Chapter 6

Lance was happy with his work of developing software and web design, though he knew that someday he'd have to go to college, just to satisfy his mom. She was bent on him getting a degree. He thought she was old school, but the truth was that she feared that the ease with which he was making money now would be the same ease with which he would not be able to make such money in the near future. She really did not fully understand what he was doing, but she had the firm belief that whatever came easy left easy.

Lance would be 20 in a few days and Carol wanted to at least have a party for him at the house. A real party. One where he'd be given the chance to invite everyone he'd like to invite. She was proud of him and she wanted him happy, even though he wasn't making her very happy by still not applying for college, but she wouldn't stop reminding him.

She wanted to tell the entire neighborhood that her son and only child wasn't a good-for-nothing lazy bum. He actually had a flexible but well-paying job, one that she was proud and equally scared of. He had decided to continue living with her even though he could easily afford to live alone and she was grateful for his thoughtfulness. If only his father was alive to see what he had grown up to be. Well, she couldn't afford to spoil the preparations by crying now.

"Come on, Mom. What's with all the unending bustling?"

"Oh young man. I'm sorry I forgot to tell you. It's my son's 20th birthday!"

"That doesn't mean you have to order half the world!", he called after her as she rushed to the door to receive a new order.

When she returned, it was with a box that Lance did not bother to glance at. He'd seen enough already.

"So how do you think the cake should be?"

"Cake? That's so old school, Mom. It's a birthday, not a wedding!"

"Oh Lord. Everything I suggest is old school. I'm sure if you had your way, you'd ship me off with your software thing back to the Stone Age."

He bit his lip before he could say, "You act like you belong there."

Just then, the doorbell rang again. Another order. Lance rolled his eyes and slumped into a chair as she rushed off to the door again.

"Just how many people are coming to this party?", he asked when she returned with yet another box.

"I'm inviting 20. I don't know how many you're inviting, but I'm ready to host half the earth."

"Is this a feast or a birthday party?"

"Hmmmm... a festival, concert, grand ball and the prince's birthday all rolled into one."

Lance raised both hands in surrender and went off to his room.

*****

When the D-day came and the party finally began, Lance was not feeling so in the mood. Many of his friends had come earlier in the day and while some had joined his mother in the preparations, the rest had joined him in playing video games and other semi-celebratory activities that just added up to make his day. But after his celebrations came to an end, his mother's festivities began in earnest.

It was much greater than his greatest expectation. His mother had gone to great lengths to organize something he considered outrageously elaborate. She had hired everything and everyone from a DJ to servers. Lance was awed. There was the barbecue part of the party at the back, the pool part at one side and the rest of the dancing and drinking was inside. He had invited only ten people, but somehow the entire neighborhood was at his house!

He was wondering how his mother planned to keep order and calm when he sighted a bouncer-like man ending a fight between two of his neighborhood friends, pulling them apart as if they were ants. His mom seemed to have everything covered, but how on earth had she done it? Immediately, he went off to hunt her down.

He knew she'd be nowhere but inside, so he left the backyard and went into the house. He found her in one corner of the sitting room with another woman whom he didn't know. Drink in hand, he sidled up to her and whispered into her ear. She raised her eyebrows and turned to her friend.

"He wants to know if I won a lottery."

Both women laughed at this as if it was the joke of the century while Lance covered his embarrassment by emptying his bottle of soda. His mom had made sure that the alcoholic drinks were reserved for adults alone. How she managed that, he still did not know, but many of his friends had tested the system and found it impossible to evade.

"Yes, dear. I did win more than a lottery when I gave birth to you two decades ago," she said, eyeing him with pride.

"Awww," her friend cooed. "What have we childless ones got to live for?"

"For the soon-to-come sextuplets, I guess."

And they laughed again. Lance waited politely until they had finished their laughter, but before he could open his mouth to excuse himself, his mother's friend was already speaking.

"Sorry I haven't wished you a happy birthday yet. Happy belated birthday to you, dear."

She threw her arms around him and kissed him on both cheeks. Then she slipped a little parcel into his hand.

"Birthday gift. For the future," she said, tapping his hand.

"Thanks.. um.. thanks very much."

He didn't know her name, so he left it at that. She flashed him another smile and then turned to his mom.

"Lemme go hunt down Mary so you can have enough time to talk to other guests."

"No problemo. We'll see again before the party's over."

Lance watched as she sashayed off on her impossibly-high heels, wondering how she managed not to fall.

"See something you like?", his mom teased.

"Huh?"

"Careful, she's engaged."

"Jeez, Mom! I wasn't t..."

"Come on, I was only kidding. Can't you take a little joke?"

He breathed deeply and then looked her straight in the eye.

"Don't make a speech, Mom.. today," he said with all seriousness.

"Then why have this gathering in the first place?", she shrieked.

"It's a birthday party, Mom. Not a board meeting."

"It's my son's birthday and I get to do anything I like," she shot back as she dropped her empty glass and picked up another from a passing server.

"Fine," Lance surrendered. "Just let me know when you're about to begin."

"So you can find a burrow to hide in?"

"Exactly."

Lance went back to the backyard, determined to avoid the house for the rest of the party. One of his old classmates, Alexa, was playing on a guitar, so they gathered around her, throwing her song orders and munching meat.

