Generation 2-Chapter 7: Birthdays and New Beginnings

I tossed and turned that night, despite my resolve not to. Thank berry that it was the last day of school. Ever. I couldn't stop smiling at the thought of that. I had talked to Dad about that the night before after we had celebrated his birthday.

Dad was looking handsome in his middle age although I think it was dulling his fashion sense.

I had told Dad and Mom earlier in the week that I didn't think I wanted to go away for college that I thought I might keep working at the spa and go to Coconut Community College until I figured out what I wanted to do then maybe transfer to the more local Sweet Valley University that was a short commute. Mom was very disappointed and hasn't really talked to me since she had been hoping that I'd be a doctor and go to Sugarverd or Brown Sugar University, but Dad had given me a thumbs up and told me he had faith that I would be successful and carry on the family name in a positive light.

Truth was, the only thing that really grabbed my interest was paranormal psychology but the program was very difficult to get into and my formally awesome grades had gone downhill slightly my senior year....probably due to the fact that my mind was always somewhere else.....

As Bubbles and I walked out of Sugar Valley High School for the last time we were so excited that I nearly forgot about the previous night. Bubbles told me that she was going to wait on B. Foster who had ran back inside to say goodbye to some of his buddies from the wrestling team. She asked me if I wanted to wait but I didn't think I could take the two of them together.

What to do, what to do?

While lost in thought about the fact that I had successfully completed high school, I found myself wandering over to the park. I kind of felt like I was forgetting something, and was feeling rather dazed to be honest.

I put my hand out towards the flutterbies that were flittering about and one landed on my hand. I smiled as a stared at the silken wings. So beautiful but so fragile.

I wandered over towards the swings and sat down. Sugar Vally really is a beautiful place I thought to myself. I allowed my mind to drift and suddenly something clicked. I glanced at my watch...Oh no! Juniper and I are supposed to meet here, I'm not ready for this! No sooner than the thought crossed my mind I heard my name.

"Candy" I turned in the direction of that twangy voice. I saw him standing by the park entrance and walked over.

"Hi"

"Hi" he looked a bit like he was struggling for what to say. That can't be good I thought.
"Candy, I am not really sure what to say...Your confession threw my for a loop last night. I mean, we were having a lot of fun together but then you kind of started avoiding me, for months and months. And then there's the age difference. I can't help but wonder what your parents would think." He paused and looked at the ground and it took everything I had not to let my lower lip quiver. This is not going very well at all!

 
"But I also can't deny that I do have feelings for you too...It's just..."

I didn't wait for him to contradict himself, I threw myself into his arms and he pulled me in close and hugged me back. It felt every bit as good as I'd imagined and he smelled soooo good. The enchantement was broken as I heard a familiar voice behind me say "Well well, what do we have here?"

I had not noticed that Bridget had been standing behind us the whole time. She snicked and walked away.
 "Shitake mushrooms!" I said, "She'll tell mom."

"Well that's the other thing I wanted to talk to you about Candy." he looked concerned "If we are going to try to have any sort of relationship, you and I are going to have to speak to your parents first, and I also won't be asking you out if they disapprove or until after your 18th birthday and I hope you understand. I don't want us to start out on the wrong foot."

Relationship? Did he say 'us'? I was probably grinning like an idiot .My heart was pounding in my ears. "Fine, let's go now then. Damage control against Bridget."

We got into the truck and drove toward the house. Neither one of us said much but I think I was a little too enamored by the fact that he was sitting in the sit next to me.

"Let me go inside first to kind of see what's going on" he nodded his approval and waited while I went in. I motioned the okay and saw that Mom was on the phone with Bridget in the bedroom and dad was hanging out in the living room.

He leaned over and whispered in my ear "Why don't you give your dad and I some time to talk, just remember what I've said please." I nodded and felt butterflies in my belly. I sat down in the kitchen with Bubbles who had just made a snack. She gave me a whats-this-about look and I leaned in and quickly rehased all of the details of the past hour to her. She grinned from ear to ear and then noticing my look of concern and having that twin-sense that I need distraction started talking about our joint birthday party with B. Foster that was coming up in a couple of days.

I couldn't help but glance over occasionally at Dad and Juniper.

Things appeared to be going well. I heard snatches of the conversation regarding something about college, birthday parties and weddings. The last one made me raise an eyebrow but who knows what they were actually saying with my dad. Juniper finally waved good-bye and gave me a thumbs up and a wink. I felt my heart lurch, But I thought he'd at least stay for a bit...what the heck?!

Dad came over and sat by us. "That's a good fellow you've found there Candy. And don't worry about Mom, I'll smooth things over." I must have looked a little lost because he summed up his talk with Juniper, "Well I told Juniper that I appreciated you guys coming to us first, that I could understand how a young fellow could think the world of my sweet little girl" I blushed a bit at this, "And that you were to not just run off and get married before you went to college or I'd kill you both." My eyes were probably as big as saucers because he started laughing.
"I'm only kidding Candy, well sort of." Dad smiled, "By the way, he told me to tell you that he'd see you at you guys' birthday party on Sunday."

I went to bed that night thinking about everything that had happened that day. I was still a little puzzled and insecure about the whole situation. I dreamed about school, Juniper, Bubbles and B. Foster but mostly dreamed about the birthday party itself. Sunday felt like a long time to wait but then again I had waited this long....