The Birthday Girls

by Pauline Lawless

  Brenda was travelling first class as she was using the return portion of the ticket that Marvin had sent her back in May. The twins were booked into economy but the check-in girl, seeing that she was their mother, gave them an upgrade and bumped them up to first class. They were very impressed and loved every moment of the flight. Brenda laughed at their obvious enjoyment of the special treatment they received. Jean met them at Dublin airport, agog for all the news. The twins threw their eyes to heaven as the two sisters nattered on.

  “How do you like your mum’s new beau?” she asked the boys.

  “Troy? He’s cool,” Ryan informed her.

  “He’s a really terrific guy, I like him a lot,” Dylan added.

  “That’s good. Listen to you two! You sound American after only four months there.”

  They told her how much they loved Florida and that they intended going back next year.

  “Well, I hope to be finding out for myself, now that your mum has decided to stay there.”

  “Isn’t it great? We’re delighted,” Ryan said. Dylan agreed with him.

  * * *

  The weather was wet and grey and going through a cold spell and Brenda thought longingly of the blue skies and sunshine of Florida as she put on layer after layer to keep herself warm.

  Carly arrived home two days later and Brenda was kept busy getting all three kids ready to return to college the following Sunday.

  Brenda met with her solicitor two days after she got home who told her that Bob had offered to take out a mortgage and buy out her share of the house. This seemed like a good idea as selling the house in the current market would have been a disaster. It also meant that the kids would have a base in Dublin to come to at weekends. She guessed it was the best solution although she would feel strange not having a base for herself in Dublin. However, she couldn’t have it all and Florida was where she wanted to be.

  When she told the kids this they all stated that they would never live with their father again. Even Dylan had washed his hands of Bob when he heard what had occurred. This put Brenda in a quandary. The kids needed a home base. With the money she got for her share of the house, the only thing she could possibly afford to buy would be a one-bed apartment, out in the sticks.

  When she spoke to Troy that evening she told him of her problem.

  “We’ll work something out,” he said.

  She missed him terribly and it seemed like he missed her just as much as he urged her to hurry back when they spoke on the phone every day. He was pleased to hear that Bob had agreed to her seeking a divorce in Florida. She couldn’t wait to get back to start her new life with him.

  It was agreed that she would leave all her stuff in the house until such time as Bob paid her the money for her share of it. That would probably take two to three months to finalise. She decided she would have to stay on in Ireland until then as it would cost too much to have to fly out and back then but when she told this to Troy he insisted on booking her flight back immediately. She was secretly pleased. He said she could travel over again to Ireland when the time came.

  So ten days after arriving in Ireland, Brenda left again for Florida, first class naturally. She smiled to herself thinking what a globetrotter she’d become. She, who had never been further than England before, was now crossing the Atlantic in style, every few weeks. The cabin steward, who recognised her, made her feel like a treasured client.

  * * *

  She had forgotten just how handsome Troy was as he rushed to take her in his arms at Tampa airport.

  “I’ve been counting the minutes,” he said emotionally, as he held her tight.

  She kissed him and knew with certainty that she’d made the right decision. They went to bed the moment they got in the door and their lovemaking had an urgency about it that heightened the pleasure. They stayed in bed all evening although Brenda took time out to call the girls. She told them she’d see them the next day as she was feeling tired after the flight. She didn’t think they believed her.

  Troy had given much thought to Brenda’s problem with the house in Ireland and had come up with a solution.

  “I’ve decided to buy a house or apartment in Dublin,” he told her.

  “I can’t possibly let you do that.”

  “Why not? Your kids need a base there. You said they won’t live with their father.”

  “Yes, but –”

  “No ‘buts’ about it. It’s perfect. I feel guilty for taking you away from them and besides you and I will want a place to stay when we go to visit. I’ve already been in touch with an estate agent and we’ll look at places over Christmas. That is, if you’ll take me to Ireland with you for Christmas.”

