Page 91 of The Birthday List (Maysen Jar 1)

He nodded. “I don’t just think it’s okay. I think it’s time. Five years, Poppy. It’s time to move on. And you know just as well as I do that Jamie would want that for you too.”

I looked down at my paint-covered fingers. “Thank you,” I whispered. He couldn’t know how many fears and anxieties he’d just eased.

His blue hand closed over mine. “It’s the truth.”

I looked up at him and smiled.

“Are you two ready to go or what?” Randall grumbled from the hallway as he walked into Jimmy’s room. “I want to get this over with so I can be back in time for dinner.”

I started filling another balloon. “Just a few more of these and then we can go.”

“Fine,” Randall muttered as he came into the kitchenette. He was wearing head-to-toe coveralls, and in one gloved hand was a shower cap.

“Look at this guy.” Jimmy rolled his eyes. “A jumpsuit? Really? You pansy. It’s just a little paint.”

“I’m not wrecking my clothes. Some of us take pride in our appearance.” Randall’s eyes narrowed as he and Jimmy went into one of their usual stare-downs.

Jimmy came to The Maysen Jar with Randall nearly every day now, and one thing I’d learned was that they lived to bicker. Those two would come to the restaurant midmorning and argue about anything until well past lunch.

>

At first, I’d tried to intervene—to play peacemaker—but after my fiftieth failed attempt, I’d given up.

So I just shook my head and kept filling my balloon. “Can you at least save the fight for the park, gentlemen?”

“Always taking his side,” Randall muttered and turned around to the living room.

“She’s my granddaughter!” Jimmy called to his back. “Of course, she takes my side.” He looked to me. “What a dumbass.”

“You two are worse than little kids.”

Jimmy chuckled and waved me closer to whisper, “Look.”

He double-checked that Randall was out of sight, then reached into a cabinet. Out came a full-sized balloon, ten times the size of the miniballoons like we’d been filling.

“Jimmy,” I hissed.

He snickered. “No way that jumpsuit and shower cap will save him from this big ol’ bastard.”

I snorted, trying to swallow my laugh. Then I bent down to the tub and started making room for his monster balloon. “Get it down between the little ones so he won’t see it.”

Jimmy smiled. “That’s my girl.”

An hour later, I was standing in a huddle, having just gone over the rules for our paint fight. No direct shots in the face. Take it easy on Max and Kali. Go until all the balloons were gone.

On my left stood Jimmy and Randall, Cole on my right. And across from me were Finn, Molly and the kids.

“Everybody ready?”

I got cheers all around as we broke apart to load up on balloons.

“Okay. On the count of three. One. Two. Three!”

Pandemonium ensued. Balloons started flying, people started running, and paint splattered everywhere.

“Get Aunt Poppy!” Finn yelled to Kali, who immediately started chasing me.

“No, Kali! No!” I pretended to run fast but let her catch up and lob a yellow balloon at my back. The sticky paint instantly soaked through my thin white tank and coated the backside of my arms. “You got me!”