Page 163 of Everything After

ALFIE

CHARLIE’S FIRST BIRTHDAY

Everyone chuckled at the photograph Lily had chosen to have printed on Charlie’s birthday cake. It was side-by-side images, one of him taken last week and one of me around my own first birthday.

“Fuck me, peas in a pod,” Rick muttered, wrinkling his nose up like the cake offended him. “I liked that kid until he started to look like you,” he said, pretending to grimace as he shook my hand and nodded toward Charlie toddling cutely toward my wife.

I laughed. “He puts the rumors of who is the daddy to bed, huh?”

“Talking about the ‘other daddy’, I heard he’s coming today,” Rick stated. The twinkle in his eyes warned me of the mischief he liked to make. I mock scowled at his fuckery and nodded. “Yeah, first time the guys in XrAid have seen him since he left the band.”

“He’s been busy… saw that interview he did on that chick’s morning chat show. Damn, he looks great—the women in the audience obviously thought so too, from all the screaming they did. Hell, the dude could have farted, and they’d all have swooned.”

“From the smell you mean?” I joked.

“Excuse me, Rick. Alfie, can you look after your son,” Lily interrupted with Charlie perched on her hip.

I took a moment to take in them both in. Seeing Lily with Charlie in her arms always took my breath away. “How come he’s my son when he’s being mischievous.”

“Is that a serious question?” Rick muttered under his breath to Lily.

“He almost demolished the finger buffet,” Lily informed me as she handed Charlie over. She tried to extract the napkin he clutched in a vice-like grip in his fist, which caused him to have the beginnings of a tantrum.

“I thought finger buffets were Jack’s domain,” Rick mumbled, making Lily and I chuckle.

“Give that to Mommy and I’ll get you something better,” I bargained, prying the napkin out of his hand. Charlie’s face scrunched like he might throw a fit, so I reached into a bowl of fruit salad and gave him a piece of banana.

“For fuck’s sake, it’s only a napkin. Why would you risk a tantrum over a paper napkin?” Rick questioned.

“He could put it in his mouth and choke,” Lily advised him in a stern tone.

“Fuck, that’s another thing off the list in our house then,” he muttered. He glanced around the room and his eyes narrowed in on Coral. “I’m going to check on Coral. If she stands too long, I’ll need to do that ankle massage again… not that I mind doing that, it’s the horrible-smelling aromatherapy oil she insists is good for relaxation.”

“Damn, Rick, I never thought I’d see the day you were concerned for a pregnant woman.”

“Mypregnant woman… and Lily, I was concerned about her,” he countered.

“Thanks, Rick. Hold that thought, I need to make sure the caterers haven’t forgotten where I stored the smoked salmon. It’s in the outdoor fridge, and there’s none out on the table yet,” Lily explained.

“How long does she have to go now?” I asked, nodding toward Coral who was heavily pregnant.

“Yesterday,” he replied, grimacing. “I’m not sure I want to be at the business end in the labor room. Lennie’s drooling at the thought of being her birthing partner.”

“So, she’s overdue now?” I asked and immediately wondered if it was safe to take her by helicopter to the hospital, should anything happen. My second thought was that I couldn’t, even if I’d wanted to because I’d had two drinks already.

“Yeah, but she insisted on being here. She had some pains this morning, but she was determined not to miss seeing everyone. Between you and me, I’ve never known anyone so nosey. She was of two minds whether to risk this, but the minute she heard Cody was coming she was determined to be here.”

“No signs of anything happening? I mean contractions,” I probed to reassure myself.

“Yeah, all morning off and on. Don’t worry, I put her obstetrician on stand-by. I mean the hospital is only ten minutes away once we’re on the mainland and I paid Ronnie to stay here. Grant’s going to ferry your other guests across,” he muttered, nodding toward the patio.

I glanced down to the dock and saw Ronnie in his boat. “Talking of that,” I said, nodding at the water when I saw Grant’s boat coming toward us.

“Who are we waiting for? There’s only Cody missing,” Rick asked.

“And Delilah,” I muttered.

“Jesus, Lily must be stoked. I haven’t gotten to congratulate her on her release with Delilah. Three weeks at number one with XrAid’s latest single knocking their collab off the number one spot. Your woman’s on fire.