Kissing Is the Easy Part

Chapter 34 The perfect moment

***

"That was a bold move," I said when we were back in her car. "You could have checked with me first."

"I wanted to, but you would've talked me out of buying those tickets. I get the feeling your folks won't be offended," Flora explained. "I think they are cool and I like them, but I just can't let any parental figure ruin this party for us. Parents and cool party don't appear in the same sentence."

"Only you have the balls to directly confront the parents and drive them out of their own house."

She glanced at me with apprehension. "You are not upset, are you?"

"No, I'm just a little surprised. I didn't know you have such a scheming side to you."

She looked worried. "Would that make you think less of me?"

It didn't, actually. I told her this and she smiled in relief.

"But I have to admit now that my parents won't be there, I'm a little worried."

"Worried about what? People will have a good time?"

"If anything gets out of hand I'd really be causing my parents a lot of trouble." I thought of all those horror stories on the news, teen-party getting out of control with 2000 people showing up and burning down a house, and how some parents faced charges when the underage party-goers died committing DUI, that sort of things. "And I don't know half of the people you are inviting. If I remember correctly you even invited your nail artist."

"Oh, you mean Bree. She knows more about me than my brothers do!"

I smiled weakly.

"Sean, you are worried about safety while I worry about fun. We really are quite a pair." She gave my hand a very quick squeeze. "But if you have your concerns why did you help me persuade them?"

I wanted to ask myself the same question. "I don't know. I think you can talk me into almost anything."

Flora smiled. "I have personally begged each and every one of our guests to behave. You just have to trust humanity."

"Flora, I trust humanity, that's why I'm so worried. Have you read Lord of the Flies? That's what happens when a group of teenagers take charge."

Flora laughed and reached over suddenly to ruffle my hair. Her eyes were warm, as was the touch of her fingers. "Sean, you are such an adorable nerd. We will survive this together."

"Yeah, it's only four hours. I don't think people will start killing each other yet."

We smiled at each other, then she gunned the engine.

As we drove through the streets in top speed because she had zero patience, I found myself thinking about history. What I learned from history is we don't learn from history at all. We are destined to repeat the same mistakes, fight the same arch-nemesis, lose the same battles, and fall for the wrong girl. I liked her when she was daring and direct, when she giggled innocently and flirted with me, when she got competitive, when she acted cranky but burst into laughter a second later, and I liked her even when she was scheming. It felt good that we were in this together.

"If it's any consolation, it really is a very good jazz band," Flora said.

"I'll pay you back for the tickets."

She actually looked a little offended. "Can you not talk about money all the time? I just want to do something nice for you."

"I know, and I'm touched. But I don't want to take advantage of you financially."

"How about you just buy me coffee?" she suggested. "You know some really cool places. Let's get take outs."

While she drove, she was getting lots of phone calls, and Flora talked into her mouthpiece like a real executive as if she was giving orders about stock exchange.

"Greg, if you can't tell what flourishing branches and twigs look like, then I'm seriously going to doubt your artistic ability. It has to be big! I want it sprayed white, and then we can add those white string lights on it. Yes, the lights have to be white LEDs. I don't want any of those colorful ones during Christmas," she said briskly.

A second later there was another call.

"Henry, don't worry about not being able to help out in specific areas. I've decided to appoint you head of the cleaning squad." I smiled in amusement at how businesslike she was. "It's your job to find your own crew members and you are responsible for making it look like we never had a party when Sean's parents come back. OK?"

I left the car to get us coffee, and when I came back she was still in the middle of a phone conversation. "I'm going to need cookies in the shape of snowmen, snowflakes and Christmas trees. Yes, about fifty each, with white sugar coating on it. Oh Marie. You are going to bake me cupcakes too? I think I'm going to cry."

"You sound really professional," I said. "Like you have been giving out parties for years."

"This is actually my first party so I'm a wreck, really," she said modestly. "Look, do you think we can stop at the park for a while? I need to find some good-looking branches because Greg doesn't know what to look for. I'm going to set up a small white shiny forest of branches," she explained.

We strolled through the park aimlessly, coffee in hand, talking along the way. We had been here before, and with a silent understanding, we stopped at the skating rink. This was where we had held hands last winter when she learned to skate for the first time. I remembered how she had fallen into my arms deliberately and kissed me.

We leaned with our arms against the railing, sipping our coffee as we watched the skaters.

"I'm actually getting a kick out of this. I'm not artistic, I can't cook, I can't DJ, and I'm really bad with computers, but I manage to find people who can do it." Her eyes sparkled with passion, and there was so much life in them I was mesmerized. "And they all report back to me. It's kind of a talent, don't you think? I'm not just a brainless cheerleader after all."

"You were never just a brainless cheerleader. Organizing people and arranging events are harder than it looks, but you make it seem so effortless."

"Oh, I do what I can." She tossed her hair in my face and laughed over her shoulders. "You know I'll do anything for you, my dear Sean."

It was in the middle of autumn when the snow had not started to fall, the air was just getting chilly but the sunlight fell on her hair and reflected off her eyes. She had the most radiant smile that made me forget all the bad memories, the cheating, the fights and the breaking up. At that moment everything was perfect.

I put my arms around her slender frame from behind, hugging her loosely and breathing in the flowery scent of her long dark hair. "Flora, thank you. Thank you."

She turned around, smiling up from my embrace. She didn't pull away. "You have already thanked me a million times for the party. If I can collect a dollar each time you thank me, we'd have money to serve caviar."

"It's not just for the party. It's for...you being you, and that you are here with me right now."

She smiled and laid her head back on my chest. "Well, in that case...thank you too."

She let me hold her for a long time. I rested my chin on top of her head and closed my eyes.

There were a few incredible moments in my life that I'd remind myself to remember every little detail of. This was definitely one of them.

***

I know it was just a hug, but it showed that Sean had let go of his grudge against Flora's supposed infidelity. In the media you can find Flora's idea of beautiful twigs. :)