The Birthday Girls

by Pauline Lawless

  “It sure will. I’m really excited about it. This thirty-ninth birthday is going to be the best birthday I’ve ever had.”

  Lexi laughed. “Well, I’ll do my best to make it so. You coming is the best birthday present I could have.”

  Chapter 2

  Angel knew that Lexi was disappointed when she’d told her that there was no way she would consider having a fortieth birthday but Lexi, true to form, had rallied round and agreed to organise a party in Florida for their thirty-ninth. A party was just what Angel needed right now. The very thought of approaching forty was depressing her as she peered in the mirror to check for any new fine lines around her eyes.

  She had called Mel as soon as she’d come off the phone from Lexi but as usual it went to voicemail.

  When she wasn’t working, Angel’s day usually started around noon with a mug of coffee – not decaf, she couldn’t stand that stuff – or more likely, especially if she was hungover, a glass or two of champagne with orange juice. That always lifted her as she checked her iPhone for messages. She lived in hope that one would be from her agent offering her the role of a lifetime – a fabulous script with her in the starring role. She constantly cited other actresses such as Jennifer Anniston, Sandra Bullock and Halle Berry, who at the same age were still hot and even winning Oscars. If they could do it, so could she. Anything was possible in Hollywood!

  Then she would settle down at her computer to read her emails. Most of them were rubbish but this could just be the day she would hear of some project coming up with a part for a thirty-something blonde. Hollywood ran on rumour so it was important to keep one’s ear very close to the ground.

  With a second mug of coffee in hand, the next thing she did was check her dating site to see if any eligible blokes had winked at her. She had not dared put a real photo of herself up there as there was a good chance she might be recognised so she’d put one of another blonde up instead.

  If she liked the look of any of the men who winked at her she might flirt back and forth in the hope that one of them might turn out to be the gold nugget amongst all the mud and sand. She knew it was unlikely but she was always optimistic. She had met some nice guys on there though unfortunately most of them were married at the time. But, as she was fond of saying, “How long do marriages last in this town? Whoever is married today could be available next week!” She did meet her third husband on a dating site and my God, what a tosser he turned out to be! She refused to think about him. It would only bring her down for the whole day.

  She did have a live-in boyfriend at the moment, Will, who was about to become live-out very shortly, although he didn’t know it yet. He was sixteen years younger than Angel, which was nothing in Hollywood, but she’d discovered that, hot as it made her look, pandering to the whims of a penniless twenty-three-year-old could be very tiring, not to mention expensive. He wanted to party all night, drinking champagne that she paid for, and then stayed in bed all day. She regularly bemoaned the fact that unfortunately there was only one Ashton Kutcher! Will hadn’t worked a day in his life and she knew he probably never would, as long as there were foolish women like her around to support him.

  After she checked the dating site, it was more coffee and then she went on Facebook to see what all her friends were getting up to. She had hundreds of friends – too many, she often thought – but it just wasn’t possible to drop them. She knew that people got very upset when you did that. She did. Then it was on to Twitter to catch up on all the news there. She only read the @connect now – the tweeters who had mentioned her. She doubted there was anyone on earth who had the time to wade through 375 tweets every day. She knew that she should unfollow some of them but then they’d unfollow her and she was trying hard to reach 5,000 followers. She was very nearly there. If she just followed another forty people or so, they’d follow her back and she’d make it. If by any chance she should land a plum role then that would go up to gazillions, just like Demi Moore, whom she followed. People loved to follow big stars.

  Angel sighed, thinking back to the time when she’d been a mega star, famous all over the world. She was twenty-four then and newly arrived in Hollywood when she’d landed a major role in the most popular TV show of the day. Those were halcyon days when she’d been an A-lister and feted wherever she went. The show had lasted for eight glorious years and she’d been bereft when it had ended. She’d landed a plum role in a movie about Marilyn Monroe shortly afterwards, thanks to her resemblance to the famous star, but unfortunately the movie had bombed. She’d worked pretty constantly since then but only bit-parts. A further big movie role had eluded her but she never gave up hope. Sadly, there’d been no Twitter around when she’d been a star.

  Sometimes she wondered if maybe Lexi had the right idea shunning all this modern technology. One thing for sure, Lexi would never find the time to paint if she were to try and keep up with the social network.

  All of this took until about four thirty every day when, if she was lucky, Will might condescend to put in an appearance. She had lunch then which was usually an egg-white omelette or some salad leaves. Angel was a serial dieter, like every other actress in Hollywood. Of course, she drank the best part of a bottle of wine with it. She read somewhere that there were no carbs in white wine and carbs were the real enemy.

  She was excited at the thought of hanging out with the girls again. They’d been best friends all of their lives but it had been a while since all four had met up together. The last time was three years ago and then only for a night. She, Lexi and Mel all happened to be back in Ireland at the same time and they’d met up with Brenda. What a night that had been! Even though they hadn’t all been together since their combined thirtieth birthday, six years before, it was as if they’d never been apart.

  Both she and Mel had been down to stay with Lexi for quick breaks, but never at the same time. Lexi sometimes travelled to New York in connection with her art and met up with Mel but as she hated Los Angeles – Shallow Town, she called it – Angel didn’t see as much of her as she’d like.