  “Of course I will,” she cried, throwing her arms around his neck. “I really love you, you know that?”

  “I know that,” he grinned. “Now come on top of me and show me how much!”

  * * *

  Brenda could see that Lexi’s condition had deteriorated. Angel and Mel said they hadn’t noticed it but then they were with her every day. Brenda, having been away, could see the change in her. Lexi assured her she felt fine.

  Mel started back at work the following Monday. It was heart-wrenching leaving Jacky but it had to be done. She felt secure knowing that it was Brenda taking care of him. Brenda had spent the past few days with her getting to know Jacky’s routine. In fact he was so placid and undemanding, and Brenda so assured, that Mel was happy and content knowing that he was in good hands. Jacky smiled non-stop and she feared he would not miss her nearly as much as she’d miss him. However, she now had his future to think of, so back to work she had to go.

  Brenda delighted in the little fellow who was so good. Troy often came to lunch and she smiled as he played gently with Jacky who chuckled and laughed at Troy’s antics. As she watched them, Brenda reflected that Troy would have made a wonderful father. She wondered if he wanted a child. It was something they hadn’t discussed. Brenda felt that she was too old for a baby, yet Mel hadn’t felt that and they were the same age. Being with Jacky had made her a little broody. She guessed it was that damn biological clock. Didn’t they say that most women hitting forty felt it?

  Later that week as they were lying in bed having made love, she brought up the subject.

  “I never wanted children until I met you,” Troy confessed, honestly. “But now I don’t know. I guess it wouldn’t bother me if I never have children but I think I would be deliriously happy if it did happen. How about you?”

  “Well, I thought five was enough but I wouldn’t be averse to having another one, if it happened.”

  “Great! That means we can start trying right now,” he said as he started caressing her nipples. He knew this was a sure-fire way to arouse her. And it worked.

  * * *

  Life was settling into a routine for all of them but they still got together regularly for girlie nights and met up, without fail, every Saturday for lunch. Lexi did not seem to be improving and they were all very concerned about her. They were closer than ever now and circumstances seemed to have mellowed them over the past year.

  They spent Thanksgiving together at Mel’s and of course their fortieth birthday was coming up.

  Kenny had laughed when Angel told him how she had refused to become forty. “I realise now that I was an idiot back then,” she said ruefully, but then she laughed along with him at her silliness. “Gosh, I’ve really changed, haven’t I?”

  “You certainly have. And have you changed your mind about celebrating turning forty?”

  “Of course. What’s another year?”

  “Well, then, why don’t we throw a great party for the girls to make up for it? We could have it on the yacht.”

  “Oh, Kenny, that would be wonderful!” she hugged him.

  So, on Angel’s birthday the four girls celebrated their fortieth birthday in style, on a glamorous yacht in the Gulf of Mexico.

  “Who would have believed this time last year that we’d all be here again thi
s year?” asked Lexi.

  “Celebrating our fortieth,” Mel remarked, “in spite of Angel!”

  “I know, I was a fool back then. I’m sorry, but I have changed.”

  “Thank God for that!” Mel exclaimed, but she was laughing as Angel swatted her playfully.

  “So much has happened to us all this past year,” Brenda said.

  “Yes, it’s certainly been a life-changing one,” Lexi agreed.

  They were silent for a moment as each of them thought of the momentous year they’d each had.

  “And now we’re forty!”

  “Aaaaagh!” Angel cried but she was joking and they all laughed.

  “Forty is the new thirty, didn’t you all know that?” Brenda commented.

  “I hated turning thirty too!” Angel replied, making a face.

  “Well, here’s to our fiftieth!” Mel said.

  “To our fiftieth!” they all chorused.

