Make a wish

The next morning you stared at yourself in the mirror curiously after having extricated yourself from Tom’s arms. You try to find all the ways you were now different. In truth you...just weren’t different. You had thought being with Tom would be different than being with girls. A little sorer maybe, but...not different. You weren’t sure whether to be happy or sad at that fact. You looked at Tom and thought maybe you weren’t different because the things you were expecting to feel, you already felt in small doses since you met him. No great mystery of life unfurled itself before you, no rainbows and singing birds. Just that same love you’ve felt for even longer than you would formerly admit.

Tom wrapped his arms around you, his short hair still a mess like your own. “Good morning.” He says happily with a kiss to your neck.

“Morning.” You reply, turning to kiss his cheek.

“You okay?”

“Hm? Yeah. I was just...about to shower.” Tom raises an eyebrow down at you.

“Shower huh?” He looks to the shower.

You rushed past Tom and Billy for the easy layup. Billy groaned. “Dude! I can’t believe you let her get by you!”

Marvin laughed, “She got by you too, dude.”

“Yeah but it’s not like I’m going to yell at myself, am I?”

Melanie gave you a high five, rejoicing in her victory with a very conservative and modest, “Hah! Suck it!” Hurled at the boys. Erin tried to pretend like she wasn’t trying to catch her breath, unused to the physical demand basketball entails.

“I can’t believe this.” Scoffed Xander, Melanie’s boyfriend. Xander was like Erin in that he was pretending to not be exhausted trying to keep up as he was unaccustomed to playing the game.

Melanie smirked, hurrying over to kiss him. “Hey, you wanted to play guys vs girls against two team captains.

He lingered a moment looking at Melanie with obvious lust, “I pictured this going differently in my head.” Xander was a little shorter than Melanie’s 5 '9.

“I think I know how you pictured it.” She laughs. “Come on, one more point and we win. Then...pizza.”

“Fine. For the pizza.”

Despite her gloating, the boys were only down by two, something that can be quickly remedied if you weren’t careful. Tom hands you the ball kissing your cheek. “I am willing to listen to the terms of your surrender.”

You smirk gripping the ball in your hands. “You already got your shirt off, what else could I want?” You threw the ball back to him.

“You just want me for my body.” He bounces it back to you.

“It’s certainly a bonus.” You spy Melanie guarded by Marvin, Erin covered by Xander and Billy waiting. Melanie can’t shake Marvin, every turn she made he anticipates. No time left you pass the ball to the Exhausted Erin hoping her height advantage would offset her inexperience. Xander managed to steal the ball from her, passing it to Billy. Now on defense you try to shake off Tom, but can’t. Melanie breaks free of Marvin, Billy jumps and the ball sails to the basket. You leap up catching the ball with the tip of your fingers. Melanie grabs the ball, shaking off Billy, she runs the ball to you as you cover Tom.

Suddenly Marvin slaps the ball away caught by Xander in the corner. Before she can react Xander jumps. The beautiful sound is all you hear as the ball drops effortlessly into the net.

“Yes!!” Xander shouted excitedly. You can’t help but smile at Xander’s enthusiasms. “My first three-pointer!”

“Heck of a time for it.” Marvin smiles bumping Melanie’s fist back.

Melanie, usually less gracious in defeat, happily kisses Xander when she approaches him. “You did awesome!”

Tom smiles putting his arm around you. “Welp, guess you know what this means don’t you?”

You roll your eyes, “Fine. I’ll make you waffles later.” Tom nods gloating.

“Ah, the sweet sweet taste of victory.”

Billy held Erin’s hand in one hand and the ball under his arm. “Dude, you did good.”

Erin sighed, “Thanks, but I suck.”

Billy smiled, “Yeah. But it was still good.”

Back home, Erin is thankful for the game to be over. “I’m gonna hit the showers. I’ll be back.”

“Hey…,” Billy stood close to Erin smiling down at her mischievously, “I could...help.”

