60) Invitations

NOAH AND AND I sat at the kitchen table the following afternoon with a bunch of construction paper, scissors, and glue, making invitations to his party. His birthday was less than a week away. It was an annual tradition so invites weren't strictly necessary, but he liked making them. I sat at the kitchen table the following afternoon with a bunch of construction paper, scissors, and glue, making invitations to his party. His birthday was less than a week away. It was an annual tradition so invites weren't strictly necessary, but he liked making them.

Not that we were any good at it. Noah cut out pictures from magazines and newspapers and pasted them onto the construction paper. I wrote down the party information with a Sharpie. Noah signed them. The invite for his grandparents wound up with a picture of the new mayor on it, which Noah had chosen for reasons I could not fathom. Mrs. Humphries' invitation had a picture of a horse. Father Ginderbach's had a cutout of Garfield.

"Maybe It Was Memphis" by Pam Tillis drifted through the kitchen courtesy of KUDZU.

The phone rang.

"I'm returning your phone call," Jackson said. "What are y'all doing?"

"I love it when you talk Southern."

"I'm working on it."

"We're getting ready for Noah's birthday party. How do you feel about dressing up as a superhero?"

"Me?"

Noah was busy cutting out a giraffe from the newspaper, not paying attention, so I said, "Someone wrote a letter to Iron Man, wanting to know if they could be friends. Actually, I think he wanted Iron Man to find his mother. If I rented a costume, would you consider wearing it and showing up at the party? If he asks about his mother, you might tell him she went to heaven to talk to Jesus or something like that."

"Under normal circ.u.mstances, no, I would not consider doing something like that. But I'll do it for Noah. And you'll owe me big time."

"I'll be sure to stock up on lube."

"I get off in a little bit," he said, hinting.

"You know where I live."

Who was that? Noah asked, raising his eyebrows after I hung up the phone. Noah asked, raising his eyebrows after I hung up the phone.

J.

Is he coming to my party?

Yes.

He grinned broadly.

Is he going to be my dad too?

Maybe someday.

Do I have to make an invitation for Memaw? he asked. he asked.

No, she's the host of the party. You don't have to invite the host. she's the host of the party. You don't have to invite the host.

What are you going to get me for my birthday?

You'll see.

Daddy!

I'm not telling you.

Please?

You'll have to wait.

Please?

Sorry.

Please?

I'm going to get you a potato.

You are not!

Yes I am. You know we don't have any money.

We never have any money!

If you're good, I'll buy you two potatoes.

You're a potato, he said, sticking his tongue out at me. he said, sticking his tongue out at me.

61) Unfortunate timing

THE PHONE PHONE rang that evening as I made spaghetti and meatb.a.l.l.s while Jackson and Noah played Xbox in the living room. rang that evening as I made spaghetti and meatb.a.l.l.s while Jackson and Noah played Xbox in the living room.

It was Mrs. Warren.

"h.e.l.lo, Wiley," she said. "I wanted to thank you for coming to the funeral and bringing my grandson."

"You don't have to thank me."

"Even so. It was kind of you. And I think we've turned a corner with Mr. Warren. He's been asking me what we should get for Noah's birthday present, so I thought I'd call you and ask."

"Are you coming to the party?"

She hesitated.

"I'm afraid we'd be... well, it might be uncomfortable. I can't imagine we're well-liked in your household."

"Don't be silly," I said. "Please come. That's the only gift he needs. He loved your daughter very much, Mrs. Warren. Don't ask me why. But he did. She's gone now, but he still has a grandmother and a grandfather he's never had a chance to know. He would be so happy if you came."

"Why?" she asked, surprised.

"Because he's a little boy," I said. "They don't really need much of a reason to love you. You're his grandparents. That's all he knows. Please tell me you'll come."

"I'll talk to Mr. Warren," she said, hedging her bets.

"Okay."

"But what should we get him? I want it to be something he would really like, not just some nonsense from Toys R Us."

"He's a big Iron Man fan," I said. "He loves graphic novels too, but we can't afford them. He might like one of those. They have a lot of pictures, not much reading. It's enough for him to follow along."

"He was reading one that day in the library."

"I think he's read all of those a hundred times over."

"Anything else?"

"Just something small is fine, Mrs. Warren. He's really big on the new Superman, now that I think about it. I was looking at some Superman stuff in Walmart the other day. I'm going to get him a Superman costume, I think. You know, the cape and stuff. They had action figures he would like. The movie just came out, so it's not on DVD yet, but Santa will probably pick that up for Christmas."

"Okay."

"So will you come?"

"I'll come," she said. "And I'll try to get Mr. Warren to come too, but don't hold your breath. It takes time with him."

"I understand. It starts at three in the afternoon."

"I'll see you there," she said.

I called Noah and Jackson and we sat down to supper. Things were going well until Juan appeared at the door.

Noah saw the light flashing, went to the door, and opened it wide.

"Oh, h.e.l.l," I exclaimed.

Jackson raised his eyebrows.

I got up, greeted Juan in sign language, and turned to introduce him to Jackson.

This is my friend J-a-c-k, I said to him. I said to him.

To Jackson, I said, "This is Juan."

h.e.l.lo, Jackson signed. Jackson signed.

Juan's lips screwed down in an unhappy frown.

Who is he? he asked me. he asked me.

He's my boyfriend, I said. I said.

He looked hurt.

You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend, he signed angrily. he signed angrily. I thought you had s.e.x with me because you liked me. I thought you had s.e.x with me because you liked me.

I couldn't tell how much of this Jackson understood, but he got the gist of it quickly enough.

Are you hungry? I asked, trying desperately to change the subject. I asked, trying desperately to change the subject.

Go to h.e.l.l, he signed, turning and marching out the door and back into the night. he signed, turning and marching out the door and back into the night.

"That was awkward," I said.

"Did you have s.e.x with this guy?" Jackson asked.

"Once," I admitted.

"When?"

"Oh dear," I said, knowing I was busted.

"Did you use a condom?"

"He said he'd been tested."

"How many other people have you had s.e.x with?"

"He's the only one," I said.

"Are you sure?"

"What is your problem?"

"I don't like being cheated on."

"We weren't dating when it happened. At least not the second time."

"How many times did you do it with him?"

"Twice."