“What is?” I say distractedly, watching Otter try to right himself when Ty appears out of nowhere and tackles him from behind.
“That he’ll never have kids of his own. He’d be a good father.”
Otter picks up Ty and swings him around by his arms, and the Kid screams in happiness, spinning round and round and round.
IT’S five hours later, and I’m realizing why people don’t throw surprise parties with this many people in attendance. Where before the house had been festive and bright, it now looked like a graveyard where parties go to die. I sigh as I open another garbage bag, the sixth in the last half hour. Creed is grumbling as he picks up a discarded shoe that had somehow been left behind. I swear, though, it has nothing to do with the magician. I counted.
I look in through the window into the living room and see Ty asleep on the couch, surrounded by wrapping paper and gift bags. I don’t know how the hell I am going to get all this shit home. I don’t know where we are going to put all of it when I do. I’m already thinking ahead to next year, vowing to have the party at my apartment, where only a few people can come. This is ridiculous.
“Remind me never to do this again,” Creed says, echoing my thoughts. “Where the hell is Anna, and why isn’t she helping?”
I shrug. “Probably cleaning up inside,” I say, grimacing as I pick up a pile of wet something from the ground. I shudder and thrust it into the bag, trying not to think of what it could be.
I walk over to the table and start putting cups in the trash when I hear Creed walk up beside me. “You did a good job, Bear,” he says quietly. “The Kid is going to remember this forever.”
“He better,” I say, sitting down in a chair with a groan.
Creed eyes me. “I mean it, Bear. I’m proud of you.” He shakes his head. “I don’t know if I could be doing what you are if I was in your position.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t think I could either, if it makes you feel any better,” I say wearily.
“I guess. Still….” He trails off.
“Why are you being all touchy-feely?” I ask him suspiciously. “What do you want?”
He jerks his head over his shoulder, and I lean over to look around him and see Otter standing by the jumping castle, tossing more shit into a garbage bag.
“Now?” I whine. “I’m so fucking tired, and there’s so much more shit to do.”
He waves me off. “Screw it. It’ll be here tomorrow, and I doubt you’re going to get Ty to move off that couch until then, so you might as well just stay here tonight. I think I’ll go ask Anna if she wants to start getting drunk with me so I can take advantage of her.” I throw a cup at him as he walks away.
“You owe me,” I call after him, and he flips me off, going inside and shutting the door. I look back over at Otter as he ties off a garbage bag and starts looking around at the ground for another one. There’s a fog rolling in off the ocean, and it’s starting to get cold. I sigh dejectedly and stand up and stretch, feeling like I’m going to war.
“Hi,” I say as I walk over to him.
“Hey, Bear,” he says. “Great party.”
“Thanks. You looked like you were having fun.”
He frowns. “I’ll probably feel it in the morning. Having twenty children dogpile you is a good way start to feel your age.”
I laugh. “I bet. If it makes you feel better, even I felt old today.”
He rolls his eyes. “So much better. Thank you, Bear. I’m what, only eight years older than you?”
“Someone’s got to be the old man around here.”
“Might as well be me, right?”
“Right.”
“So,” he says.
“So,” I say.
“What do Anna and Creed want you to talk to me about?”
I startle at this. “Huh?”