Page 90 of Forgotten
Ash places the cake on the coffee table and from the hallway, Erik appears with three pink candles.
Behind Erik, the final guest joins us in the living-room. “Fucked up, eh, Gregory?” Vicky comes to standbetween my dad and I, and I hear Dad release the same breath I was holding.
“Indeed, Vicky. Fucked up indeed.”
“Not every day that your ex-wife meets your new lover,” Vicky comments, toying with something in her hands. A black lighter. She is back from Shanghai to fulfil her auntie duties and to make sure I’m not spinning out.
“Mom’s gonna eat Kirsty alive.”
My dad clears his voice. “Be kind to your mother, Ford. She’s trying her best.”
“I heard Lilian’s an actual shark out there. Getting shit done and all that.”
“Facts,” Preston chimes in from the floor, fingers snapping in the air.
“Name’s actually Lily. Just Lily.” Mom gives Vicky The Look and my friend switches the lighter on and off. The flame appears and disappears. A small ‘oh’ escapes her lips.
“And we can hear you cunts, we’re standing right here,” Kirsty adds and somewhere on the couch, Pippa’s mom is wincing and muttering about cursing.
“We’re all adults here, we can be civil,” Kirsty says.
Lily ducks her head to the side, winking at Kirsty. “Or we could fuck things up a little. Make this a birthday to remember.”
With a conspiratorial look, Kirsty purses her lips. “Should we throw fists? Burn some shit? Swap the twins?” Then, her expression turns kinder and she blows a kiss to my dad.
“Speaking of twins, I count only three Bergmans,” Mom points out, eyes jumping between Ash, Martin and Erik. She’s trying to hide her amused smile.
Ash carefully sinks the three pink candles into the cake and asks Vicky for the lighter. One, two and then three candles are lit.
“Edwin’s got a new partner.” Erik gives a vague explanation as he walks towards Kirsty to check on histwins.
“He’s visiting his boyfriend in Canada. They’re probably having freaky maple syrup sex in the woods as we speak.” Martin’s explanation is not so vague and Preston’s hands go to cover the ears of one of Sydney and Darshi’s sons who’s sitting next to him on the carpet.
“Whatever, dude. He’s heard worse,” Darshi says, emptying her wine and next to her, Sydney pops his tongue in agreement.
Preston ignores them and instead focuses on me. “I think now it’s gotta be official, Hale,” he declares in his ridiculous American accent.
I can’t take him seriously while he’s holding a dinosaur toy in each hand. “What is?”
“I am Ash’s best friend.”
“Pres, drop it already,” Morgan chimes in without looking up from Pippa’s head. She’s braiding her blonde hair in the same simple hairstyle as Winnie’s. Two quadrants, four twists each. So the girls can be the same.
“I’m just sayin’. Dude’s gonna be his husband next month. Hale here can leave some space for us.”
Morgan elbows Preston, and then Ash raises his voice. “Alright everyone, settle down. Winnie, peanut, come stand here for a picture.”
“Pict’ah!” Winnie wiggles and my mom puts her down. The girl sprints towards the coffee table and Ash catches her just in time, before she crushes and spoils the intricate set up. Presents on one side, cake in the middle, pink balloons on the other side. With strong arms, he sets Winnie before the cake and tells her to not blow just yet, please.
Then, Ash tells the guests to squeeze in.
It’s messy.
Dad ends up standing between Mom and Kirsty and Vicky can’t stop giggling at the situation. Pippa jumps on Martin’s legs and kicks him where it hurts most, and he almost chokes in an attempt to keep the curse words in. Pippa’s mom beams at him.
Erik tries to pick up both his children, but ends up almost dropping one twin.
“Teddy can do it!” he laments, but Teddy is back to work and Erik has to learn how to take care of both children alone. So he tries again and this time, both twins fit in his hold.