  Brenda was a little out of the loop, being the only one left in Ireland and of course it wasn’t easy for her, with five children like steps of stairs. When they last met she seemed happy enough but her life was a constant struggle. Bob had a taxi and Brenda said he now earned less than he did seven years ago. So much for the Celtic Tiger! Three of her children were at university and living away from home which took every cent they had. Angel could never live like that, no matter how much she loved a man. She thought Brenda was a saint!

  * * *

  Mel rang back an hour later.

  “Sorry, missed your call, I was in a conference.”

  Angel threw her eyes to heaven. When was Mel ever not in a conference?

  “What’s up?” Mel asked impatiently.

  “Well, as you know, I will not be having any more birthdays so Lexi has agreed to host our last birthday party in Florida. You absolutely have to come.”

  Mel laughed. “So she’s finally accepted that you plan to stay thirty-nine forever?”

  “Yeah. Can you make it?”

  “Gee, don’t know if I can. We’re crazily busy here. When is it?”

  “Thanksgiving week.”

  “Hang on a sec while I check.”

  Angel heard her turning the pages in her diary.

  “Well, I can make a couple of days – but a week? I don’t know. Leave it with me.”

  “She’s invited Brenda to come over for it.”

  “She’s what?”

  Angel heard the surprise in her voice before a huge clatter almost deafened her.

  “Sorry, I just dropped my phone,” Mel explained. “Can Brenda afford it? I thought they were struggling financially.”

  “Don’t worry – Lexi will find a way. Anyway, isn’t it fantastic? The four of us together again for a whole week!” Angel squealed excitedly.

  “Well, I could certainly do with the break. I’ll call you when I get home around nine. Okay?�
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  “Jesus, Mel, you’re working yourself to death. What time did you start this morning?”

  “Six thirty. Why?”

  “You’ll kill yourself.” Angel shook her head in disbelief. “Mel, you have to come. I need you there.”

  “Okay, okay,” Mel said resignedly. She knew Angel would keep at her until she gave in. “But only for a couple of days. Have to rush now, sorry. I’ve got another meeting. Byeee!”

  “Bye,” Angel started to say but Mel had already hung up.

  “What a life!” Angel said aloud as she replaced the receiver. Mel had sounded stressed. She would kill herself working. Hopefully she could make the party. It wouldn’t be the same without her. She obviously needed the break and a week in Florida would help her relax and chill out. Angel knew that once she got her there she would convince Mel to stay the whole week.

  * * *

  Lexi rang Angel the next day. “Wonderful news! Brenda is coming for the party.”

  “That’s great. I’m looking forward to seeing her again.”

  “What about Mel? Did you talk to her?”

  “She said she’d come but maybe only for a couple of days. But I’m sure once we get her there we’ll be able to persuade her to stay the week.”

  “That girl works far too hard.”

  “She’s nuts. She never takes a holiday and for what?”

  “I know, but that’s Mel. She’s always been like that,” Lexi remarked dolefully.

  “Isn’t it great that Brenda can come?”

  “Yes, I’m really looking forward to having her here. God love her, she’s earned it. I must give Mel a call. How was she today? She was very stressed out the last time I spoke to her.”

  “She still is. It looks like we all need this break.”

  It amused Angel that Lexi had never lost her Irish accent which was even more accentuated over the phone. Both she and Mel had embraced the American way of life with open arms and could now be mistaken for natives, but not Lexi. She had been almost paranoid about keeping her Irish identity. Angel sometimes regretted that she had been so quick to lose her Irish accent. Colin Farrell – what a dish – hadn’t, and what success he’d had, Dublin accent and all! Well, too late to do anything about it now, Angel sighed.

  * * *

  Mel was thinking about Angel’s phone call as she rode a taxi home that night. She doubted she could take a whole week off although she’d had no holidays at all this year. She was feeling so very tired and stressed and had begun to wonder if this was all life had to offer. She had no love in her life – heck, she didn’t even have a dog or cat to welcome her home at night. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had sex and sometimes feared that she was turning into a dried-up old prune. Sure, she had a fantastic job and a fabulous apartment on the Upper West Side of New York. She was now a partner in the most prestigious law firm in New York and made pots of money but what good was that if she had no time to spend it and nobody to spend it with?

  Arriving home, she reheated one of the soups from the 2nd Ave Deli that substituted for dinner most evenings and had just finished it when Lexi rang. To Mel’s surprise, she appeared to be as excited as Angel about the forthcoming birthday party. Lexi was usually very laid back about things. Mel supposed it was probably because Brenda was coming. Those two were always as thick as thieves. It would be nice to be together again for a whole week but she honestly didn’t think she could take that much time off. However, she’d certainly make it for the party.