  * * *

  Lexi knew she wouldn’t be around for their fiftieth. In fact she hadn’t even thought she’d make their fortieth, but she had. The cancer had spread rapidly but she had hidden it from them all, even Marvin. The doctor had told her when she went for tests in October that she hadn’t much time left but she’d hung on for Thanksgiving and their birthday party. She’d wanted her last weeks to be as happy as possible for everyone. The last thing she needed was sad faces and tears, so she’d put on a brave face and struggled through the pain.

  The nurse who came to visit every day made sure she got all the painkillers she needed but she couldn’t stop the disease. The end when it came was swift. Two days after the party Lexi collapsed and was rushed into the hospital. She lapsed into a coma that night and they were all with her two nights later when she finally slipped away. She was smiling and looked peaceful. She was with Gianni and Alessandro at last.

  They were all shocked when they heard that she’d known all along that she had so little time left but had hoped to live long enough to celebrate their fortieth birthday with them. Marvin was inconsolable and the girls tried to be brave for his sake. It was what Lexi would have wanted.

  They had a small private funeral for her and after her cremation they boarded Troy’s yacht and sailed out into the bay. There they scattered her ashes in the Gulf of Mexico as she’d requested. Her three childhood friends threw roses on the water as they shed tears for the woman they’d loved so much, for so long.

  Chapter 41

  One Year Later

  It was a very quiet and sombre forty-first birthday for Mel, Angel and Brenda.

  Somehow birthdays would never be the same again without Lexi. The three of them went for a quiet dinner on Lexi’s birthday and reminisced about her and the good times they’d spent together. It would be a year on Sunday since she passed away. They all missed her terribly, each in their own way but they’d had to go on. Things had gone so well for all three of them in the past year that they were convinced Lexi was up there pulling strings. Her spirit was with them always, in everything they did.

  ANGEL:

  Angel had been sober for one year, seven months, three weeks and two days. She still marked the days off on a calendar and still took it one day at a time. She and Kenny also continued to attend AA meetings regularly. She looked more beautiful than ever and Kenny still worshipped her and was extremely proud of her sobriety. He felt she was now strong enough to move on with her life but it would be important to find the right vehicle for her. He thought about it long and hard and came up with just the thing.

  “How would you like to host a chat show on my TV station?” he asked her one day as they were walking along the beach.

  “A chat show? Do you think I’d be able for that?” She sounded dubious.

  “Of course you would. You’d be brilliant at it.”

  “You really think so?” she asked excitedly.

  “Honey, with your personality and looks, you’d be a shoo-in. Besides, you’re funny and entertaining. Everyone would love you.”

  The more she thought about it, the more the idea excited her. She did miss acting and was getting a little bored with just her voluntary work. So it was agreed. They’d give it a go. Kenny would be the executive producer. And so Angel was plunged back into a whirlwind of meetings and discussions and she loved every moment of it. She felt truly alive again. The show would air in September for the first time.

  The media were very interested in her ‘comeback’, as they called it, and she was interviewed constantly in the weeks leading up to the big day. She was considered something of a celebrity in Tampa circles and as a result of all this media attention she was invited to dozens of functions. She attended very few.

  Finally, the big day itself arrived and Mel, Brenda, Marvin and Troy gathered at the studios in Tampa to cheer her on. They wished Lexi could have been there to see it. She’d have been so proud of Angel.

  The girls had never seen her so nervous or fearful and were afraid for her. Live television was different to making movies where one could do retake after retake. She was terrified she would mess up and was literally shaking as they wished her good luck and took their seats in the front row. Angel looked simply stunning, glamorous as ever but in a muted way, not over the top and not too much skin showing. She would leave that to her celebrity guests.

  She felt her mouth go dry as she waited in the wings while her introduction music played. Kenny blew her a kiss from the control booth and gave her the thumbs-up as she walked out on stage. She waved to the audience and saw her friends, all cheering loudly in the front row. They buoyed her up and once the camera panned in on her, she smiled, relaxed, and went into orbit. She was simply wonderful and they all let out a huge sigh of relief.

