Sara grabbed both their jackets on the way out the door. She clicked unlock on her key fob and went around to the passenger side.
“I’m enjoying you at this age. I always wanted a chauffeur,” Sara said as she reclined and settled into her seat.
Sara and Hazel planned to arrive at Shawn’s before the other guests. They always helped Shawn set up for his New Year’s extravaganzas. This time Sara was a little nervous about the evening. There would be more people there than just their family.
What are they gonna think?
She wondered if she would look pathetic dating a twenty-four-year-old man or would she appear triumphant? She hoped for the latter.
“Mom? Hello? Keys?” Hazel held out her hand and interrupted Sara’s thoughts.
“Oh yeah. Sorry, I got lost there for a minute.” Sara explained and handed over the keys. “I’m nervous about introducing Adam to our friends”
Hazel cranked the car and reversed out of the driveway. Shawn’s home was a couple of miles away.
“Why?” asked Hazel.
“Well, just the obvious things like, will they think I’m not good enough for him? Or think I look like I’m trying too hard? Will they laugh at me for hanging out with someone so young?”
“So,” Hazel replied with a shrug.
“So?” Sara questioned. “You asked why I was nervous and those are the reasons.”
“Who cares?” Hazel shook her head. “If they say mean things about you then they’re assholes. You always told me that. You can’t let what other people think hold you back from living your best life and being happy. Don’t choose to be insecure.”
Don’t choose to be insecure? Sara rolled that around in her head.
“Damn. You are blowing my mind right now. How did you get to be so profound?” Sara asked.
“This is the first time in the sixteen years I’ve ever known you to question yourself like you have since you started seeing Adam. A few of my friends’ moms hate themselves. It’s like their flaws are all they ever think about. It seems so unnecessary. They talk about how fat they are. How they don’t look good enough. How old they’re getting. How they’re going on a diet. They’re obsessed with their wrinkles and pointing out their flaws. They nitpick at my friends too, cause none of them are ‘good enough’ either. Those friends also can’t take compliments, are insecure, constantly question themselves and are starving to get thinner. I’m considering researching it for my psychology class’s independent observation assignment next month.” Hazel explained.
“You are?” Sara was intrigued.
“I always wondered why those moms were so mean to themselves all the time and I was grateful you weren’t. You just want to shake them and say shut up don’t believe that shit about yourself. It’s dumb. What’s the point of it, at all? Here let me make myself sad on purpose by being mean to myself…” Hazel paused having a thought occur to her. “I would need to do the research in masochistic tendencies and find out if there could be a correlation made between inflicting mean thoughts on oneself. Is there an enjoyment taken from the pain inflicted by one’s own thoughts and words?”
“Whoa,” Sara needed to take a minute and process the insight her daughter was displaying.
Hazel smiled. She liked when she impressed her mom. “I think I’ll choose the subject for my assignment. It gets me riled up.”
They remained silent for the rest of the trip. The both of them were equally enthralled by Hazel’s observations. Sara made a mental note to check the parental controls on Hazel’s devices because googling masochistic tendencies was a whole bag of worms for a more college-level psychology assignment.
They arrived at Shawn and Ben’s home. The front yard was pristine and stood in stark contrast to Sara’s property. Her place still screamed Christmas cheer and would for the next couple weeks. The landscaping was professionally maintained year-round. The trees, shrubs and grass had that crisp clean look even in the middle of winter.
The sun was beginning its descent, darkening the evening. The inside of the home was glowing with welcoming warm light. The front door was unlocked in anticipation of their arrival.
Hazel opened it, stepped aside for her mother and bowed low as she said, “After you dear Mother.”
Sara straightened her back and passed her daughter like a queen. “Thank you, kind girl.”
A dog barked from inside the home. Hazel shut the door as a golden retriever barreled its way through the house to greet them. Its paws scraping on the hardwood floor, losing traction as it rounded the corner.
“Who’s a good boy?!” Hazel greeted the excited pooch, its tail wagged so hard the dog lost its balance. “I love you too. Cooper’s the goodest boy! Yes, he is!”
