Chapter 26: A Special Event

† Thursday, December 28, 2023.

Pam and Nate were on Julie’s front walk. There were a few inches of snow on the ground, so they were bundled up. Tilda’s face was almost completely hidden by her blankets while riding in her stroller. It was her 8 month birthday, and Julie asked them to come over for a party and spend the night.

They hadn’t noticed the changes on her mailbox.

Cosette opened the front door and greeted them with a huge smile.

“WOW!”

She was decked out in her new satin dress.

“Goodness, you look spectacular!”

“We’re celebrating, are we not?”

Carefully, Cosette crouched down in the long dress and addressed the baby.

“How are you, sweet girl?”

Tilda seemed to recognize her but offered no answer.

Theo, wearing a suit, approached them.

“Hey, welcome, let me take your coats. We brought out the crib for your daughter.”

Julie said, “Thanks for coming. What can I get you to drink?”

“Coffee for me. Tilda’s still nursing but I also brought some little jars. Nate?”

“Since we’re staying over and not driving, I brought some new whiskey I’ve been wanting to try. Theo, want to join me?”

“Bourbon?”

“Yep. Here’s the bottle.”

“Looks good. I’ve been told dinner is imminent, so you guys can wash up and we’ll sit down.”

After Dinner

“Mm, this is good stuff. I should get my own bottle. How much was it?”

“It was $55, but it tastes like $100, I think. Alright, you guys have deflected long enough. What is going on?”

“There’s a couple of things, I guess. Julie, you want to tell them?”

“OK. Well, first—like Pam—I’ve become a new mother. It’s a girl!”

Beaming, she waited them out. Nobody noticed that Sette had the same wide smile on her face.

Pam exploded.

“Wait! Girl? What?”

“Would you like to meet her?”

“Goddammit, Julie—”

“Hello, everybody, I’m Cosette Garnier, Julie Kaiser’s daughter. Also, Sylvie and Theo’s daughter.”

“But, Sette, that can’t be legal. Can it?”

“Pam, you’re correct. Not legal. But I don’t give a shit.”

“Fuck, yeah!” added Julie.

“Sylvie?”

“Fuck, yeah!”

Disbelieving her ears, Pam turned to her husband.

“Nate?”

“You’re asking me? What I think? I think, fuck, yeah! I’ve never seen Julie so sad as when the doctors told her motherhood was medically impossible. But she was brave. She pulled herself together and look who she is now. That’s why we all love her.”

“Fuck, yeah!” added Theo.

“And, Pam, you KNOW what kind of girl she is. You rave about her, and rightly so.”

“Nate, you’re completely right. Sette, will you forgive me? Because, fuck, yeah!”

Cosette did not give a shit, truly, about the legalities. But still, she wept as she went from adult to adult for congratulations, with hugs and kisses.

Julie was able to once again get everyone’s attention.

“We have another reason to celebrate. It’s also not legal, although I have heard other opinions.”

“Break the stupid law. I don’t give a shit,” muttered Cosette.

“In literature, Cosette is the bastard daughter of unknown parents. Now, this is important. We need our Cosette to have married parents.”

“Oh, no,” murmured Pam, getting a clue what was coming.

“Sette’s parents need to be married. All of them. So, Theo proposed, and Sylvie proposed, and I said, yes, and yes.”

“Fuck, yeah!” added Sette.

“Holy shit! You are all crazy people. But I love you all. I call maid, uh, matron of honor. But, wait. Where’s the ring?”

Julie looked down at her bare left hand and started sniffling.

Nobody was looking at Theo as he reached inside his suit pocket.

“You mean, this ring?”

Julie looked like she’d been poleaxed while the room erupted around her.

“DADDY!”

“THEO!”

Matilda started crying, disturbed by the commotion.

Passing by Nate on her way to soothe her baby, Pam whispered, “He’s going to get fucked within an inch of his life tonight.”