  She felt that old fear in her stomach again, thinking back on her childhood. She was unfortunate in that both her parents had been teachers and had very high expectations for her. They were teachers first and foremost and could never leave their teachers’ hats behind them at school. They saw Mel and her brother more as ‘pupils’ than as their own offspring. They were brilliant teachers but as parents they sucked. Everything was geared towards academic success, which was very tough on Mel and her older brother. He rebelled against their Dickensian regime and ran off to London after his Inter Cert. Mel wasn’t sorry to see him go as he’d always teased her unmercifully but it did mean that she was now unfortunately the sole focus of her parents’ attentions.

  Her teen years were miserable. Her parents exerted constant pressure on her to be the best which was difficult for her as she was only an average student – certainly not as bright as Brenda or Lexi. Even Angel, who was much more concerned with boys and how she looked than with studying, sailed through all her exams without a worry.

  Mel watched longingly as the others went to parties and discos, wishing with all her heart that she could join them. “There will be plenty of time for partying when you’ve finished your education, young lady,” her parents would say, setting her some more Irish or maths tests to do. It was then that she started to hate them. She didn’t have her brother’s courage to up and leave. If it hadn’t been for her friends, Mel knew that she would have committed suicide. She’d often considered it but somehow Lexi and Brenda had managed to see her through the bad moments. They were both very supportive and, if they hadn’t been there for her, she was sure she would not be alive today.

  Angel had scarcely been aware of Mel’s misery. She was too busy having fun. The ease with which she attracted boys fascinated her friends. Watching her flirt and tease them left Mel feeling more inadequate than ever. She was always tongue-tied in their presence and never knew what to say. Things hadn’t changed much since then! Angel still had every man she met falling in love with her and Mel still had a problem connecting with them on any level or letting any man close. She had done so once but it had ended disastrously.

  By contrast, Angel had sailed through life petted and pampered by one and all. She’d been christened Angela but by the age of three months she was such a beautiful baby that her besotted, doting father started calling her Angel and the name stuck.

  They lived in a beautiful big house on Kenilworth Square, which was the posh end of Rathmines, and they all loved going to Angel’s house for tea. Her mother was very beautiful but aloof and not very friendly. It was always Angel’s father who was there at parties and who seemed to be in charge. They had lots of servants who did all the cooking and cleaning so her mother could go to lunches and dinners, so Angel told them. Her father was very wealthy – a developer, Angel informed them – although none of them knew exactly what that was.

  Everyone adored Angel. She was so pretty and lively and all the other girls wanted to be her friend and be invited to her parties. To Brenda, in particular, Angel resembled a princess who lived in a world that was a million miles from hers.

  Brenda’s world was a three-bedroom council house in the poorer part of Rathmines where she lived with her parents and seven siblings. All through secondary and even primary school, Brenda had had it tough because she was the eldest of the eight children and had to shoulder a lot of responsibility. Her mother was lazy and very fond of the drink and so Brenda had practically raised her younger brothers and sisters. In spite of this she found the time to study and was the brightest student in the whole class. How she had ever managed to get straight A’s in her Leaving Cert and win a university scholarship was a miracle. The others couldn’t help but admire her for that. She certainly got no help at home.

  Lexi’s home life was the most balanced of them all. Her father was a doctor and they lived in a lovely house on the Rathgar Road. Her mother was forty when Lexi arrived and her parents called her their miracle baby. Lexi was very laid-back and easy-going and a bit of a dreamer. Nothing fazed her and she took everything in her stride. Her parents were very nice and down-to-earth which was probably why Lexi was so grounded. She was very artistic and excelled in art class and it was no surprise to any of them when she went on to be a successful artist.

  She still painted and regularly had exhibitions in New York and London. Her paintings now sold for exorbitant amounts and she was quite famous.

  Chapter 3

  The four of them were
still the best of friends when the time came to leave secondary school. Angel was prettier than ever and had all the boys chasing her. She had lost her virginity in fifth year and was very casual about it all. Lexi was much more circumspect and more interested in art than boys. Mel was scared of boys and would have been terrified of getting pregnant because her parents would have killed her but, as she had never even kissed a boy, that wasn’t likely to be a problem.

  Brenda had started going out with Bob when she was fourteen. He had left school after his Junior Cert and, though he wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, everyone thought he was ever so cool. He was devilishly handsome and oozed a raw sexuality that reminded them of Elvis Presley. Most of the girls at school had been mad about him but he’d only ever had eyes for Brenda. Mel and Angel wondered at the time if they were ‘doing it’ but Brenda never said. She might have told Lexi, as they were very close, but Lexi never said either. Unfortunately, they found out soon enough.

  It happened the night they were out together at a disco celebrating the end of their Leaving Cert and school years. For once Mel’s parents had agreed to let her go. It was during a lull in the music that Brenda broke down in tears.

  “I’m pregnant,” she whispered, so low that the others thought they’d misheard.

  “You’re what?” Mel asked, shocked.

  “I’m going to have a baby,” she said, louder this time, her cheeks streaked with tears.

  “Oh, my God!” Angel cried. “Is it Bob’s?”

  “Of course it is,” Brenda replied, shocked that anyone would think otherwise.

  “You poor dear,” Lexi comforted her, putting her arms around Brenda who was sobbing her heart out.

  “What will you do about it?” Mel asked, thinking of abortion or adoption or . . . she didn’t know what really.