Less than half an hour later, Lance's phone vibrated. Before he could finish extracting it from his pocket, one of his neighborhood friends, a thin brunette nicknamed Tangy peeped out from the back door.

"Come on, you guys. Mrs. Weiss is about to make a speech."

They all jumped to their feet and filed toward the house, some singing at the top of their lungs as they went, but all noise ceased when they got past the back door. Mrs. W had a strong reputation for taking no nonsense.

**

Lance followed them, making sure to be the last in the group and then slipped off before reaching the door. He went to the right side of the house where there were no guests and slipped into a side door that led to where his mother was speaking. As he walked closer, he could hear her voice louder. Then he came to the spot he was searching for. It was just right outside what used to be his father's study. He found a seat there and slumped into it with a sigh. But the sound of a gulp made him sit upright, wary and alert.

The place was quite dark and it wasn't easy to make out much, but he could smell some sweet and familiar perfume. When he looked beside him, he almost jumped out of his skin. He was shocked to see someone there, so close to him.

"Ca... Mrs. Holden, I.. I didn't mean to disturb you."

"It's okay," she replied quietly.

"Umm.. why're you here? I mean.. not that I..."

"I'm not a party person. Funny, cause I met my ex-husband at a party."

"Oh.. Okay."

Then they relapsed into silence. It lasted for about a minute before she broke it.

"Do you want some? It's Champagne."

"Thanks. Mom would smell my breath after the party."

She chuckled - the first time he'd heard her chuckle.

"You could brush it off," she urged him.

"Okay," he conceded, taking the glass from her and draining it in one gulp.

They both could hear Carol's speech quite clearly. The praises she was heaping on her son and the numerous good qualities she was attributing to him made the color rise to his face. This was the reason why he'd decided to hide during the speech.

"Your mom just wants the best for you," Cara said suddenly. "It's what every mother wants for her child."

Lance was glad and relieved that she was talking to him as if he had done nothing to her and he didn't want to ruin everything by arguing, so he simply shrugged. Carol was rounding off her speech and making a funny remark about going to hunt down his shy ass in whatever burrow he was hiding.

"Better get going," Cara murmured. "Go make her proud."

"Okay," he said, getting to his feet.

"See you around," he added as an afterthought before walking away.

Before Carol could leave or send someone to 'hunt down his shy ass', Lance appeared right beside her.

"Saved me the journey, eh?", she teased.

He gave a polite smile for the guests' sake and she hugged him, officially wishing him a Happy Birthday. Everyone toasted him and soon he was surrounded by well-wishers, most of them his mother's friends and colleagues.

When he finally disentangled himself from the final batch of well-wishers and people were starting to head home one by one, he noticed a dizzy-looking Cara sitting quietly alone in a corner. He promptly set his feet in that direction.

"Are you feeling okay, Mrs. Holden?"

"Uhh.. yeah. Sure. I just.. wanna go home. Happy Birthday to you."

"Thanks. Sure you can drive yourself?"

"Of course," she smiled as she struggled to stand up without staggering.

Lance helped her to her feet and picked her purse.

"Maybe I should take you home?"

"I'm fine. The room just needs to look a little stable."

"Okay. Stay right here. I'll be back in a sec."

He left her and hurried off in search of his mom. He couldn't find her anywhere in the room, but then he remembered that he had a phone. He typed a quick text to her, telling her that he was taking Mrs. Holden home. Then he hurried back to his charge and helped her to her feet again.

They said nothing to each other as he took the keys from her purse and led her outside. She was wobbly on her feet as a result of so much drink and there was no way he would allow her to drive herself. She did not protest when he helped her into the passenger seat and then jumped into the driver seat.

***

Throughout the journey to her house, there was total silence in the car. Lance made sure the windows were low enough to admit enough air into the vehicle. But Cara did not fall asleep. Instead, she was wide awake, staring silently at the road ahead. He wondered what she was thinking, but he didn't try to hazard a guess. All he did was glance at her from time to time, hoping that she'd fully forgiven him.

A light drizzle had begun when Lance reached her house and after parking the car and handing her the keys, he walked her all the way to the front door. She was a little more stable on her feet now and even opened the door herself.

Lance stayed and watched as she stepped inside. He was about to wish her a good night when she suddenly turned around and looked him straight in the eye. He thought she was going to thank him, but instead, she asked him a question, one he never expected to be asked.

"Do you really regret what we did.. that night?"

Lance stared at her in shock, not knowing what to say. She looked at him unwaveringly, clearly expecting an answer. But when he remained silent, she sighed and began the process of shutting the door. He overcame his shock immediately and stopped her just in time. Blocking the door with his foot, he looked into her eyes too.

"Do you really wanna know?"

And she nodded ever so lightly.

"I don't regret it if you don't."

Lance didn't wish he could take the words back, they were straight from his soul and he just had to tell her the truth, no matter the consequences. She wanted to know and he had no right to lie to her.

Cara stared unblinking at him, as if trying to process what he had just said. Then she reached forward and grabbed him by the collar and pulled him into the house. Crushing her lips against his, she closed the door with her foot as their hands worked on other things.