Page 65 of After the Rain

Before she could answer, Ezra's Honda pulled into the driveway, and Cooper's shriek of excitement cut through our tense conversation.

"Mr. Mitchell! You came! Did you bring the present?Can I show you the bounce house?”

Ezra emerged from his car with a carefully wrapped gift and genuine enthusiasm that immediately transformed the energy of the gathering. Cooper's natural affection for his teacher was obvious to anyone paying attention, making it clear that their relationship was important to the birthday boy regardless of adult politics.

"Happy birthday, Cooper!" Ezra said, allowing himself to be dragged toward the decorations with appropriate levels of amazement. "This looks incredible. Did you plan all of this yourself?"

"Daddy helped, but I picked all the colors and where everything goes. Do you like superheroes? Because this is a superhero party, and everyone gets to pick their favorite power."

As more guests arrived—mostly families from Cooper's class and soccer team—I realized I was surrounded by allies I didn't know I had. Parents approached Ezra with warm greetings andgenuine appreciation for his teaching, their casual acceptance of his presence creating a buffer against potential hostility.

"Mr. Mitchell helped Emma so much with her reading confidence," Mrs. Patterson told me while watching Cooper demonstrate bounce house techniques. "Having him here shows Cooper how much his teacher cares about him outside school too."

The community support felt encouraging, but I couldn't shake Sarah's warning about people coming to document and watch. I found myself scanning each new arrival, wondering who might be friend or foe.

At one-thirty, my fears were realized. Mrs. Garrett's sedan pulled up to the curb, and she emerged with two other parents I recognized from school events. They approached the party with grim determination, clearly not here to celebrate.

Cooper noticed them immediately. "Daddy, why is the mean lady from the store at my party? I didn't invite her."

The innocent question crystallized everything wrong with this situation. These adults were bringing their hatred to a child's celebration, using Cooper's special day as a battleground for their political agenda.

"I don't know, buddy. But don't worry about grown-up stuff, okay? This is your party."

Mrs. Garrett's strategy became clear as she approached other parents with leading questions disguised as casual conversation. I watched her work the crowd, trying to turn Cooper's birthday party into a referendum on my relationship with Ezra.

"I just think parents should be aware of what influences are around their children," I heard her say to the Hendersons. "Some relationships send confusing messages about appropriate family structures."

My protective instincts started overriding my usual conflict avoidance. This woman was trying to poison my son's birthday party with her prejudice.

The confrontation came when Mrs. Garrett approached Ezra directly, her voice loud enough to draw attention from nearby parents.

"Mr. Mitchell, I have to say I'm surprised to see you at a student's family celebration. Don't you think there are appropriate boundaries between teachers and families?"

Ezra's response was diplomatic but firm. "Cooper invited me to celebrate with him. I'm honored to be included in his special day."

"But surely you understand how this looks," Mrs. Garrett pressed. "A single male teacher spending personal time with a single father and his impressionable child. People talk, you know."

That's when I lost it.

"This is my son's birthday party," I said, stepping between Mrs. Garrett and Ezra. "Ezra is here because Cooper wanted him here. If you have issues with my guest list, you're welcome to leave."

The public confrontation drew attention from all the party guests. I could feel eyes on us, parents stopping their conversations to watch the drama unfold.

"I'm simply concerned about appropriate influences on children," Mrs. Garrett replied, her voice pitched to carry. "Some relationships model behaviors that conflict with family values."

"The only behavior I see conflicting with family values is adults trying to ruin a child's birthday party with their prejudice."

Jazz materialized at my shoulder like an avenging angel. "Ma'am, I don't believe you were invited to this celebration. Thisis private property, and you're causing distress to a seven-year-old boy on his birthday."

Other parents began moving closer, their support becoming visible. Brook appeared with additional teacher allies, and suddenly Mrs. Garrett found herself outnumbered by people willing to publicly defend both Ezra and Cooper's right to have the relationships they wanted.

"We're just documenting concerning influences for parents who care about their children's wellbeing," one of Mrs. Garrett's companions said, holding up a phone that had clearly been recording.

"Document this," Jazz replied, positioning herself directly in front of the camera. "Good parents defending a good teacher and a good kid from busybodies who think hatred is a family value."

Mrs. Garrett's retreat came with threats about "protecting innocent children from corrupting influences" and promises that "concerned parents won't stay silent," but her public rejection by the party guests weakened her position significantly.

Cooper approached me after they left, his face scrunched with confusion. "Daddy, why do some grown-ups try to ruin parties?"

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