Chapter 39: New Year’s Eve

December 31, 1980

We spent the next week doing a whole lot of not much. As a family, we went to go see ‘Nine To Five’, which was as hilarious this time as the first time I’d seen it ... forty-one years ago or so, though the date on the calendar would have been just a week or two from today’s date. Angie and I went with Mike and Sarah to see ‘Flash Gordon’ earlier in the week. It wasn’t Angie’s planned double date, but things had moved that way faster than expected. Especially because, except for the lack of making out, Angie and I acted like we were on a date. Holding hands, sharing a soda, snuggling. It’s not like Mike and Sarah hadn’t seen us that way before, after all.

Unexpectedly, Angie loved ‘Flash Gordon’ as much as I did. She was a sucker for the Queen songs, thought Sam Jones was cute, adored Timothy Dalton, and just got into the whole thing.

I had first seen ‘Flash Gordon’ in the company of the group of friends I’d dropped, this go-round, months ago. Now I was with Angie, Mike and Sarah. I wouldn’t trade their company for a million dollars.

Yes, literally.

Tonight was Mike’s New Year’s party. It wasn’t officially a study group event. Rita and Anderson were going to be out, again. With Rita’s comments last time we no longer worried about mixed messages getting to parents. Mom and Dad had reluctantly approved our being out until 1am — very much a new record for something we would just bike home from — because it was New Year’s and how could you not stay up until midnight? Of course, they wouldn’t. Not even close. Except that they might, or might not, wake back up, since we were out.

Angie and I biked over together with our Walkmen playing. In the interest of safety, I wore mine with one ear uncovered. When she saw me do that, Angie asked why, then followed my example. She also agreed with me that we should keep the volume down, both to save our ears and so we could hear traffic and other sounds. Neither of us were used to playing music loudly, anyway; Mom and Dad would never have gone for the radio blasting out of our rooms.

She went with a nice dress and her new shoes (not for biking; being smart, she switched to dress shoes after arriving); I went with my burgundy button-down and black jeans. We parked our bikes and headed in; by now, we just walked into Mike’s house without a knock.

Rita greeted us with hugs. “Well, don’t you two look all spiffy! Happy New Year!” We both got kisses on the cheek. She dropped her voice a bit. “I can’t tell you how happy I am that Mike has such good friends. And I don’t mean ‘nice friends’ in that ‘mom’ way, either. Y’all are good people. He had a bunch of ‘nice friends’ before but was a lonely guy, and he resented me because, well, I’m here, his mom isn’t. Now we’re getting to be good friends and he’s happy and has a great girlfriend and the house is full of warmth instead of just a bunch of loud guys. No offense to you, Steve, you were always one of the more interesting loud guys.” She grinned. “But without girls to run things, life is boring. Right?”

I grinned. “You are right, Rita. We’re always grateful to you for sharing your house with us. And to Mike, for proposing the idea. Please know we appreciate it and we love your hospitality!”

She looked at Angie. “Well, he’s a silver-tongued devil, isn’t he?”

Angie giggled, winked, and nodded. “That he is. But he’s my brother, so I’m happy with that.”

Rita gave Angie a soft smile. “Mike told me a bit of your story. I’m so sorry, honey.”

Angie shook her head. “Don’t be. I mean, you can be sorry for Daddy Frank all you want. I am. But don’t feel sorry for me. I’m where I belong, with the people I belong with.”

Rita nodded. “See, that’s what Mike didn’t get. I think he gets it now. I was just ... you know, Anderson’s young little trophy wife. And, hell, I’m like a year older than his daughter, and younger than Brian. Like I’m really going to be their mom?” She grinned, winked. “But the thing is, I didn’t push Karen out. Karen pushed Karen out, to be blunt. Anderson adored her and would’ve kept on adoring her. And I’m not here because I’m young and hot. That’s a bonus! Nah, I’m here because Anderson and I fell for each other. Hard. And it was after Karen had said she was out. Not before.”

I looked at Rita. That explained so much. “Mike understands that now?”

She grinned and nodded. “He wasn’t ready. If I’d just blabbed the whole thing, why, he’d have figured I was just schemin’ to replace Karen. Can’t. Don’t want to. She’s always his mom. You get that, you know, by ... well ... you know how.” She winked. “‘Least, you’d better, otherwise there’ll be some extra young ones around here too soon.” Angie turned a bit red. I’m pretty sure I did, too. “But, I want to be part of his life as a friend, and for him to not be all pissed at Anderson for having some love in his life.”

I smiled. “Rita, we’re all lucky to have you in our lives. And Mike’s lucky to have you for a step-mother.”

She beamed. “Silver-tongue devil! I do like you, Mister Steve Marshall.”

I looked at Rita. “You’re wrong about one thing, though.”

Rita blinked. “What’s that, sugar?”

“You don’t get to be a mom because of ... you know.” I winked. “That makes you a mother, maybe. But a mom? That’s a whole different thing. I’m not slighting Karen, Karen was a mom. Is a mom. But not everyone gets a mom that way. Sometimes, a mom is something you don’t get until much later, if you’re lucky.”

