7. Davy #2
The rest of the morning was a whirlwind of party orchestration. Food needed to be ordered, banners needed to be assembled, and something horrible had to be waiting for Davy so he knew to never get too comfortable.
At 10:30, Lila arrived. She fixed her rounded glasses with her shoulder, her curly pixie cut half-up. “Nice of you to get out of bed,” she said, with a stack of villainously wrapped presents in her arms.
She had wrapped a box in a box in a box, only to reveal a note directing the reader to open another box. It was so perfectly Lila.
“Today, I was notified that I’m not into boys,” Flora said as she held the door for Lila.
“Happens to the best of us,” Lila replied. “Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Fray!” She set the boxes down on the table. “Sorry.” She gestured between herself and Flora. “Not dating. But you’re being very brave about your kid coming out to you as straight.”
Mr. Fray shrugged at his wife.
“Nice to see you, Lila!” Mrs. Fray said, falling over the table to hug her.
“Oh, you know your favorite kid would never miss a party,” Lila replied. “Now,” she said, looking over to Flora with a click of her tongue. “Let’s get to work.”
People started shuffling in at half past eleven. And finally, when noon rolled around the corner, so did Davy.
“SURPRISE!” cried a cacophony of his favorite lunatics.
“Jesus f—” Davy yelped, jolting back and smacking his head on the doorframe. “What? I—YOU,” he said, pointing an accusing finger across the room. Flora grinned a devilish grin.
“Happy birthday!” she announced, followed by an enthusiastic echo throughout the room. Davy gunned for his sister and snatched her up in the biggest, warmest bear hug in the world.
“Florabean, what the hell is all this?”
Flora gestured to Lila. “Can’t take all the credit.”
“Sup, dork,” Lila greeted with a smirk, and Davy’s eyes sparkled at the sight of his favorite partner in crime. Lila stepped forward with a corralling clap. “Alright, losers,” she said. “Let's have a PARTY!”
Davy and his friends celebrated being together for the first time in a while: talking, eating, and playing games like children.
Flora enjoyed the distraction. Lila seemed like she did too.
“So, how’s it been at home?” Flora asked when the rest of the party had moved away from the living room.
“More of the same,” Lila replied, seemingly unbothered, though Flora could tell otherwise. “Just can’t wait to get out of there.”
“Well, you’re always welcome here,” Flora offered, but she didn’t mean it in the slightest.
Sleepwalking was a dangerous and vulnerable state, Sona said—for Flora, and for those in proximity to her. Sleepovers were only “safe” if Flora forced herself to stay awake through the night. And that was not happening. Not after today.
But, out of politeness, Flora felt inclined to add, “Obviously, my parents love having you here.”
Lila smiled a crooked grin. “What can I say,” she replied, “I live to entertain.”
“Hello, ladies!” Davy greeted, his arms outstretched as he entered the room with his typical grandeur. He eyed his sister with a plastic benevolence. “Flora, Mom and Dad want to make sure I tell you that I love you. Which I do. Even though you’re very, very gay.”
Flora rolled her eyes and sighed. “Davy,” she groaned. “Why do I have a feeling you’re behind this?”
Davy shrugged, arguing simply, “Your car is covered in chunky, rainbow glitter.”
Flora’s head swiveled to Lila. “My car is what?”
“Not covered,” Lila corrected thoughtfully. She grinned. “Filled with.”
Davy shook Flora’s shoulders. “I still love you. I love your big gay heart, your gay car, and the little gay family that you have in my head.”
“Goddammit, Davy,” Flora muttered.
Davy snickered, and Lila cackled until she was on the verge of tears. Having nearly rolled off the couch, she clawed her way back to being almost upright.
“You’ve got no idea how lucky you are,” she said, still chuckling. “My parents nearly killed me after that conversation.”
Lila kept laughing, but Davy didn’t. Flora met his concerned eyes and pursed her lips slightly. Don’t ask, she wanted to say, but Davy got the jist.
The party had mostly dwindled by late afternoon.
And by evening, Flora and Lila were eating leftover pizza on the couch, while Davy was doing charades in front of the TV to illustrate his adventures in college life.
By the time night settled in, Davy, Lila, and Flora were huddled under blankets, watching scary movies in the dark.
“Well, it’s been really great having you over,” Flora said, hoping Lila would take the polite invitation to leave. But it felt wrong coming out of her mouth, because she knew how much Lila dreaded going home.
“Aw, come on,” Davy pleaded. “One more. Let’s watch Flora’s favorite movie.”
Lila peeked out from her cocoon, an evil smile in her eye.
“It’s a cinematic masterpiece called The Land Before Time,” Davy said casually.
But Flora suspected he wasn’t referring to the cute little animated film. Davy was a little too eager as he set up the movie.
And, at no earlier than two in the morning, the intro music to Jurassic Park was blaring from the TV at a volume three times higher than the last movie.
“Goddammit, Davy,” Flora sighed. Normally, she would protest on principle, but tonight, it was all she could do just to keep her eyes open.
“Move it,” Davy said, scooting in next to Flora on the couch. Lila grumbled incoherently, swaddled in blankets with her head on Flora’s lap. Davy wrapped his arm around his sister’s shoulder and squeezed in for another hug, saying, “Missed you, bean.”
“Missed you too,” Flora said through a yawn.