Broken Down on Memory Lane Alone, Together Alone

“Liam and John-o and I became close pretty quickly,” I said as I took the cake out of the oven, “we were the best of friends. When I wasn’t in school, I was usually with them. It didn’t matter what they were doing, they would drag me along with them.”

“They sound like they were pretty cool,” Mara chuckled.

I rolled my eyes and set the cake on a cooling rack, “they certainly thought they were.”

“So… what did any of that have to do with you meeting Grammpy?”

I laughed, “well, I met him through Liam and John-o.”

“Oh, okay,” she nodded thoughtfully, “so can you finish telling me how you actually met him?”

“Sure thing,” I had to think for a minute, “just give me a sec to remember.”

“Hay mum! Mara,” the door opened revealing Ani holding a pizza box, and Sonny right behind him, “we thought it’d be nice if you didn’t have to cook supper on your birthday.”

“Thank you boys,” I grinned, and looked over at Mara, “I guess we’ll have to wait to finish that story, wanna help me set the table?”

She gave me a disappointed look, “okay, I guess.”

I got four plates down from the cupboard and handed them to Mara, I then grabbed four cups and brought them to the kitchen table. Ani set the pizza box in the middle of the table where everyone could reach it. I took drink orders before I joined everyone at the table.

Ani told us about how work was going, and Mara told us about school. Sonny told them about a new band he discovered, he was really proud of them. They were his new project. The man was determined to make them the next big thing, even if it was the last thing he did. I just ate my pizza and happily listened.

I finished eating before everyone else, so I took the time to ice my cake. By the time that I finished, everyone had finished eating their pizza.

“Perfect timing,” Sonny grinned, then winked suggestively, “like always.”

“Ew… just, ew,” Ani shook his head.

The joke seemed to have gone over Maras head, which was probably for the best. I just laughed and cut everyone a piece of cake. We all continued to talk as we ate. It was always nice to have dinners like this. I really missed having Ani here. But I supposed that was part of being a parent, having to let your kids go. It was hard, and time hadn’t healed anything.

“Well,” Ani said as he glanced at his watch, “it’s time we started to head home.”

Mara groaned like a five-year-old, “Do we have to leave so soon?”

“Yes, your mother wants us home before eight.”

“She’s not my mother,” Mara replied coolly, “and I don’t see why we have to be home before eight, there’s nothing going on.”

“Mara,” Anakin said sternly.

“You’re welcome to come back anytime, hun,” I cut in; I didn’t want them to argue over something so silly.

“Really?” she asked, looking very excited. I was a little surprised. I never wanted to hang out with my grandparents when I was sixteen. Sure visiting them once in a while was fine, but spending more time with them then that was just too much.

“Of course,” Sonny smiled, “we love seeing you.”

“Could she come back next Saturday?” Ani asked as he got up from his seat, grabbing everyone’s plates.

“Sure,” I shrugged and looked over at her, “I doubt you’ll want to come back by then though.”

She grinned, and gave me a hug, “don’t count on it.”

“If you say so,” I smiled and released her, only to pull Ani into a bone crushing hug, “and you need to visit more often!”

“Alright mum,” he chuckled, “I’ll try.”

He released me and gave Sonny a good-bye hug. And with that Anakin and Mara left. Sonny helped me clean up, and volunteered to do the dishes seeing as it was my birthday.

“You think she’ll actually want to visit again next Saturday?” Sonny asked as he hugged me from behind.

I shrugged as I continued to look out the windows at the children who’d started trick or treating already, “I hope so.”