a day without seeing each other, I promise to see you at least once every year.”
“Good.” I smiled. “And if you ever get a personal assistant, make sure you tell her to always put my calls through to you, without needing any special pass code or anything.”
Selena tilted her head and cocked an eyebrow. “O-kaaay.”
“Oh, and when you’re a famous Hollywood starlet, don’t succumb to the pressures of cosmetic surgery, okay?”
“Surgery?”
“Yeah, you know we will get wrinkles at some stage. But promise me you’ll let nature take its course? You’ll be much happier for it.”
“If it’s that important to you, then okay. But, c’mon, a little Botox never hurt anyone, I’d consider at least getting that.”
I put my palm out in front of her. “No. None, you hear me?”
“Okay, okay,” she said. “And hang on a minute, what makes you think I’m going to be a Hollywood starlet?” She placed her hands on her hips, angling her chin towards me.
Oops. “Um, I don’t know, I was just getting carried away. But you would make a great actress.”
Selena laughed. “It’s funny you say that, because I’ve actually been thinking of taking acting classes. I was going to ask you tonight what you thought about it, but then Max brought up the whole cancer thing and it didn’t seem important.”
“I think it is important. If it’s something you think you’d enjoy doing, then go for it, I say.”
“You know what? I think I will.” She gave her chin a sharp nod and smiled. “Thanks, Kel, I knew you’d be supportive. It looks like we’ll both be branching out in the career department.”
“It looks that way.”
“Speaking of branching out, look at Kasey. Her confidence has soared all of a sudden.”
I turned in the direction of Max and Kasey, armed with bags of food, standing in an embrace on the side of the road.
“Looks like she’s made a new friend,” Selena said. “And Max is going to need all the friends he can get.”
He’s going to get a lot more than that from Kasey. Wow, she must have been there – I mean, was going to be there – for him, throughout his whole cancer treatment. Good on you, Kasey.
“Kasey was just telling me about her innovative new research,” Max said as they returned. “Fascinating stuff. This girl’s gonna go far, I can tell.”
Kasey glowed so brightly she was practically luminescent. “Oh, we’ll see. Research is a slow process. I’m probably just paving the way for the next generation of researchers to carry things on.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure, you never know, you could find a cure for the common cold or something,” Max suggested.
I covered my mouth as a laugh caught in my voice box.
“What?” Kasey asked, glaring at me. “You think I couldn’t? Well, let me tell you that it’s entirely possible. You just wait and see. One day, sis, one day.”
“Oh, sure. Whatever you say,” I teased. I’d let her have her victorious moment in the future, but it was so much fun to humour her now. No harm, it would make her feel more satisfied when she actually did find the cure, being able to prove me wrong.
“So, let’s eat,” Max said, opening a plastic bag and ripping the paper on a wad of hot chips and battered fish.
Greasy food at its finest. I wondered if the calories I’d consumed yesterday still counted today, but reasoned they wouldn’t, so I happily tucked into a huge piece of fish and a handful of chips.
“Who wants a glass of this fine Mo?t, served in the most elegant of plastic cups?” Selena asked, taking the liberty of opening my birthday gift and pouring herself a generous serving.
“Me,” we all said at the same time. Selena poured us each a glass, er, cup and we sat and talked and laughed, until the sound of someone crying turned our attention towards the shore.
A young woman about my age with frizzy blond hair had her face buried in her hands, tears dropping into the ocean as gentle waves swirled at her feet.
“Hey, are you all right?” I called out.
“I’m fine,” she cried back, releasing another burst of tears.
I stood, brushing sand from the backs of my thighs and walked up to her. “It doesn’t look like you’re fine.” I gave her a concerned glance. She looked up at me, then towards our intimate gathering.
“Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you and your friends.”
“It doesn’t matter. Can I help?” I didn’t know why I was so concerned about a complete stranger, I’d normally just examine my fingernails and pretend I hadn’t seen anything.
“My boyfriend, he dumped me!” She revved the engine on her tears, unable to articulate any distinguishable words after that.
“Hey, it’ll be okay.” I rubbed her arm and seemingly surprised by my random act of kindness, she pressed pause on her tears.
“It’s so unfair, I did everything to please him, changed my life to accommodate his needs and this is how he repays me?” Her eyes pleaded understanding. “Why do I suck at relationships so much?”
“I’m sure it had nothing to do with you, it was probably just him. Didn’t realise how good he had it.” I hoped my words offered some sort of reassurance.
