Loving Wright

Chapter 19: That's What Friends Are For

Kendra...

I stood in the vast school basketball court and looked around in awe. Players occupying the court and stands filled with cheering family was what I was used to. I had no idea that getting rid of the kids and pushing the stands back would give so much space. We were expected to decorate this entire place?

And by we, I meant Kyle, his basketball coach and myself. Not one parent decided to show their faces. They barely showed up to the meetings I scheduled. The least they could do was show up to help decorate. They had been calling and texting all last night and this morning with their lame excuses. One of them had the nerve to put on a sick voice and fake cough. It had gotten to the point where I just ignored texts and let their calls go straight to voicemail. I didn't want to face more disappointment.

As much as I was pissed at them, I still placed a lot of the blame on Brooke. She was a real-life grown-up mean girl. She wasn't even present at the committee meetings and she still somehow had her hands in it. Every suggestion that I came up with, the few that showed up thought Brooke and her friends wouldn't like it and turned it down. It started to feel like they were turning down everything on purpose. They gave their Brooke approved ideas, and I hesitantly decided to go along with them. They wanted it to be all classy and tame like it was some benefit gala. But it wasn't. It was a children's dance for crying out loud.

But, they aren't here, so screw them. I was going to do things my way. That's what they got for not showing up.

I pulled out my phone and called the people who I knew would be ready to help.

My friends.

My friends. It was kind of weird calling them that. It had been me, Kyle and my mom for such a long time, that I had forgotten what it was like to have adult friends that were not related to me.

Iris instantly agreed and decided she would drag Alex along with her. She promised to call co-workers at Coopers and asked if they were willing to help. Eli didn't hesitate to help either and said he would stop by his buddy to get a few extra decorations. Within an hour, the court was filled with Coopers Chronicles employees putting up decorations at neck-breaking speed. Even Mr. Cooper showed up to help. He muttered something about showing up a Hawthorne any chance he got.

The overwhelming feeling was now gone and it was replaced with excitement. I saw the way my son's eyes widened at the decorations, and I knew his classmates would feel the same.

By the time the "recruits" had left, most of the decorations were up. Iris, Alex, and Eli stayed back to help me carry boxes of decorations inside.

"I think that's the last of them," Eli said dropping a box on the floor in front of me

"Good," I nodded, "I'll come in tomorrow morning to do the finishing touches, and I'll be set."

"Do you want us to help again tomorrow?" Eli asked

"You guys already did so much today, I can't keep asking you."

"Its OK Ken, we'll gladly help," Iris said

I smiled, "Thanks."

"I still can't believe you came up with all of this," Alex said looking around at the almost finished room

"This really looks amazing Ken," Iris added

"Thanks," I replied

"I wish my school dances looked this good," Eli said, "Then I would have actually gone."

"You never went to your Elementary school dance?" Iris asked

Eli shook his head, "That and all the other dances that came after it."