Sara smiled at her daughter and Cooper as Hazel continued to speak nonsense to the dog. She patiently waited for her turn to greet the sweet fellow.
Shawn entered the foyer and found Sara deep in conversation with Cooper about how the cat had been treating him.
“Hello!” Shawn said exasperated. “I have twenty-five people arriving in one hour. Cooper, please tell her that Kiki is treating you just fine.”
Sara straightened up and told Cooper, “That’s good to hear buddy.”
“Hey, Dad,” chirped Hazel as she bounced over to Shawn for a quick hug before disappearing into the house.
Sara scratched the dog’s ear one more time. She remembered her conversation with Adam last night. The image of him drinking Cooper’s blood while the dog whimpered flashed through her mind.
That would be seriously fucked up.
She followed Shawn to the kitchen. Sara looked around the open floorplan kitchen and living room space and nodded.
“Looking good Shawn. Everything is sparkling and quiet... Are the twins locked in a closet?”
“They’ve been with Ben’s parents for the day. So, I can keep the house clean. I don’t want people thinking my precious babies act like other people’s toddlers. They’ll arrive when the party starts.” Shawn answered with a smile while wiping the last countertop.
“What can I do?” Sara asked.
“Walk around and look at the house with the eye of a snobbish visitor, wipe or straighten anything unsightly,” Shawn instructed.
“I’m on it!” Sara replied.
Ben entered the room looking spiffy. He wore designer jeans and a black velvet sports coat over a white button-up shirt. He did a little catwalk and turned around for Sara and Shawn who clapped approvingly.
“You look stunning.” Sara complimented.
Shawn nodded in agreement and gave Ben a sweet kiss on the lips before he said, “You are looking dapper as hell.”
“Thank you,” said Ben as he exchanged a look with Shawn before turning to Sara. “So… haven’t seen you since Christmas Eve and I hear Adam is joining us tonight… What have you been up to?”
“Oh, I don’t know… Stuff.” Sara pretended to find some dust and wiped off the nonexistent fuzz with her hand from a nearby shelf.
“Details woman!” demanded Ben.
“Well. Umm like we are officially going steady now,” Sara said in a sing-song voice. “…and he’s going to kiss me at midnight cause I think he like totally loves me and junk.” She ended with a popping smack sound from her lips.
The men remained silent for several moments in response.
“This… is getting serious,” Shawn concluded.
Shawn and Ben exchanged another loaded look.
“Honey,” Shawn began carefully. “Are you sure you want to get this serious? I mean I’m just concerned for you. If you fall in love with this guy and…” Shawn trailed off.
And what? Sara thought, but she knew what was concerning Shawn, it concerned her too. Adam might have been born forty years ago, but he still looked twenty-four. How long would he be satisfied with her as she aged and he didn’t? Shawn did not know that part, but still one would assume as Adam aged into his thirties and Sara turned fifty, society wouldn’t see what c
ould keep him interested.
What would keep him interested when my face wrinkled and my neck is sagging?
Sara’s mind descended into meanness, but her conversation with Hazel rushed back at her.
I will not choose to hurt myself.
Sara looked at the beautiful leather bracelet that Adam made her for Christmas. She took a deep breath and remembered how his gift made her feel.
“Welp, Shawn,” Sara said slightly defensive. “I just don’t care. I’m good enough. I’m kind enough and Adam gets rock hard when he kisses me.” Sara stated matter of fact, her jaw remained set.
Shawn understood her resolute tone and conceded, “All right then.”
Guests were arriving continuously and Shawn was in full host with the most mode. Sara sipped her cocktail and mingled with their friends and family. Sara smiled at her mom Pam, who was across the room with Ben’s mom, Carol. They doted on the toddlers giving them their full attention as the girls led them around the house. The grandmas knew their job was to right everything wronged by the girls as they went about their toddler business.
Sara grazed the smorgasbord of sweet and savory offerings. She popped an hors d’oeurve in her mouth as she walked by the spread. The catering was impressive. Pam entered the kitchen.
