Page 37 of Chasing Fireflies

*

I tie off the last balloon before I grab the string and cut off another piece. My fingers ache from the fifty something balloons I’ve tied. I grab three and wrap them around the candy bags we have made. Leigh walks over with a glass of ice water, and I take it.

“Thanks,” I tell her. I down the glass because it’s hot today, and if we don’t get this party started, the candy is going to melt.

“I think the kids will be happy,” Maci says as she places the bags of candy onto the many tables. We’re throwing a party for the kids in town. It’s to give them something to do, and we encourage the parents to bring old books they no longer want so others can read them.

Maci has on big-framed sunglasses, and I wish I had brought mine. It’s sunny today, and I can already feel the burn on my shoulders from being out here for over an hour.

“They should be.” I look around at the bouncy house, the corn hole game, and the small tank for bobbing for apples. We’ve got candy, cake, ice cream, watermelon, and of course, balloons for the kids. A slip and slide is set up for the older ones, and this evening we are playingThe Goonieson the projector and big screen we have set up. Half of these kids have probably never seen it before, but it’s one of the best.

“People should start showing up soon,” Maci says. “How about you be in charge of the books that get dropped off? Just write them down and who donated them, and we can send out thank you letters after this is all said and done.

“Okay.”

“What can I do?” Leigh asks.

“Make sure the big kids aren’t making out anywhere,” Maci says.

I laugh, “Ahh, the good ol’ days.”

“Right? I remember when Mark and I would sneak off and make out for hours. Now, it’s a quick kiss goodbye in the mornings and a glad-you’re-home kiss in the evenings. Hell, I’m lucky if I get any foreplay before sex these days. It’s always wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am.”

I burst out laughing. “I think that’s called marriage.”

“What about you and Lucas?” Leigh questions Maci.

She looks over and shrugs. “Could be worse. The kids are here,” she says, clearly changing the subject and walking off. Leigh passes by me as she is heading for the corn hole game.

“I wonder when she is going to stop this pretending bullshit and tell us what’s going on.”

“Leigh,” I say.

She shrugs. “Just saying what you’re thinking.”

I look over at Maci as she drops some apples into the water, feeling sad for my friend and wondering why she hasn’t removed those shades all morning, even when inside. I turn when I see Cash pull up in his police truck. All eyes turn to my guy, because he is gorgeous. He climbs out, and I see his brown eyes look for me. His dark hair has had his hand run through it, and I can tell he’s gotten a trim. He spots me and smiles. It’s heart melting and all white teeth.

“Hey, baby,” I say as I walk over to him.

“Hey, y’all have outdone yourselves. It looks great out here.”

“Thanks. It was a job.”

He leans down and kisses my lips, and I smile against his.

“Get a room,” Leigh calls out, and we laugh.

“How are the Kingsleys?” I ask as we walk hand in hand.

“Same as always. This morning, Elizabeth said she was making coffee and asked Joe if he wanted any. He said no, so she only made enough for herself. He then changed his mind after the coffee was made. He got mad at her and told her that after ten years of marriage she should know how wishy-washy he is and that she should have made more just in case. She then said she doesn’t like to waste things, so he should have been sure. He got even more pissed, saying she wastes things all the time, and then he grabbed the coffeemaker and tossed it outside. It broke against the road, and she started crying and saying her mama gave her that as a wedding gift. She went and got the keys to his lawnmower. Now, get this, baby,” Cash tells me as he leans in. “The woman cranked the thing and drove it straight into the pond!”

“Really?” I ask, wide-eyed.

“Really,” he says.

“What happened then?”

“Then I had to take Joe in.”

---