Page 30 of The Light Year

The women laugh softly in the pool of soft light that's cast by the lamp next to the bed. There is a radio on at the nurse's station that's playing The Beach Boys, and someone turns the knob, moving through the scratchy static until they land on a Christmas song. It's still early for holiday music—only November twenty-seventh--but Barbie smiles anyway.

"Sorry about going into labor in the middle of your birthday party," Frankie says, wrinkling her nose but looking tired and happy.

Barbie waves it off. "Eh, I probably deserve it."

Jo, who has been staring at the precious new baby, turns to look at Barbie. "How do you figure?"

Barbie leans over and bumps Jo with her shoulder. "Remember? I went into labor atyourparty!"

"You are so right," Jo says. "You did. All over my new floors." She makes an exaggerated face and Barbie bumps into her again.

"But truthfully," Barbie says, looking at baby Lucas as he puckers his tiny lips. "Having a baby born on your birthday is good luck. So I'm honored to share my day with Lucas."

Frankie looks up at her with a huge smile. "I'm so happy to have all of you in my life right now. I'm going to need all the help and advice I can get."

Jo runs her fingers lightly over the cap on top of the baby's head, looking a touch wistful. "We're here, Frankie," she promises. "You've always got us."

The radio at the nurse's station starts to play "Silent Night," and the women look at one another one more time before Barbie and Jo gather their things and slip out of the room quietly, waving at Frankie as they go.

barbie

. . .

"Surprise!"

Barbie stops short, looking around her. The restaurant is filled with everyone she knows in Stardust Beach--save for Frankie and Ed, who are still in the hospital with the baby--and at one table, she sees her father, her brother, his wife, and their children. Everyone is standing and cheering.

"What's going on?" Barbie turns to Todd. They had been, ostensibly, having dinner out a day late for her birthday, but now, standing in the entryway to Olives & Oysters, she is awestruck. "How did you... did you plan this?"

Todd holds up both hands in surrender. "I helped--a little," he admits.

The boys are looking up at Barbie expectantly, waiting to see how their mother responds to this big surprise.

"My dad is here," Barbie says, swallowing around a lump in her throat that is not from joy. Her last conversation with her father had been a stilted and uncomfortable one. "And my brother. Wow."

Before she knows it, she's being swallowed by well-wishers and birthday greetings, accepting a glass of champagne and hugs from all the women she knows.

"Hi, kid," Carrie says, hugging her. As usual, Barbie's closest friend is wearing a dress that looks like she's sewn it herself, and her straight hair is smoothed back in a low bun. She's added a swipe of lipstick for this event, but otherwise, Carrie looks exactly as she does when they meet to take the kids to the park, and Barbie loves that. Carrie is a buoy of normalcy bouncing in a sea of sharks.

"How did you keep this from me?" Barbie hugs Carrie back.

"I barely found out about it myself," Carrie says. "Todd came and knocked on the door yesterday evening while you were at the hospital. He said your dad and brother were flying in, and that you'd want all your friends here, too."

"Oh, I'm so glad you're here," Barbie says, meaning it. She squeezes Carrie's hands before being swept away by someone else to receive more birthday wishes.

"Well," George Mackey says when Barbie finally makes her way through the room to their table. He stands and puts a kiss on his daughter's cheek. "Glad you could make it all the way over here to greet your family."

The comment has a jesting tone, but it's pointed. Barbie smiles tightly. "Hi, Dad," she says.

Ted stands and gives Barbie a hug. His wife, Christina, does the same. Barbie's nieces, Sally and Ingrid, look up at her with big smiles.

"I'm glad you could all make it," Barbie says, looking right at Sally and Ingrid, who she is actually quite happy to see. "Your cousins would love to see you girls," she says to them, looking back to where Heath, Henry, and Huck are standing shyly next to Todd. "You can sit with us, if you want to."

Sally and Ingrid look at their parents expectantly. "Go ahead," Christina says, reaching for a nearly empty martini glass. She seems to forget about the kids the moment they scamper away from the table.

"Sit, sit," George Mackey says to his daughter. "Let's talk."

Barbie looks in Todd's direction hopefully, praying that he'll sense her need to be saved, but he's in the middle of a conversation with Bill Booker that has them both laughing as they stand at the open bar in one corner of the room and order drinks.

---