Chapter 11♥Sock Rebellion
Elinor took the warm sheets of paper from the printer and turned around just in time to get a paper ball to the chest.
She picked it up from the floor, threw it back at Rosa, and missed. “Is this part of my training?”
Rosa laughed. “Well, your aim could use some work, but no. I just needed your attention, and you were staring at that printer like it might hold the key to immortality or something. It doesn’t, by the way.”
“Good to know.” Elinor stapled the sheets from the printer together and then handed them to Rosa before sitting down in the chair next to her. “What’s up?”
“It’s the boss’s birthday tomorrow. He doesn’t like us to do anything, which means we need to make a big deal of it.”
Elinor smiled, but inside she felt hesitant. Edward had been distant this week. He talked to her like a boss. A nice one, but not in the way friends talk to each other. And he hadn’t come over to head up any home improvement projects or see any of them, even when they set up a badminton game on the front lawn and she knew he was home.
Brandon had noticed them out there. He came out and played, probably enjoying the chance to talk to Marianne without Will hanging all over her for once. Marianne had even played the piano for Brandon after he played for her and made her laugh against her will. He could make up a song about any subject on the fly, even Marianne’s attempt to cheat at badminton. Seeing Brandon’s efforts made Edward’s absence even more pronounced.
Elinor reminded herself again and again that Edward was engaged. He needed to be distant, and she had no right to miss him, even though she did.
“How old will he be?” Elinor asked.
“Twenty-eight. A baby. Just like you, mija.”
In-between phone calls they plotted for the next day. Elinor would bake cupcakes and had a birthday banner for the window. Rosa planned to get helium balloons and stuff them in his bottom desk drawers so that when he opened them the balloons would pop out and float to the ceiling. She had also bought a little device that sangHappy Birthdaywhen you stepped on it. That was going under the floor mat by his door. Edward would hate all of the extra attention, which made it that much more fun to anticipate.
“When is your birthday, Rosa?” Elinor asked as she was gathering up her things to go.
Rosa shook her head. “Not until September. Don’t even think about it. I always take the day off and go fishing with Jorge. But your birthday is in two months, Elinor. Don’t think I’ll forget about it.”
Elinor shuddered. Edward would probably help Rosa thoroughly embarrass her. It was only fair.
After getting home and helping Greta walk Dumpling, Elinor recruited her to assist with baking cupcakes.
“We should have a birthday dinner here for him,” Greta said as she carefully added the softened butter to the mix. “I’ll tell Marianne. She’ll make him say yes.”
Elinor reached out and stopped Greta from jumping down from her stool. “Please don’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because…” She thought for a minute what she might say that Greta would understand. “He has a fiancée, and they’ll have plans for his birthday. And we have that luau at the Middletons’ to go to this weekend. So, we’ll probably see him there.”
“Oh, that’s right.” Greta smiled. “Can I have one of these cupcakes after they’re baked?”
“Sure thing. We have to taste test them, right?”
Greta enthusiastically agreed and had nothing more to say on inviting Edward over for his birthday, for which Elinor was grateful.
The chocolate cupcakes turned out perfectly. Greta gave them her special seal of approval by sneaking a second one after dinner before Elinor could put them up high and get the kitchen cleaned up.
Marianne was out with Will and didn’t get home until midnight. Elinor hadn’t really meant to wait up for her, but she started a suspenseful movie while intending to fold laundry, and the movie turned out to be so creepy and good that she got two and a half pairs of socks matched before abandoning the basket altogether.
When Marianne unlocked the door and swung it open, Elinor jumped and hugged her pillow, laughing to herself at how on edge she was.
“Hey.” Marianne grinned. “What are you doing up?”
“I just finished the strangest movie with these aliens who invade people’s dreams. And now I’m pretty sureIwon’t be able to sleep.”
“Well, good. Come help me get the five-gallon water jugs out of the backseat of my car. I promised Mom since I was taking the Civic that we’d stop by the water and ice place.”
Elinor hopped up to help her. She slipped into her flip flops by the door and turned on the porch light.
