by Cat Mann
Chapter 27
Paper
“I’m back. Any messages?” Returning from an afternoon meeting, I brushed past Lirik on my way into my office.
“No messages but a package came for you while you were out.” Lirik pointed to a large decorative basket filled with Yummy Yum chocolates and candies. I stopped and smiled at the thought of Ava. “There is an envelope attached, do you want me to open it for you?”
“No.” I pulled the tape from the envelope addressed to me in pretty, cursive writing. The envelope held the tickets for the charity dinner and a heavy cardstock note with House to Home’s logo embedded in golden scripted letters.
Flipping the card over, it read in fresh printer ink, “Dear Mr. Alexander, The staff at House to Home, the children, and the community would like to thank you for your generous donation. We eagerly look forward to seeing you at the black tie dinner hosted by House to Home on the evening of Saturday, October the fifth, at seven o’clock. Drinks will be followed by dinner, a silent auction, dancing and door prizes.”
The charity’s mission statement was scripted across the bottom and then a handwritten, personal note from Ava was just below that.
“Love you, xo, Yours.”
Mine. My thumb brushed against her writing.
“Are those tickers to the fundraiser dinner?” Lirik chirped.
“They are. I held back a table for my staff. If you're free that evening, you're welcome to join us. It should be a fun night.”
“I’ll do that. Thank you, Ari.”
“You are most welcome.” I looked back down at Ava’s note and the phone rang at the reception desk.
“Thank you for calling baio!...”
I had just shut the door to my office when Lirik’s disembodied voice echoed from my desk phone, announcing the call, “Ari, your mother is holding on line one.”
The little red light on the phone flashed until I sat at my chair, leaned back and picked up the receiver.
“Hey, Ma.”
“Hi, Kiddo!”
My head gave an exasperated shake at her term of endearment. “What’s up?”
“I never heard from you about the new security system. How’d it go? Do you feel a little safer now?”
No.
“Uh, it’s a pretty nice system…”
“That’s a good thing, right?”
“Sure, Ma.”
“I was with Ava today, she was in a much lighter mood, I think she feels better with the added security.”
“You and Ava were together all week, what were you doing together again today?”
“I gave her a hand with your anniversary gift.”
“Oh, so this why you called me. Do you really think you need to remind me of my own anniversary?”
“I just want to make sure you haven’t forgotten…It’s on Sunday. This Sunday, the fourth.”
“Ma, trust me, I know.”
“You are doing the traditional route right?”
My annoyance carried through the phone in a heavy breath.
“Year one is paper – the gift should be paper, Ari. Have you gotten her a gift yet? Because if not, I have a few ideas. What about…”
Opening my desk drawer, I ignored her page-long list of awful ideas and pulled out a narrow envelope containing Ava’s gift. I tucked it safely into my inner breast pocket, reached across the desk to shut down my computer and packed some papers away for the weekend. “Yes, I have a gift, yes it is fairly traditional and that is all you need to know.”
She huffed in disappointment. Obviously she had been hoping I would let her in on the details surrounding my anniversary present to Ava. “Fine then, I have to get going. Your father will be home shortly and I have to get ready. We're taking Max out tonight for pizza and a movie.”
“Oh? This is news to me.”
“He’s had a hard week, and Andy and I thought some time away from the house might do Max some good. He perks up every time that robot movie trailer is on TV, so I think he wants to see it. We'll be gone only a few hours. Max will be home before bedtime. Ava said that tonight would work best.”
“Ok, well then, I guess tonight will work best. Please be safe.”
“We will. What are you two going to do tonight?”
“Oh, you know it's Friday so probably just the usual – sit on the couch and watch bad reality TV while we shout at all the people and tell them they are idiots.”
My mom laughed into the phone. “Sounds like my kind of evening. Hope you aren’t disappointed. Do you have any plans to take Ava out? Maybe a romantic dinner? We can keep Max for the weekend if you want to get away…”
“Give it up already, would you? I am not telling you what I got her and no need for a babysitter. Max is included in my plans but thank you for your offer. We'll be at your place on Sunday.”
“Really? You're still planning on coming over to our house on your anniversary?”
“Uhhh... I was planning on it. Are we not invited?”
“No! I mean yes! I mean, I just figured you wouldn’t want to hang out with the whole family on your anniversary day.”
“I love hanging out with my family.”
“Don’t you want a special weekend with your girl?” She pressed.
“Ma, your idea of special and our idea of special are just different. We like to keep things low key and near the house.”
“Maybe Ava would like a little romance.”
“I do okay in the romance department… I think.”
She snickered, “Ok, kiddo, whatever you say. Treat her like a princess, Ari.”
“I always do. I thought you said you had to go.”
“I do.”
“Good. Me too. Bye.” I hung up before she could add anything further to the conversation and hold me up from leaving work early.
“Have a nice weekend, Lirik.” My knuckles rapped at her desktop.
“Happy anniversary.”
