Page 123 of Happiness for Beginners

That took me aback. “You have?”

“I can’t believe I took your corsage back.”

“That’s your takeaway?” I said. “The corsage?”

Dave smiled. “Okay.” He shrugged. “I can’t believe I did all the rest of it, either.”

“You should have known better! Your mom worked for Planned Parenthood!”

“I should have known better about lots of things.”

I waved the apology away. “You were a kid,” I said. “Kids are idiots.”

“Actually,” Duncan pointed out, “adults are idiots, too.”

“Agreed,” I said, pointing at him. “The entire human race is wall-to-wall idiots.”

I looked back to Dave. “Anyway,” I said. “Apology accepted.”

“Awesome.” He held out his fist for a bump.

I couldn’t think of any response but to go ahead and bump it.

Then Duncan piped up. “Big night, huh? The boy becomes a man?Mazel tov,by the way.”

Dave nodded. “It’s a little crazy at the moment, because our party motivator canceled. Stomach flu.”

“Party motivator?” I asked.

“It’s a person who comes to parties and gets all the kids dancing. They’re especially useful at bar mitzvahs, which are packed with awkward middle schoolers. And grandparents. And no booze.”

Duncan nudged me. “No booze.You owe me a beer.”

Dave gestured at the room of uncomfortable children. “Painful,” he said.

I took in the sight. “So the party motivator helps the kids relax?”

Dave nodded. “We kind of put all our eggs in the party motivator basket. You know, some people rent a cruise ship or hire the Bulls cheerleaders. But we went for the party motivator.”

“Who has the stomach flu,” Duncan confirmed.

“Darcy’s freaking out,” Dave said with an eye roll. “She’s been on the cell phone for twenty minutes trying to get a replacement.”

As he said it, Darcy walked up, cell phone to her ear, in a lavender suit.

“Here she is now,” Dave said, but she shushed him.

We all waited for her to wrap up her conversation. When she did, she turned to Dave. “They’re all booked. There’s nobody. In the entire city. I knew this was going to happen.”

“Darce,” Dave said then. “Look who’s here.”

She looked at Duncan first, and when he did not register, she turned to me. I did. “Helen!” she said, coming in for a hug.

I hugged her back. It was fine.

“I’m glad you made it,” she said, not letting go.

“Me, too,” I said.

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