Game Playing

I had thought about what I would say since the moment I climbed into my car and pulled out of Chad’s driveway with the kids in the back seat. I wanted to surprise him, I knew that but I didn’t think that it would be as big of a surprise as it was, it was a huge blessing that Tim happened to be talking to Josh and Jesse when I walked in. Everyone else in the room disappeared; all that I could see was the back of Jesse’s head, which was tilted upwards so he could see his uncle while he spoke. When I knelt down, I sensed more than saw Josh turn in my direction; I could feel his eyes on me as I said ‘Happy Birthday Sweetie’ to Jess.

The room was so quiet, everyone must have been waiting and watching to see what would happen, they all knew that it would be big. A tiny gasp escaped Jesse’s throat as he slowly turned around to face me. “Ama?” He didn’t seem to believe that I was there.

“Hey Sweetie,” I reach out to brush the hair off his forehead. When my fingers brushed against his skin, he froze for a brief second.

“AMA!” Jesse dropped Mister Bear to the floor and just stood there staring at me with a smile on his face.

And then he started to cry, huge tears rolled down his cheeks. “Ama!” He threw himself at me, wrapping his tiny arms around my neck holding so tight that I was afraid he might cut off my air supply.

I held him tight to me, whispering softly to him. I’m not sure what I told him as he cried against my neck, all I know is it felt so good to hold him again. So good that I was crying too. Jesse said something in my ear but I couldn’t pick it out, so he said it again. “I no sad Ama.”

“I’m not sad either Jesse,” I moved him back a little so I could see him. “Let me look at you!” I stared down at him and my heart ached for every moment I missed with him in the past month. “Oh wow,” I smiled and wiped some of the tears from his cheeks. “You are getting big!”

Jesse giggled, “I this many Ama!” He happily held up two fingers. Josh knelt down, whispered something to Jesse and moved his hand over Jesse’s so that three fingers now stood up. Jess looked at his dad and then his hand before finally turning to me and laughing. “I made a ‘stake, I this many!”

I laughed and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Wow and you I swear you’ve gotten handsomer too!”

“Hansome like daddy?” Jesse asked, looking at his daddy.

I finally let my eyes wander over to Josh. “Yes,” I said without hesitation. “Handsome just like daddy.”

Josh smiled at me but he didn’t say anything. I was a little surprised to see his eyes were glistening with unshed tears and I wanted to ask him about it but Jesse got my attention again by hugging me. “Booful Ama!” He exclaimed and then let me go to ask if I was going to play some games with him. I was in the middle of answering him when Jenna stepped up to us with Mister Bear in her arms.

“I have Mis’er Bear now,” Jesse said to her and went to take the bear from her but she turned around and took off, giggling as she went.

Jesse took off after Jenna. “No baby! Mis’er Bear Jesse!”

I chuckled as I went to push myself off the floor but Josh held out his hand to help me up. “Thank you,” I smiled at him when I was on my feet in front of him. “Sorry we were late.”

Josh smiled, “I wasn't worried; I knew you would make it.”

A very loud ‘HA!” came from my left, both Josh and I turned to see Robbie standing there with a video camera. “Oh!” He gave us an innocent look. “Did I just say that out loud?” Smiling, he walked off to catch Jesse chasing Jenna on tape.

Once Robbie was gone, I gave Josh a questioning look. “Ok,” he chuckled. “I wasn’t so sure that you would be here but,” his hands slid around my waist and he held me close. “I’m very glad that you did come.”

“I’m glad too,” I smiled and then looked over where Jesse had Jenna cornered, with Conner’s help. “He looks so happy.”

“Mmhmm,” Josh pulled me against his body, sliding his arms all the way around me. When he spoke, his lips brushed against my temple. “His birthday wish came true, you are here.”

“Josh,” I tried to pull away from him but he held tight.

“Anna this was very important to me and I just wanted to let you know how happy I am that you came despite the fact that you weren’t sure you should.” One arm slipped from around my waist, I felt his fingers on my chin as he tilted my head upwards. “Jess was right; you are looking very beautiful today.” I swear his eyes sparkled as he smiled down at me!

“Thank you,” I blushed.