“Too right, he didn’t.” She sniffed back tears and nodded. “But I worry I’ll never meet anyone decent in my life. I mean, I’m twenty-eight now, almost thirty for God’s sake. I thought I’d be married with kids by now. What if I’m destined to be alone forever?”
“Oh, I seriously doubt that. There’s plenty of time to meet the right man. He’ll probably turn up when you least expect it.”
“It’s just that, I thought this guy was the one, you know? I really felt we belonged together, but apparently not, according to him.” She raised her arm and let it slap against her thigh.
“You know, I had a guy I thought was the one too, but sometimes the one you think is right for you, isn’t. You just have to believe there’s someone better out there, waiting for you.”
My mind flashed to Will, first in his Facebook profile picture, then in his business suit, then in his Superman outfit. A smile graced my lips at the vision of his lopsided grin and cheeky sense of humour and I couldn’t wait to see him again. But I’d have to.
“I guess you’re right. Time heals, so they say,” the woman replied.
I glanced at my sister and friends, digging into the mountain of food. “Hey, do you want to come and join us? There’s plenty of food left.” I gestured towards the campfire and the woman assessed the situation with her eyes.
“Okay then, why not? Thanks.” She managed a small smile and we walked over.
“I’m Kelli, by the way,” I said, offering my hand.
“Nice to meet you Kelli, I’m Elaine.”
I stopped dead in my tracks, hoping my jaw hadn’t physically dropped to the sandy ground below.
“Are you okay?” Elaine asked and I looked deep into her eyes, flickers of recognition speeding along the memory highway in my brain.
“Um… yes. Sure. It’s, ah, just that I knew someone called Elaine once.”
“Oh, well I hope the name doesn’t bring back any bad memories for you. Don’t you hate it when you meet someone who has the same name as the kid who pulled your hair in science class at school, or the bully who tipped your lunch box over in the playground? Even though they have nothing to do with them, you still feel uncomfortable.”
“You’ve got nothing to worry about, the Elaine I knew was very nice. In fact, you remind me a lot of her.”
Even though our only light was the campfire, the moon and a distant streetlight, Elaine’s flushed face was clearly visible. “Aw, geez. You hardly know me, but thanks!”
I flashed a smile and led her towards the fire, introducing her to Kasey, Max and Selena. She asked Max why he looked so familiar and he simply shrugged and said they’d probably passed each other in the street or something, even though I knew very well it was because she’d most likely glimpsed his gorgeous physique in a giant ad on the back of a bus. She’d find out soon enough.
As we ate and talked, I looked up at the sky, the same sky I’d looked at while on the Ferris wheel with Will and thanked the universe for this synchronistic turn of events. Elaine was now in my life and we could get to know each other properly, from the beginning. I would make damn sure that she followed her dreams of opening a cake business, or a restaurant and that she wouldn’t sacrifice her own identity for the sake of her marriage. All I could do was try, but the rest would be up to her.
After we finished off the dinner, Selena got to her feet. “Oh, I forgot. I brought something for you.” She scurried off to her car parked nearby and returned holding a lantern with a candle inside. “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, c’mon everyone! Happy birthday, dear Kelli,” everyone joined in, “Happy birthday to you! Hip hip, hooray! Hip hip, hooray!”
I blew my breath towards the candle, twice actually, because the first one didn’t work, as I had to get the right angle to blow inside the lantern and finally the flame was replaced with a sinewy trail of smoke floating up to the sky. “Thank you, Selena.”
“I didn’t know it was your birthday, happy birthday!” Elaine said.
“Hey, you didn’t make a wish,” Max protested.
“Didn’t need to,” I replied with a smile.
“Well I wish that you’d all get up to shake your thang,” Selena proclaimed, pulling me to my feet, then putting her iPhone on full volume, a dance track blaring from the tiny device.
We wiggled and swayed in time to the music, and Max, Kasey and Elaine joined in. As a techno track took over, an urge inside me took over and my arms bent at right angles, moving stiffly up and down, while my body jerked here, there and everywhere.
“You’re doing the robot dance?” Kasey asked, laughing.
“Yep. I’ve been practising. What do you think?” I mustered up the sensation of the SlimFX Magic Suit stuck like cling wrap around my body and put it to good use.
“Two can play at that game.” Max summoned his inner robot and gave me a run for my money and the others tried to outdo us, but Max was a clear winner. I hoped he’d keep this memory with him to help him through the tough times ahead.
Worried I might get spasms from tensing my muscles for so long, I relaxed back into normal dancing. Selena wiggled up next to me and whispered in my ear.
“So, I guess you’re not going on your weekend away with Grant tomorrow night after all.”
I shook my head. “Nope. I have more important plans, actually.”