Angie had shoved herself into me and was blinking back a few years. Rita looked at us both. “Damn. That was smart, and true. Both of you?” I smiled. “Different mothers, different stories. Same Mom.”

“Well, I’m happy for you both. Mike didn’t mention that little part of the story, Angie. I’m sorry if I hit a nerve.”

Angie shook her head. “I knew what you meant. It’s just...” She gulped, bit her lip. “Steve’s right. I’ve had just one Mom, and she’s the one I have now.”

“Same for me, Rita. Same for me.”

“Life’s funny that way. Sometimes it gives you what you needed in a way you’d never expect, maybe a weird way. Even when you don’t see it coming. Anderson’s what I needed, and whoever would’ve thought that?”

“I’m happy for the both of you.” “Me, too!”

“You kids go on downstairs and have a Happy New Year!”

I took Angie’s hand and got an “awwww” out of Rita. We strolled downstairs.

Angie spoke softly. “She’s not even a little who I thought she was.”

I shook my head. “Me, neither. She may not have gone to college, but she’s sharp. And funny. I think ... she’ll be a friend. Already is a friend, in fact — just one we need to get to know better.”

“Yeah. Me, too.”

We got downstairs. Most of the gang was back. Mike and Sarah, of course. Alas, no Candice. The Wonder Twins were back and glued to Emily. Dan was gone, though, leaving Angie as stag as I was. Debbie and Marcus were both there. So was Nancy. Connie and Jimmy had elected to spend New Year’s with Connie’s parents. They had — grudgingly at first — decided they approved of this American kid who loved their daughter. At least somewhat approved. At least for now. I hoped they were finding their new neighbors more hospitable than the old ones.

There were a few people I didn’t recognize. Two I could put together from context plus old memories. The somewhat older guy must be Brian, Mike’s brother. And the older girl must be Susan, Mike’s big sister. Brian had a young woman with him; girlfriend? I doubted he was married. Susan had a young woman with her, too. Girlfriend? I hadn’t been expecting that, but I read their body language that way.

I’d expected Mike to invite a few of the old gang. Nope. Just his relatives and our group.

I walked over to Mike, shook hands. “Hey! Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!”

“Same to you!”

Angie gave him a hug. “Merry Christmas, Mike, and Happy New Year! You, too, Sarah!” She got a hug, then a hug from me.

Sarah grinned, pointing to a necklace with a heart. “Look what I got!”

“Great minds think alike,” Angie winked, lifting her ankle a little, showing off the chain. “From big bro.”

It occurred to me that Angie hadn’t gotten a thing from Dan that I was aware of. Even if it’d been ‘inappropriate’, I think she’d have shown me. That did not bode well.

I stepped a step over and spoke softly to Mike. Loudly enough that Sarah and Angie could’ve have heard, though. “Talked to Rita on the way in.”

Mike shook his head and blushed. “I blew it, dude. I pegged her wrong. She’s, well, to quote her, ‘a peach’. I’ve decided I’m still calling her Rita. I mean, she wouldn’t want to be Mom. But I’m proud she’s my step-mom.”

“She’s a peach, Mike. I’m happy for you.”

He looked at me. “I think study group fixed that, Steve. She saw more of me and I started seeing all the little things she was doing for me. And for dad. I just ... I didn’t let myself see them before.”

“Hey, I’m going with our new tradition this year.”

“Huh?”

“She’s your best Christmas present this year. And Anderson’s.”

“Hey! Damn! I like that! ‘Cept, she’s my second-best.” He laughed. “Sarah’s the best.”

Angie leaned in. “You can pick more than one. Steve’s my best, but Mom and Dad are my second best, Even then it’s a tie since I couldn’t have one without the others.”

Sarah made a face, giggled, and then hugged us. “If you weren’t both so sincere, I’d have gagged. That is ridiculously sweet! And, thanks. You brought us together.” She laid quite the kiss on Mike.

I looked at her. “Hey, I thought you brought Sarah, Mike?”

Mike shook his head. “Angie had some, um ... introduction in there. Plus, just ... if it’d hadn’t been ... um ... what it was. I’d have been ... um...”

Sarah saved him. “He’d have been too shy to put a move on me, and I’d have been too much the ‘Nice Jewish Girl’ stereotype to corrupt him like I wanted to.” Mike went an interesting shade of red.

We grinned and went to mingle. We played billiards, darts, watched the New York celebration on TV when it got to their midnight, drank punch, ate snacks, and hung out with our friends, catching up on their holidays. Around eleven-thirty Angie and I had gone to the table for snacks when Nancy came over and grabbed Angie’s attention. I turned back to the table and jumped when the taller, more female version of Mike we’d seen around bumped into me. Literally.

I went for it. “Hi! You must be Susan. Mike’s told me a bunch about you. Vanderbilt, right?”