“How’s that one?” Pam asked.
“Pretty good!” Sara responded mid-chew.
“Shawn always outdoes himself on New Year’s,” Pam stated. “I heard Adam’s joining us again.”
“He should be here any minute,” Sara said.
“Christmas and now New Years? Seems… serious?” Pam questioned.
“Honestly. It kind of is. We’re officially dating. We both really seem to like each other and we’re just going to go with it.” Sara said.
“Hmm.” Pam looked thoughtful as if biting her tongue.
“Hmm? Is all you’re gonna say?” Sara squinted at her mom waiting for her to continue.
“All I’ve ever wanted was for you to be happy. You’ve never done what everyone else did. Obviously, you had a baby with your gay best friend. I’m progressive, I rolled with it. You guys became amazing parents. I wouldn’t trade my Hazel for anything. It all worked out.” Pam paused as she contemplated. “I just want to see you happy with a partner in life that you will grow old with. I don’t want you to spend your twilight years alone. The math on this one is rough. When you’re my age he’ll be fifty. What fifty-year-old man, dates a sixty-five-year-old woman? There are guys in their seventy that won’t even consider me, they date women in their fifties.”
“I know, Mom.” Sara put her hand on Pam’s shoulder. “It’s unfair and those men are shallow, selfish, and have no concept of reality. Doing what society dictates that you’re supposed to do, didn’t guarantee you a mate for life.” Sara softly pointed out. “I’ll be okay either way just like you. We just started dating. It’s the very beginning. I don’t know where it will lead, but I’m going to have a good time finding out.”
Pam pulled Sara in for a hug.
“I love you, Mom,” Sara whispered.
“Love you always,” Pam responded.
Sara’s phone chimed a text notification. She pulled it from her back pocket.
“It’s Adam!” She sounded like an excited teen.
Pam shook her head and smiled. “I’m going to mingle. I saw Ben’s uncle is here and he’s got that silver fox thing going on. How do I look?”
“You look like a sexy fox hound,” Sara said with a nod.
“Umm thanks… I guess.” Pam chuckled.
Pam walked away and Sara checked her text from Adam, “I’m outside, but need someone who lives here to answer the door.”
What? Sara thought before it dawned on her. Oh. That’s interesting.
Sara knew to interrupt Shawn or Ben, as they were both mid-conversation with a guest, to tell them to open the door for Adam would seem strange. They would expect that she would do it. She didn’t want to bet on a guest taking it upon themselves to open the door if the doorbell rang.
Luckily, a sweet little girl tugged at her pant leg.
Sara scooped her up and said, “Adam’s here. Do you want to go let him in?”
“Yup,” Madison replied and clapped her hands.
Sara texted Adam, “I’m on my way to the door with a resident.”
Sara opened the door. Adam smiled at her choice of family member.
“Will this resident’s invitation do?” Sara asked.
Adam nodded with a smile as Maddy reached for him.
“Tell Adam to come inside, it’s cold out there.” Sara prompted
“Inside, Adam. Too cold!” Maddy said as Adam took her and settled the little one on his hip.
Adam stepped through the doorway and shut it behind him. He gave Sara a hello hug and a kiss on the lips.
“I missed you. You look beautiful.” Adam said after a good squeeze.
“I missed you, too,” Sara replied.
“See Kiki?!” Maddy exclaimed.
Adam gave the little girl a questioning look.
“She wants to show you her new cat,” Sara explained. “They got a kitten for Christmas.”
“Old cat die,” Maddy said matter of fact with her lip poked out.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Adam said to her. “Let’s go see this new cat. Point the way!”
Maddy enjoyed Adam’s excitement to see the cat. She pointed toward the stairway to a second-story balcony that overlooked the foyer and led to the bedrooms.
Marley was on the lookout for her sister and came around a corner, followed by their grandma, Carol. The toddler spotted her sister in Adam’s arms and ran after them yelling, “Me up! Me up!”
Adam didn’t hesitate to bend down and add Marley to his other hip.
