After the candles had been blown out, Jack thanked his friends for coming. As music filled the room, everyone started talking, eating, and enjoying each other’s company.
Shelley stood beside Richard. “It’s a lovely party. You did a great job of the cake.”
“Thanks. It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be.”
“They never are. Jack’s enjoying himself.”
Richard smiled. Jack was dancing under a large disco ball with Nora, Charlie, and Andy. “It’s good to have something to celebrate.”
“You can say that again. The last few months have been hectic. You must be getting ready to move into your new home?”
“I pick up the keys on Friday.” Paris walked into the room. She was wearing one of her 1950s floral dresses—the kind with bright pink petticoats and matching sneakers.
“Someone else is having a busy week.” Shelley touched his arm. “Go and say hello. While you’re doing that, I’ll congratulate the birthday boy.”
Why did he get the feeling Shelley was turning into his fairy godmother? Whether or not she had a magic wand hidden in her office, he wasn’t wasting any time. Before anyone else could talk to Paris, he hurried across the room.
“Hi, Richard. I’m sorry I wasn’t here to see Jack blow out the candles on his cake. I was held up at work.”
“It’s okay. Mabel videoed the whole thing. I’ll send you a copy.”
“That would be great. How does it feel to have a nine-year-old living with you?”
“I’m not sure.” He had so many conflicting emotions inside of him. He didn’t know if he could explain how he felt, even to himself. “I’m proud of the person Jack’s turning into, but I’m worried about the choices he’ll make as he gets older. I can’t be there all the time to make sure he’s okay.”
Paris’ hand slipped into his. “Most parents probably feel the same way. You love him, and that’s all that matters.”
“And we’ve all made mistakes.”
“Some more than others.” Paris smiled. “What else have you planned for today?”
Gently, he pushed a strand of hair over Paris’ ear. “We’re hoping a busy florist might join us at the lake for a picnic dinner.”
“I’d like that, especially if we have another skipping stone competition.”
Richard smiled. “It will be impossible to beat the seven skips you did last time.”
“Nice try, but it was eight.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. This time, Jack can decide what the winner gets.”
Richard knew exactly what his son would want. “He’d like that, although it might mean a trip to the animal shelter.”
“That’s okay. They have lots of cats at the moment.”
Before he could ask how she knew about the cats, Jack raced toward them.
“Dad! Look what Katie gave me.” He held a book in his hand. “It’s my story, the one I wrote in the writing class.”
Richard’s eyes widened. The paperback looked like any other novel you’d find in a bookstore. “It looks fantastic.”
“I drew the cover,” Jack told Paris. “Dad helped me find some pictures of space rockets on the Internet. We made up the rest.”
“You did a great job. Did you know Katie was giving you the book today?”
Jack shook his head. “She said it’s a birthday surprise. She hasn’t made any of the other books yet.”
