"Pop
Life"
Chapter 98
"Happy birthday dear Adrianaaaaaaaa, happy birthday to you!"
Everyone applauds when they finish singing to me. I don't know why, but this always embarrasses me. There's about fifty people at this party, all of whom I love but to have each of them singing to me makes me blush.
I lean down, hold back my hair and blow the candles out on the cake. I straighten up and hug mama and then daddy.
"Thank you everyone," I say.
Everyone goes back to doing what they were doing before and Anne brings over a knife and serving utensil.
"Happy birthday," Brad says as he wraps me in his arms from behind.
"You've told me that like ten times today, but thanks," I say patting his hand.
"Is that all?" he asks as he sways me back and forth.
Anne starts cutting the cake and sets them on the table for people to take.
"You want a piece of cake?" he asks.
"Yeah, I'll take a small one."
He lets go and I walk over to the couch and sit next to Brianna and Nicholas...who apparently don't even notice me. They're in deep conversation.
"Here you go," Brad says as he hands me a piece of cake.
"Thanks."
He sits down next to me, which makes me nudge Brianna.
Brad looks over my shoulder and laughs. "I wonder if they want cake."
"Uhh, I doubt it," I say taking a bite.
"So, you're New Year's Eve parties are always like this?" he asks, looking around.
"It depends. Sometimes we spend quiet ones together...as a family. I think mama was in the mood to throw a party."
I look over and see Aunt Kristen and mama sitting next to each other, talking.
"JC's wife is due pretty soon, isn't she?" Brad interrupts my thinking.
"Yeah. In the next couple of weeks. I'm surprised she and mama have lasted this long. Oh that's right, mama took a nap today."
"And it's a girl?"
I nod. "Yeah, they haven't told us the name though. Maybe they don't know it yet," I laugh.
"What about your baby brother...any names picked out yet?"
I lean back against his arm and shake my head. "I think they have like five names picked out and once they see the baby they'll decide."
"Oh hi Adriana...Brad," Brianna says, like she just noticed me.
We both laugh. "Hey guys," I say.
"Oh, there's cake?" she asks.
"I'll go get us a piece," Nicholas says. He leans over and kisses her cheek before he gets up and walks over to the table.
"So, is this the infamous necklace I keep hearing about?" she asks, picking up the charm that's dangling from a chain around my neck.
"Yep," I say looking down at it.
"It's so cute. Brad, where did you find this?"
"I found two different charms and asked the jeweler what he could do with them," he shrugs.
The pendant is of a small keyboard and a microphone, symbolizing how we met.
Brianna looks at her watch. "Only an hour away."
The doorbell rings, which grabs my attention. I sit up and Brad rubs my back.
"I thought everyone was here," I say.
Daddy runs up to the door to answer it. Mama stands up and walks over to us.
"You guys having a good time?" she asks.
"Yeah." "Great party." We say at the same time.
"Good," she smiles. "Adriana, there's one more present for you to open." She holds her hand out for me to take.
I give Brad a look and he shrugs, so I stand up and take her hand.
"Come on guys, you can come too," I say.
Mama leads me to the door just as daddy walks back inside.
"Where'd you go?" I ask.
He pulls a long thin box out of his pocket and hands it to me. I let go of mama's hand and take it.
"Happy birthday," he says.
Slowly I open it up and inside there's a car key with a tiny ribbon around it.
My mouth drops open and my face lights up.
"A car?"
Mama and daddy both smile and nod. Daddy opens the door. "Take a look."
I smile at them and I walk towards the opening of the door and see a red Porsche parked right in front of our steps with a big bow on top of it.
"Oh my God...thank you," I say, wrapping my arms around both of them.
They both start to laugh as I then give them hugs and kisses individually. I notice that Brad is behind me, smiling.
"Come on, let's go look at it," I say taking his hand.
We walk out and look around the car. "It's beautiful."
"Well sit in it," mama says. She's got her arms wrapped around her so daddy stands behind her and wraps his arms around her too.
I look up and there's a few more people standing around coming out to see what we're looking at. Once in awhile I'll hear, "Oh it's so beautiful," or "Look at that."
I open the door and sit inside. My car. My very first car. Brad joins me and sits on the passenger's side.
"Look, it's my car," I say.
He laughs. "Yes it is."
Stacy and Darcy and their dates stand next to me on the driver's side.
"Ohhh you're so lucky. This car is hot," Darcy says, looking inside.
"What's going on?" I hear Ashleigh's voice ask outside.
"This is your sister's birthday present," mama tells her.
I climb out of the car and look over at her. She's staring at it and shrugs. "Oh. Okay." Then she and Pete run back inside. I laugh.
"That impressed her," I say.
"I guess we know what not to get her on her seventeenth birthday," daddy kids.
