On the first day after the last day of school each year, we took over a massive field and filled it with fun and games for the club kids as well as our closest allies’ kids.
It was loud, chaotic, messy, and a complete blast for the kids.
But because I was me, I always tried to make it better each year so no one ever got sick of it.
“Baby,” Perish called, lumbering up with a little fur ball tucked under his arm like a football.
“What’d he do?” I asked, reaching to take the fluffy merle Pomeranian from him.
“He is trying to deflate the balloon house.”
The balloon house was mostly for the little kids. It was a transparent round tent where a bunch of balloons were blown up so the kids could play ‘keep up’ without losing any of the balloons.
“I know you love a good balloon,” I told Sprinkles. Yes, his real name. Obviously named by the kids.
“How about I take him,” Layna suggested. “And you,” she went on, speaking to Perish, “make her go take a break. She’s been here since the crack of dawn.”
“That I can do,” Perish agreed.
“The kids…” I insisted, catching sight of a head of sunny blonde hair.
“Are surrounded by their family,” Perish reminded me.
“But what if—”
“Desperate times,” he said, ducking down, then throwing me over his shoulder like a firefighter.
“What’s this?” my father asked as we walked past, as he and two other club members were making their way back with the pizza.
“Forced break,” Perish informed him.
“Carry on then.”
“Dad!”
“Been standing in the hot sun for eight hours. I support your husband getting you off your feet. Penny and I will watch the kids. Take her home.”
“Will do.”
“What if someone needs—”
“There are several dozen other adults there if someone needs something,” Perish reminded me. “Plus your entire team.”
Yeah.
I had a team now.
It was crazy how my business had gone from a tiny little dream, to a baby side hustle, to, well, a whole little party planning empire.
I went from having one assistant to having five different party planners, each with their own team of assistants and secretaries.
We were busy.
Work was really, really good.
Life was even better.
Three kids.
