Façade

Chapter Thirty One - Neil

The leaves on every tree have all shriveled and died, leaving the trunks and branches bare.

My backyard faces a forest, once so green and mossy, provided enough shade on hot days.

I sit down on a seat of my outdoor furniture set and just stare.

My stone patio matches the same ones that make up the exterior if my house, my back lawn all different sorts of grasses and bushes and clovers, a pond surrounded by a small rock berm.

The weather is actually perfect for an outside get together.

I'm now thirty one as of around three this morning.

Nobody knows that, of course, but I still wanted to spend time with the woman I love and her son.

I made an excuse to have everyone together, telling them that today would be a perfect day for everyone to enjoy outside and even going as far as contacting Johnson directly and inviting them.

The wind messes up my hair and the overcast allows me to not squint anymore.

Today will be good.

My goal is to make amends with the wealthy couple so that Esther will have every right to become his sole parent, especially if my plan is supposed to work out.

'It has to.'

I know.

They are supposed to amend the parenting plan in a few days.

I ran into the everything store yesterday for grilling meats like chicken breasts and burgers, fixings for sandwiches, even got some deserts other than the chocolate cake Esther and I usually make for just us.

Everything had been set up this morning, and now we get to relax a bit.

Well, I do.

Esther is very weird about when the Bakers visit.

It has gotten so much better the more she has Will and gets to know him, but they are just so intimidating to her.

I offered a quickie consisting of her getting bent over the couch, but she was too nervous.

She wanted to look presentable for them.

For shits and giggles, we invited Benny and Carol as well, Benny being my idea and Carol being Esther's.

Fuck it.

Carol can be Esther's plus one.

I swirl around with the glass of sweet iced tea that was made for today, enough for a 'whole party' as she said.

My suspicions were slowly rising when I saw Esther quickly hurry off the phone when I came out of the shower, and right after, she plastered that bright smile onto her face and kissed me before leaving the room.

Does she know what today is...?

I hope she's oblivious, I haven't really celebrated anything for myself since before altering my life permanently.

The condensation trickles onto my fingers and my chin as I take a long sip, the sliding glass door opening behind me.

"What are you doing out here all by your lonesome?"

I shiver as the northern chinook gusts past me, bringing the scent of sugary roses and rosemary to my senses, a hint of pomegranate.

Adrienne's new perfume she just got.

Hands knead at my tensed shoulders, quickly loosening as she works them more.

I shrug her off, "I just wanted to be by myself before the day got started, is all. How many people are coming?"