Soon Jess came over and asked Josh if we were going to play some games, so Josh reluctantly pulled away from me to do his party hosting duties.

They played the ‘Cars’ version of the donkey game first. Each kid in turn was handed a ‘95’ with a lightning bolt, blindfolded and pointed in the general direction of Lightning as he hung low on the wall. It was hilarious to watch all the kids try their hardest to get closest to the correct spot and then whip the blindfold off just to see their number on the wrong side of the car! One of the kids that I didn’t know ended up being the closest to the right spot.

Next they played musical chairs, which in itself was interesting because some of the kids weren’t sure what they were doing but they were trying so it was cool. I was sitting off to one side with Erin (Rob’s daughter) in my arms, we were watching as the kids stood around the chairs waiting for the game to start. The music played, the kids moved slowly around the chairs; some stopping to see if the music would stop. When the music finally stopped, every one raced for a chair and sat down. Except Jenna who was the youngest out of the entire group. She stood with her hands together as she looked at everyone sitting down and then she plopped down on the floor and giggled.

“Jenna come here,” I called out to her and she looked at me. “Come sit with me Jenna.” She pushed herself off the floor and started towards me but Tim stopped her, telling her to take a chair with her. Hesitantly and with Tim’s help, she grabbed a little red plastic chair and pulled it over to me but she didn’t sit on it, she plopped down on my right leg, opposite of Erin.

I sort of lost track of the game as I tried to keep Jenna amused so that she wouldn’t go over and try to join in again. I didn’t actually notice that the kids that weren’t getting a chair when the music stopped were forming a little circle around me until I heard Matt calling out to Megan.

“Megan honey come to daddy.” She was pulling a chair in my direction and she stopped to look at Matt. “Come over here honey,” Matt crouched down and held out his hands to her, she glanced at me and then back at Matt and then laughed as she continued my way. She positioned herself as close to me as she could as Matt looked on, hurt.

I stared at the group of ten kids that surrounded me; they were all staring back at me waiting for me to do something, so I started to tell them a story. Half way through my story I heard Josh call out to Jesse and tell him the game wasn’t over yet.

“I play Ama now daddy,” Jess told him as he started towards me, leaving two little boys, one was Conner, standing next to the chairs waiting for him; Josh shot me a ‘help’ look.

When Jess got to me, I told him that his friends were waiting for him so they could finish their game. “When you are done playing with your friends, we can play. Ok?” Jesse thought about it for a minute and then ran back to his friends.

Josh gave me a smile, mouthed ‘thank you’ and turned to start the music again. I was determined to pay attention this time and I started to ‘cheer’ the boys on. Despite my cheering, Conner was left standing.

“I tried really hard Aunt Anna!” He told me when he joined all of us. I told him he did a really great job and I was very proud of him.

So it was down to Jess and the other little boy. The music played, they went round and round the chair, the air was tense with little boy expectation. The music stopped suddenly, little boy bodies moved faster than I thought they could to get that last chair. When the dust settled, both boys were sitting on half of the chair! We had a tie!

And Josh looked a little confused as he stared at the box of prizes that we wrapped a couple days before. I excused myself from my little group and went over to where he was talking with his mother about what prize he could take for the other ‘winner’. “I just don’t…hey!” His arm snaked around my back. “I don’t remember what those were,” he nodded towards the extra ‘just in case’ prizes. “I don’t want to give two different prizes and have one kid unhappy.”

After a little discussion on what was left in the box, Josh gave me a kiss on the forehead and went off to hand out the prizes. I turned to watch both ‘winners’ open up a ‘Cars’ activity book; Jesse shouted out his excitement.

“He’s very happy Anna,” Josh’s mom said out of the blue.

I smiled at her, “Well it is a ‘Cars’ book.”

Helen shook her head, “No Anna.” She reached out and took my hand in hers. “I didn’t mean Jesse, I meant Joshua. He is every happy that you are here today, it means more to him than you know.” She looked like she wanted to say something else but she just gave my hand a squeeze and smiled at me.

“Helen,” I turned towards her, giving her my full attention. “You know that if there is anything you want to say to me, you can.”

She was quiet for a moment and then she nodded. “Ok,” she said. “There is something I want to say to you.”