  She had decided to be upfront about her alcoholism from the start, knowing that if she wasn’t, the media would surely find out anyway. Amazingly, people responded to her honesty and the lines were jammed with people saying how inspiring her story was. The show was a hit and earned rave reviews and garnered over a million viewers. Angel was a star once more.

  In the green room after the show, she was exultant. Kenny toasted her with their non-alcoholic champagne as the rest of the guests drank the real thing.

  “Well done, Ange. You were brilliant,” Brenda said, hugging her tightly.

  “We’re so proud of you,” Mel whispered as she hugged her too.

  “Thanks girls, seeing you there in the front row gave me confidence. I only wish Lexi were here.” She had tears in her eyes.

  “She is, Angel. I feel it,” Brenda assured her.

  The party carried on in a local restaurant where Kenny had organised a sumptuous buffet lunch for everyone. The show was deemed a hit and Angel was once again in demand on all the national chat shows that she’d been on years before.

  That night Angel made love to Kenny for the first time and was amazed at his virility and stamina. So much for thinking he was too old for me, she giggled to herself after they’d made love for the third time. She could barely keep up with him. They had become really good friends and along the way a deeper relationship had developed between them but Angel had never expected it to amount to this. She felt happy and secure as she lay in his arms. At last she had a real man, one who knew all her weaknesses and failings yet still loved her for herself. What more could a girl want?

  She moved in with him shortly after that and so began the happiest time of her life. Once a week he asked her to marry him but she was in no hurry for that. She’d messed up three times before. This time she wanted to be absolutely sure.

  BRENDA:

  Brenda probably missed Lexi the most as they’d always had a special bond. Her children were also very upset to hear of Lexi’s death, Alex in particular. She was happy, however, that she’d got to spend those precious two weeks with her godmother in July.

  Brenda could not have got through that first Christmas after Lexi died if it weren’t for Troy. He took her to Ireland as he’d promised and Marvin went with them. Her sisters
and brothers loved Troy instantly and welcomed him with open arms, happy that Brenda had at last found someone who deserved her. She spent a quiet Christmas and New Year, still grieving for Lexi. The twins and Carly lightened her spirits as young people often do but there was never an hour went by that she didn’t think of her old friend. She had taken to talking to Lexi as if she were there and somehow it helped. She felt that Lexi was with her in spirit which was a comfort.

  Troy had found a beautiful penthouse apartment overlooking the canal, just off Leeson Street. It was the show apartment so it was fully furnished and Brenda loved it from the moment she saw it. They brought the kids to view it before making the final decision and were happy to be given the thumbs-up. By New Year, the deal was done and dusted.

  Back in Florida Brenda’s divorce went through quickly and once she was free, she and Troy were married in a quiet ceremony on the beach, much like Lexi’s wedding. She was three months pregnant. Their baby son was born in September and Troy was instantly the proudest father on the planet. He flew Alex in from Sudan and Megan from Australia for the christening of their new baby brother. Ryan, Dylan and Carly had been living with Brenda for the summer and were thrilled with the little fellow. They named him Alessandro, but soon everyone was calling him Sandy.

  With Marvin’s blessing, Lexi had left her house to Brenda and she and Troy had moved in there the previous May. The house held too many memories for Marvin and so he bought Troy’s marina apartment. He also bought himself a boat. He kept busy organising Lexi’s retrospective exhibition of her Guatemalan paintings. It was a huge success and they all travelled up to New York for the opening.

  Troy and Brenda planned on taking Sandy to spend his first Christmas in Ireland with her family. Brenda had never been happier and every day she talked to Lexi, feeling her presence all around her.

  MEL:

  Mel was also planning to travel to Ireland for Christmas and had booked on the same flight as Brenda and Troy. She had taken Jacky there the previous Christmas to meet his grandparents and it had been the best Christmas she’d ever had. Her relationship with her parents had improved greatly, thanks to Jacky, whom they adored.