Confessions of an Heiress

Chapter 19 - It's My Party And I'll Cry if I Want To

Aunt Cali! Aunt Cali! We're here! Dad said to come get you and bring your righteous self downstairs.

Oh thank you James. Is everything ready?

Yeah! There's a big cake and a whole bunch of little cake cups

Cupcakes?

Yeah! More than I ever saw! And they're all different colors. I'm going to eat the kind with worms on it.

Worms??? Ok James. Eat whatever you like.

Ok. But Mom says we have to wait for you, and Dad says bring your righteous self....

Yeah. I got that part.

I can't wait for you to see Atlas' present. Dad got him lots cause he says kids never have enough toys.

He said that huh?

And there's this cool spinning thing and I want one, and I don't think Atlas is big enough to use it yet, so Mom said maybe I could use it to show him how to do it. So if he doesn't know how to play with any of his toys Aunt Cali, I can show him.

I can't wait to see it James.

So we can go downstairs now? You're coming?

Yes. Let's go.

Oh good. So can we go down in Grandpa's elevator? I'm not allowed to ride in it by myself, but if you're with me...

Ok James, sure. We can go down in the elevator.

Oh boy Jared! You're here! You wanna ride in my Grandpa's elevator? Aunt Cali said she would take us.
Jared can come too, right Aunt Cali?

Sure James.

My dad had an elevator installed just off of his bedroom. He claimed the stairs were wearing out his knees, but I think he got it just so he can take the grandkids for rides. Who knew going up and down could be so much fun?

Are you coming Aunt Cali? Jared's Mom made the cupcakes and he said there's leftover icing and he's gonna let me lick the bowl with him.

Yes James. I'm coming.
That boy has the impatience of his father.

Jared's my best buddy Aunt Cali. He's in my class at school and he lives on my street and we ride bikes together.

Come on James. Let's go get the icing before my mom washes the bowls.

There are moments of convergence in life when things become blurry and focused simultaneously. Revelations that are unwittingly sprung upon you. Regardless of their significance or their impact they somehow manage to make the world stop spinning. It's in moments like these that the entire world can turn upside down, and no one else will even notice.

My moment of convergence was on the back of the little boy's shirt.
McCarthy McCatering.
Did Robi hire George's wife to cater our party? This Jared... this was baby Jared, the one I met all those years ago on that day... that very bad day.

The day I'd never told anyone about.

Nicole Brettweiler.... McCarthy...whatever... was the last person I wanted in my home. Of all the caterers in Legacy Land, how does my husband manage to hire the one person on the planet I can't share air with??? I have to get out. I have to think. I can't be here.

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Chapter 20