Determination by S.E. Rose

Author:S.E. Rose [Rose, S.E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-11-06T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Jesse’s Playlist: “Amsterdam” by Imagine Dragons

The party is perfect. My sister rented a room at the local yacht club. The room overlooks the Bay and the sailboats that are lined up in the water. It’s picturesque and couldn’t be more “Maryland” if she had tried. I smile a bit as I look around. No matter how long I’m gone from here, this is home. Memories of learning to sail with Dad come flooding back to me as I gaze out at the water. I feel Vanessa come up behind me and her small hand slowly comes to rest on my arm.

“You alright?” she asks, peering up at me through her long lashes that seem even longer this evening.

“Yeah, just memories is all,” I say vaguely on purpose. I don’t want to get into them now. I put my arm around her, and we stand looking out at the sailboats that go by as we wait for the others to arrive.

The party is actually a great distraction. Cousins, aunts, uncles, and family friends all arrive and my mother is beside herself with joy. I watch her, remembering when my dad died, wondering how she’s managed to cope for all these years. She’s such a strong person, stronger than I am. I keep my distance, enjoying being a voyeur to the entire spectacle. I introduce Vanessa to everyone as they mill around the room. Eventually, we are all seated at large circular tables for dinner, Maryland crab cakes of course or chicken for those who don’t do crab. Vanessa requests the crab cakes and I raise an eyebrow.

“You’re not going to get ‘crabbed’ out by tomorrow, are you?” I ask her.

She giggles and slaps me on the wrist. “No, when in Rome…,” she adds as she sips her wine.

My sister gets up and addresses the room first.

“I’d like to thank everyone for coming. We are so pleased to see each and every one of you and I know Mom is especially tickled that you all could be here with us to celebrate her seventieth birthday.”

“Twenty-nine!” Lily and Nick call out in unison, and there is a chuckle from everyone.

“Oh sorry, twenty-nine and forty-one years,” Laura adds before continuing. She smiles. “Mom, what can we say? You are an inspiration to us all. You finished raising us on your own. You put up with Jesse.” The room erupts in laughter once again. “You even put up with all of our crazy shenanigans as adults. You are a wonderful mother, wife, sibling, grandmother, and now great-grandmother, and we are so very glad to be here with you today.”

Laura raises her champagne glass, and everyone follows suit. “To Eleanor.” Everyone says cheers and clinks glasses with those sitting by them.

I stand up and look around and the room gets quiet once more. “I can’t top the woman who writes bestselling novels, but I do want to wish you the happiest of birthdays, Mom. You have been a rock for us throughout our lives. You

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