Surely it would be weird if I did.

The details of the party arrive on my phone later that night, probably after Flora’s children are in bed. Its thankfully not too early in the day on Saturday as I’ll have worked the night before. I also hazard a guess at a small gift card for the child. I hadn’t thought to ask if it was a girl or a boy or the age. We swap a couple of more texts that night before she wishes me goodnight for the evening. Flora having to work tomorrow.

I do find out that she has a boy and a girl, ages 4 and 8 respectively, that I’ll get to meet on the weekend. Her work is just part-time with her youngest in daycare three days a week.

Work is largely uneventful on Friday and I am luckily able to get away a little bit earlier than normal, giving me even more time to be fresh for seeing Flora tomorrow. Well, later that day by the time I knock off work. I’m also rather subdued at work. My customary prowl looking to meet women turned off for a change. Skipping out early after work, I’m home and tucked up in bed surprisingly early for myself.

The next day I begin getting ready an hour before the party. I make sure to be clean-shaven and dress in a casual buttoned-down shirt and pants. I put the address Flora gave me into the navigation on my phone and drive to the location. I figure it’s safe to drive being during the day and a children’s party after all.

Arriving at the house I’m surprised to see such a huge number of cars parked out front and have to park some way down the street. I text Flora to let her know I have arrived and started walking back.

As I reach the front lawn, I find Flora out the front waiting for me with two small children. I’m thrilled to be looking at her youthful face once again. Flora is dressed in a pretty summer flowery dress. The material sweeping together and joining in a V at the front that shows off her petite legs and heels. Her smile is as big as mine as I say hello.

She introduces me as a friend of hers to her children and they both return me a polite greeting. The boy a mass of shaggy black hair and the girl is the spitting image, only smaller, of her mother. She tells the kids to go on inside and they race off, eager to return to the party.

With the kids gone Flora gives me a much less formal, “hey. I’m glad you could make it,” before pulling my neck down to her level and kissing me hello. The kiss warm, welcoming and only a little less passionate than the other night.

She leads me inside to the party and it is a riot of kids. The adults are outnumbered at least two to one as packs of kids go running and screaming through the entertaining area. I am introduced to countless Filipino mothers and feel the eyes of many more upon me. I’m almost immediately given a plate and told to eat as dish after dish is piled up in front of me. Flora asks if I would like a beer as she has found the wine glass she left inside to come and greet me.

Two beers and countless mouthfuls of the most amazing food later, I am stuffed solid and needing to use the restroom. I ask Flora where the bathroom is and she directs to go down a hallway around the corner. I answer the call of nature and finish washing my hands in the bathroom next to the toilet and am about to re-join the party when I turn to see Flora has followed along after me and is standing in the doorway of the bathroom.

“I won’t be a moment,” I tell her, drying my hands on a hanging towel.