When Ashleigh opens the door to the house we hear music blaring from inside.
"Come on, let's go dance," Stacy says, pulling her boyfriend's hand.
Darcy and her boyfriend follow behind as do a few other people standing around. Brad gets out of the car and stares at me.
"Shall we?" he asks.
"Yep. Let's dance."
I walk around the car. "Should I go park it in the garage?" I ask daddy.
He takes the key from me, leans down and kisses my cheek. "No, I'll take care of it tonight."
"Thanks," I say giving him another hug.
Brad already is helping my mother up the few steps that lead up to the door. I run up to walk beside them.
"So you like?" mama asks.
"I love it. I just wish I was home more to drive it."
"You'll have times when you are," she says, squeezing my arm.
We go inside and Celebration is playing.
"There's a party going on right here...a celebration to last throughout the years," I sing.
Brianna sees me when we walk in and she pulls me into the middle of the room which is now the dance floor.
"So bring your good times, and your laughter too, we're gonna celebrate and party with you," we sing to each other.
Brad makes sure my mom is sitting out of the way, next to Aunt Kristen and Anne again and joins us.
We all laugh, dance and sing.
After a few more fast songs, a slow song starts to play.
I gasp. "It's your song," I say as Brad pulls me into his arms.
He wraps his arms around my waist and holds me close as I wrap my arms around his neck.
"You didn't request this?" he asks.
I shake my head. "I didn't even know we were going to have music. Probably Cody's idea."
I look over and see daddy pulling mama out into the room. She holds out her hands and stands away from him a little bit like she wants him to dance with her that way, but he shakes his head and wraps his arms around her back and then kisses her which makes her run her fingers through his hair and then lace them behind his neck.
I smile...they look so cute. Then I see Uncle JC trying to get Aunt Kristen to dance. She shakes her head but then finally she agrees. She's a lot bigger than mama is right now so he has a harder time wrapping his arms around her, but they manage to make it work.
"I just realized something," Britney says.
"What's that?" Justin asks as he tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"This is the first time that Adriana will be kissing someone else at midnight besides us." Her lower lips forms a pout.
He kisses her quickly because he loves it when she sticks her lip out like that.
"I'm supposed to be the one who's all upset that our baby's growing up," he says.
"I'm not upset - it's just...different," she sighs.
"She'll still come over and kiss us...just after she makes out with Brad," he winks.
Britney laughs.
"Oh look, Uncle George is dancing with my mom. I don't think my aunt likes to dance," Brad laughs.
I smile. "That's nice. She looks like she's having a good time."
He nods. "She is. She was telling me that earlier this evening. She's never been around anything like this."
"Like what?" I ask, cocking my head to the side a little.
"All of this...family and friends. The large party."
"It wasn't too overwhelming for her, was it?"
He shakes his head. "No, I think it's just what she needed."
I nod.
He starts to look around before his eyes land on me again. "There's something I wanted to tell you tonight," he starts.
The way he's looking nervous, I think it's bad news, so I brace myself.
"Um...okay. You know you can tell me anything."
He's going back to his old girlfriend? They're touring over in Europe for six months?
"Ten...nine...eight..." People start chanting.
He rolls his eyes and leans closer to me so I can hear him.
We stare into each other's eyes for what seems like forever.
"Seven...six...five..."
"I've never said this to anyone..."
Tears start to rim my eyes.
"Four...three..."
"I love you."
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!" everyone around us screams but I feel like I'm in my own little world.
"Happy New Year," he says before he takes my face in his hands and kisses me.
I can't stop the tears from flowing now. The man I love just told me he loved me and is kissing me at midnight on New Year's Eve.
When he pulls back, he starts to wipe my tears away with his thumbs.
"No fair," I say through my sniffling.
"What?" he asks, in a gentle voice.
"I didn't get to tell you that I love you too last year. Happy New Year."
He smiles and we kiss again.
I feel a tug on my skirt and I look down to see Ashleigh standing there with her lips puckered.
Brad and I laugh as he reaches down and picks her up so she's eye level with us. I wipe my tears away as he gives her a quick kiss on the lips and then she leans down and gives me a kiss.
"Happy New Year baby," I say.
"Happy New Year sissy."
Brad sets her down and I walk over to my parents who are giving Cody a hug. Mama sees me first and gets a concerned look on her face.
"What's wrong?" she asks, stroking my cheek.
I smile. "Nothing...I'll tell you later," I whisper to her as I wrap my arms around her for a hug. "Happy New Year mama."
"Happy New Year baby."
I pull back, lean down and rub her belly. "Happy New Year baby brother," I say. Then I stand up and hug daddy and then Cody.
Brad joins me again after wishing his family a Happy New Year and we all start to sing Auld Lang Syne.
Welcome two-thousand and twenty-two.