DONOVAN (Book Three)

SEVENTEEN

My cousins are mad; no, insane is the correct word. They pulled the birthday party off with the decorations and the catering, and the music was so loud it made my skin tingle and my lungs feel like mush.

Besides the loud music bumping to Kids Bop to keep it kid friendly. I wore a lovely sleeveless blouse and black jean pants and ended it with these nice black wedges. I had put my hair up in a nice messy bun with gold hoop earrings that Effie had offered me to burrow.

"Rawr!" Leo jumped up from behind the table and frightened me with his T-Rex mask. I giggle from cuteness.

"Be careful, Leo. You might hurt yourself."

"I will, Mum!" He runs off but stops to turn back to me. "Mummy! Best party ever!" Then runs away.

I shake my head, smiling.

I settle down a tray of new batches of blue, green, and brown cake pops on the dessert table, along with chocolate-coated rice crispy treats shaped into dinosaur eggs, goodie bags with lovely treats, and a giant dinosaur cake shaped into a T-Rex.

I had made them before the party. I suggested to my cousins I could do the baking of the cake and everything rather than spending more money. Thea wanted me to save my time, primarily since I work late at the bar, but I asked Billie for a weekend off to run errands buying supplies for the dessert.

I put my hands on my hips, looking down at my beautiful creations. I smile at myself for my hard work. Nay Nay will be proud of me.

"Hey, CJ!" I look at the entrance to see Big Mac and Billie have arrived.

"Glad you guys can make it," I hug them both.

"Wouldn't miss the little man's party. " Big Mac handed me a large blue birthday bag meant for Leo. I quickly left to put the gift with the other gifts for Leo and returned to Big Mac and Billie. "Where is he?"

"By the clown," I point to where my son is with his cousins, and Chris, Lena's son and Effie's boss, is with the clown blowing up animal balloons that Lily hired. Chris and Leo are two months apart and became best buddies and were invited to Chris' birthday party at Adventure City.

At the corner of my eye, I see Seth cowering next to Terry for protection as he glares at the clown. I just recently learned about his fear of clowns that started in his childhood during his seventh birthday. Rex said Seth cried like a little girl because the clown was too scary.

I shake my head and chuckle, imagining little seven-year-old Seth crying. I teased him yesterday once he learned Lily hired a clown for the birthday party. He freaked out and demanded he would drive back home. But we all have room reservations for two days and one night to stay at the hotel, so traveling from Long Beach to Los Angeles would be easier and never waste gas. Seth didn't want to stay, and we had his brothers tie him down as he cursed them.

It was pretty pathetic for a grown man to be afraid of clowns, but it was a good laugh. But I shouldn't be the one laughing since my fear of blood is also pathetic. I understand his pain.

I was bringing my attention back to the Foster until I noticed a little girl a bit younger than Leo clinging tightly to Billie and holding a stuffed white rabbit doll while she sucked on her thumb.

I am in awe of such cuteness.

"Now, who's this pretty girl?" I ask softly. She had honey-brown wavy hair, and when she peaks at me before hiding her face, I saw her eyes were green, almost lighter.

"This is Sophie Flores, our adopted daughter from Mexico." Big Mac introduces brushing Sophie's hair back. "We just picked her up this morning. That is why we were a little late."