The mikes were live, thank goodness, and Roy and I started to sing:
I looked over to Kristen as I sang this, and she knew that I was singing right to her. There were tears in her eyes, and her emotions were contagious.
Luckily, we made it through the song.
We ended the set with ”Hooked on a Feeling.”
“That was wonderful,” Kristen said, wrapping her arms around my neck and ending it with one of her erection special kisses.
“Anything for you, Goddess,” I said when we finally broke the kiss.
Kristen’s father shook my hand, telling me “That was special, Jim. It brought back very special memories to both of us.”
I smiled at him. “This morning, when you were telling me how the two of you met, and mentioned that she sang Andrews Sisters songs, I called my teacher to get the music. I was honored to be able to solo for your wife, sir.”
“Sir?” Mr. Swift laughed, amused. “You are very polite.”
I nodded over to where my mother was. “You have her to thank for that. She taught me manners.”
My mother reddened at my statement, but she looked very proud of me.
I got a warm kiss from Kristen’s mother, and she thanked me again as well.
The birthday party went pretty nicely. Gerry’s band knew the standard numbers and people even danced a bit.
The younger crowd tended to separate from the older crowd, and Kristen and I moved between both crowds. Kristen and I chatted a lot with her brother, who was hanging out with the older crowd.
I noticed Will staring at the younger group, and after a few minutes, I noticed Camille staring over where we were. It was obvious that the two of them were staring at each other, oblivious to anything else going on. Patty noticed Camille’s distraction, and her eyes widened.
I interrupted Will’s reverie.
“I’m sorry, Jim,” Will said, still distracted.
“Let me introduce you to one of our friends,” I said, leading him toward Camille.
Kristen and I led Will to Camille and Patty. Kristen introduced her brother to our friends.
Camille and Will continued staring at each other.
We left the two of them alone.
Near the end of the party, Patty found me and asked to talk to me, privately. We walked over to where the sodas were kept in a bin of ice, and then found a place that was relatively quiet.
“What’s up, Patty.”
“Kristen’s brother is… I can’t put my finger on it,” Patty said.
“He seems taken by Camille.”
Patty nodded distractedly. I don’t think that was what was bothering her.
“What’s wrong, Patty?” I asked.
“He’s…” Patty paused. Words seemed to fail her.
“He seems a bit psychic,” I said, remembering my discussion with Will last Thanksgiving.
“Um, maybe that’s it.”
“You’re not jealous that he seems to be interested in Cammy, are you?”
Patty shook her head. “Cammy never had a real boyfriend before. I’m happy about that. It’s that he’s…”
Once again, words failed Patty.
“Will loves Kristen very much,” I said. “I think he’s a great fellow myself. Do you think he’s a bad person?”
“No!” Patty said. She shook her head, trying to get whatever it was in her mind out. “I mean, I’m happy for Cammy. Did you see the way they found each other across the entire room?”
I smiled. I started singing, “Some enchanted evening, you will meet a stranger…”
Patty laughed. “Maybe I’m not used to seeing Camille so happy like that… with a boy. I know she has a lover. She told me about… her lover… that day we took off from school.”
“Did Camille ever tell you what I told her right before that day?” I asked.
“Yeah,” Patty said. “I never realized it, either, until Camille told me about what you said. She said that you were the first person that she ever really trusted in years. You pointed it out to her, and said that I felt the same way. I didn’t even put that together, you know!”
I simply nodded.
“You didn’t give Camille a ticket, did you?” Patty asked, suddenly.
My mouth opened wide. I never expected Patty to suspect me of doing something like that! “Of course not!”
Patty looked into my eyes, and then cast her eyes down. “I’m sorry, Jim. I mean, it was wonderful when Cammy came back from the dead and became a real person again. She said that talking to you had convinced her. I’m sorry that I doubted your integrity.”
“Patty, I’ve done some bad things with my tickets. I don’t think I’ve ever done anything nice with them. I’ve sworn off using them.”
I didn’t tell Patty that I handed a ticket to Camille as a “test” to see if they really didn’t work on her. It was a minor fib, but Camille agreed to being part of that test.
Kristen came over to the two of us. “It looks like Will and Camille are an item.”
“Oh?” Kristen said, a bit surprised.
“We’ve never seen Cammy so infatuated before,” I said.
“Hmm,” Kristen said, looking over to where Will and Camille were standing together. They were together, just talking. “They both have it bad for each other.”
“It seems unusual,” Patty said.
“They’ve both been looking everywhere for love,” Kristen said, smiling. “It’s interesting that they found it at the same time.”
Patty looked at Kristen, and finally smiled. “You know, I think you’re right!”
I kissed Kristen. “Happy birthday, my fair Goddess!”
Kristen beamed at me. “I loved your surprise!”
I looked at Patty and then back at Kristen. “I am going to allow you to do something special tonight.”
“What’s that?”
“For the first time in your life, you’ll be able to commit statutory rape!”
Kristen and Patty giggled at that.
My mother got me alone at one point near the end of the party. She had something important to say to me.
“Kristen and I talked together earlier,” Mom said.
“Oh?” I said.
“She’s deeded the apartment to you as a birthday present.”
“She what?” I said, quite loudly, as I was completely amazed.
“It’s not finalized, and Kristen told me that I would have to sign with you to make it legal, but for all intents and purposes, the apartment on the Swift’s land is now yours.”
“The apartment is mine?” I was still confused.
“Kristen also asked if you could move in, more or less permanently. I told her that I’d think about it, and I have. I’m not going to be happy with you leaving the house…”
“You’re letting me move in?” I interrupted.
Mom nodded, a tear welling up in her eye. She dabbed at it with a tissue that I didn’t notice in her hand. “Yes, Jim. You’ve proven to me that you’re a lot more mature than your age would suggest. It’s obvious that Kristen is head over heels in love with you, as are her parents. Seeing the show you put on for her this afternoon made me proud, Jim!”
My mother hugged me tightly, and I saw Kristen approach the two of us. Mom saw this and moved away quickly.