“But then I’d need another shower.”

“I don’t mind.” Erin stood on her tiptoes and kissed his nose.

“No. I’ll be back.” She walks away not looking back.

You rolled your eyes hard, as much as you told them you were okay with their relationship it was still going to take more than a week to get used to seeing them be affectionate with one another. Apparently Erin wasn’t the only one who hadn’t spilled the beans about her date for prom. Meeting Xander at the prom was still less of a shock, you honestly thought she would go for another jock like herself but apparently he was a fun guy to hang out with and up for just about anything. He had even agreed to help you guys set up for Kyle's party before the pickup game.

It was finally the big day, the day that was waited for all year. Kyle’s birthday party.

"And what will you have sweetheart?” Joe asked with a smile to the small blonde girl from Kyle’s class. “We got hamburgers, hot dogs, cheeseburgers, cheese dogs-”

“Cheese dog!” She interrupted holding her paper plate excitedly.

Your dad smiled softly slipping a hot dog with melted cheese into a bun placing it on her plate.

“Now, you be careful.”

Normally your mother would be the one preparing food for the party but since she...left, he was **** to take over your mother’s role of party planner, caterer, and host albeit without her level of

enthusiasm. Joe still seemed to genuinely enjoy himself.

“Your dad seems to be enjoying himself.” Tom said as you carried a tray of brownies outside.

“Yeah, he really does look happy doesn’t he.” You set the plate on a table looking at the party scene, Marvin, and Billy stayed helping set up, now ‘helping’ by being entertainment for the kids in the pool. Billy held Kyle over his head screaming like a monster as the kids with Marvin and Erin splashed water at him killing the monstrous Billy.

Melanie and Xander were chasing a smaller group of kids through the yard in a spirited game of laser tag.

The mothers meanwhile drank juice from their provided cups, watching and gossiping as their children played. You followed suit watching nervously knowing what’s coming. You knew it had to be done. You would do anything for-The doorbell rang and you nearly choked on your sprite. “Whoa, you okay?” You nod putting your cup down on the table.

“I’m fine.”

You stood in front of the door taking several deep breaths before shakily reaching to open the door.

You hadn't seen your mother since that night all those months ago when she threw you out.

"H-hey mom."

"Hello." She stared into your made up face. "Is Kyle around back?"

"Oh yeah." You step out of the way. "Come in. Everyone's around back."

"Okay." She walked inside each step against the hardwood floor was a knife in your pounding heart.

"I-Kyle really missed you." She stopped barely acknowledging you. “I thought it would be nice if you carried out the cake...like you used to do when...like you’ve always done? It would be a nice surprise for him I think.”

You didn’t picture it happening like this, you had pictured the cheerful, tearful, reunion of mother and child in a loving embrace and utter forgiveness and blank slate relationship revival. But very rarely does anything happen as we envision or hope.

You waited in the dark looking out through the sliding glass door, Kyle smiled and laughed as your dad attempted to wrangle twenty or so kids to one table at the same time, but was he like you already? Good at hiding what hurt him? Not wanting to seem a bother or ruin everyone’s good time by being honest about his feelings?

Your father looked up to you singing with a worn out smile that soon faded as you stepped outside holding the door open for your mother as she stepped outside carrying the large ice cream cake being careful not to walk too fast to blow out Kyle’s cake.

Kyle’s smile threatened to tear his face apart as it stretched further than it ever had before. Not waiting, Kyle planted a foot on the table and leapt into your mother’s arms nearly knocking her and the cake to the ground. Luck had Erin’s quick hands saved the cake from utter destruction catching it in time to drop it on the table.

Everyone laughed happily at Kyle’s energetic display. Everyone but the family who knew his pain.

Your mother held him so tight you thought he would snap, but Kyle gave as good as he got so that you believed she would be choked out in a matter of seconds.

As the song finished your mother carried him back to his seat and helped him to blow out his candles. You knew at least Kyle had gotten what he wished for today.