Ben’s mother approached them. “Hello. You must be Adam.”
“Yes Ma’am,” Adam said. “I’d shake your hand, but they’re full at the moment.”
“This is Ben’s mother, Carol.” Sara introduced them. “We’re going to see the cat. You’re off toddler duty. We’ll bring them back down after we meet the cat and drag Hazel out of her room.”
“Nice to meet you, Adam. Take your time, I’m worn out. Those babies ran me ragged today.”
Carol fairly ran away from them toddler free, on her way back to the party.
Adam turned toward the stairway and stopped at the baby gate. His hands were full quite full.
“Need a little help, please.”
“Allow me.” Sara ceremoniously unlocked the gate and swung it open.
She repeated the gate opening at the top of the stairs as well.
“Which way next, M and M’s?” Adam asked.
“Dis way!” They yelled in unison and giggled at his new nickname for them.
Sara followed them across the balcony and down the hallway. They each had a little arm wrapped around his neck.
Babies looked good on him.
Sara felt a pang of sadness.
Was it even possible for vampires to have children?
Adam appeared larger than life holding the little girls. He was probably the tallest person to ever hold them. They were enchanted by him. They squealed with delight as he pretended, they were too heavy, he was about to drop them. Their tiny hands clung to his neck and shoulders.
“Dere!” They pointed to a closed bedroom door. “Down! Down!”
Sara opened the door carefully as Adam put the girls on the ground and they followed them in. Shawn was keeping the cat locked up during the party since this was the cat’s first week with the family. The girls’ bedroom had an en suite bathroom to keep her litter box.
“She hiding,” Marley whispered as Sara shut the door behind them.
Adam looked around the room smiling, “M and M, you guys are quite the little princesses huh?”
“I know, right. Shawn may have gone overboard with the pink.” Sara chuckled. “He was so happy when he found out their surrogate was having two girls. This room was finished before
they were even born.”
The toddlers were on a cat finding mission scouring the room looking in places a cat could never be. Which made Sara and Adam smile at each other.
Sara spotted the end of a twitching black tail sticking out from under Marley’s toddler bed. She quietly motioned for Adam to look.
“M and M’s, I think what we’ve got here is a jaguar.” He said in a decent Steve Erwin impression. “In the wild a jaguar can be quite dangerous.”
Sara giggled with the girls. She watched Adam motion the ladies to follow him and lay on their bellies beside the twitching tail. They looked under the bed. Sara joined them. They saw glowing eyes taking their measure, unsure of the new adults.
The cat gave a little hiss.
“Jag-ire.” One of the girls whispered.
“Do you see the way it warns us with his ferocious growl.” Adam continued playfully his Steven Erwin impression morphing just a bit. “I’m going to let this here jaguar bite me on the face and see it hurts.”
Sara couldn’t contain a snort as she giggled at his impression of Cartman, from South Park’s, Steve Erwin impression.
“No bite face.” The girls were shaking their heads concerned with his wellbeing.
“Oh, all right. How about I let the jaguar smell my hand and see if I can win its trust.” Adam conceded.
The girls nodded approvals.
Adam slowly extended his hand. The cat sniffed at him and rolled over to bat at his fingers before rubbing her head into his palm.
“I have tamed the elusive Jaguar. She is now my pet,” Adam said triumphantly.
The toddlers looked at him in amazement. They seemed to communicate telepathically because they both seized the opportunity to climb onto his back while he was in this vulnerable position.
Adam pretended he couldn’t get up on to all fours with the massive weight of the girls on his back.
“Yeehaw!” Maddy exclaimed.
“Pony!” Marley yelled grabbing the collar of Adam’s shirt. “Gid up!”
Adam looked to Sara for help, but she could only laugh at his predicament.
After several pony rides around the princess room and an extensive introduction to their teddy bears, Adam, and the twins were now best friends. The cat even left it’s hiding place to get a better look at them atop a dresser. Adam couldn’t remember the last time he’d played with toddlers. During his years as a vampire, he couldn’t remember being around families with young children at all.
Claiming the Night Page 4
