Frozen Barriers (34 page)

Once I pull back the covers and get into bed, Emily immediately pulls them back close to her. “What do you think you’re doing? I need some blankets, too,” I joke before pulling her close to my chest.

“It’s good now. I have a heating blanket in here to snuggle against,” she teases as she snuggles into me and kisses my bare chest. Gently removing the ice pack, she asks, “How’s the hand?”

“Feels like it hit a steel wall.” I throw my arm over my face.

Tantalizing slow kisses begin sweeping over my knuckles as Emily suggestively says, “Well, it didn’t seem to have any issues last night when you decided to play hide and seek.” Peeking out of the corner of my arm, I see her sliding out of bed to her bag on my bureau. “What are you doing over there?”

“Well, since neither of us is around for your actual birthday, I figured I’d give you your gift today.”

“I told you not to get me anything, unless you are planning on telling me what your costume is for tonight, then I might make an exception.” I wink at her.

“Sorry,
babe
, you’re going to have to wait just like everyone else. You’ll have to deal with the standard wrapped present,” she says, handing me a small box with a ribbon on top.

Sitting up in bed, as she sits next to me, I see her running her hands over the sheets. Why is she nervous? Grabbing her hand, I lean over and kiss her on the forehead. “Hey, you know I love you, right? Don’t be nervous.” I try to give her some solace before she nods back at me as I slowly start unwrapping the box. I hear it click open and push the top lid up. My eyes widen in amazement. This is too much. Why would she spend this kind of money?

“Do you like them?” she asks while wringing her fingers together. I’m still in awe of the fact she just gave me a set of sterling silver cufflinks engraved with the Monarchs logo and embossed on the crown logo are three small diamond studs.

“Babe, they are awesome. I don’t even know how you did this or when, but you had to have spent a fortune. Are you sure you trust me not to lose these?”

“Well, no, I don’t trust you wearing them, but you’ll need them if you are going to attend this.” She hands me an envelope.

“Seriously, Em, this is too much already. What’s this?” I open the envelope, seeing five tickets for a suite at the TD Garden in Boston for the US Figure Skating Nationals in January. My mouth hangs wide open. I’m in complete shock.

Moving closer to me while looking me in the eyes, she says, “If I win gold at the US Nationals, I want you and your family there celebrating with me. I owe all of you so much already that I don’t think I can stand there on that ice without all of you, and I know you won’t be able to make it to the Olympics in February. But, Nationals is really a big deal for me. Plus, that means you’re stuck with me at least until January. Think you can handle a long- term relationship?”

“I think I’m up for that challenge.”

“Happy Birthday, Jeremy.”

I’d never been so nervous in my life as I was while giving Jeremy those tickets. I didn’t know what he would think. I don’t know if what we have will last a few months or forever. I mean, I’m hoping it isn’t going to end anytime soon, but life happens and people change. Jeremy and I haven’t discussed our future together. It’s been moving at such a fast pace as it is, and we’ve actually spent more time apart than together. Who knows what will happen when we actually have the time to spend together? We could end up hating each other. To give him the tickets to attend my pinnacle event with his family that’s two months away, that’s like saying, “Hey, hope you don’t mind, but I pretty much just guaranteed you a steady girlfriend.” From what I know, Jeremy doesn’t do steady girlfriends, unless you count his college girlfriend, but apparently Grace never met her. I need to stop worrying so much. I have a party to get ready for.

Jeremy assumed all of us were talking about him in the kitchen yesterday. Truth is, Sue had just told Grace about the baby. We weren’t sure how much Jeremy had heard about our conversation, but it didn’t seem as though her cover was blown. After he left, Grace had taken it upon herself to help with Sue’s costume design. Apparently, she is quite the crafty type.

Grace wasn’t surprised at Sue’s confession. She said she noticed her
change
almost instantly after Courtney and I mentioned something was off. Of course, Grace had Sue in tears again when she openly admitted that she would be happy to support Sue any way she needed it. Sue was a part of the Page family whether she knew it or not. Who was this incredible woman? She’s become the Mother Theresa to two crazy chicks in the last month.

The guys are in the backyard finalizing everything for the party that is set to begin in a few hours. I still have no idea what Jeremy is dressing up as. All of us girls are in Courtney’s bedroom doing hair and makeup before putting on our costumes. Grace said she’ll be up later after she is done making sure all the food is holding steady in the kitchen.

Courtney wasn’t kidding the other day when she said she was going to dress up with weapons. Her hair is the easiest to handle. All I need to do is braid her hair down the side, and she will handle the rest. After that, all she is left with is putting on her boots, gold pin, blazer and adding her bow and arrow over her back and
voila!
instant Katniss Everdeen. Sue is a little more of a process. We have to tease her hair after shoving a handmade cardboard box over her shoulders. It hangs just right, and the oven knobs and door Grace drew are incredible. We just have to attach some rolls to the stomach section of her shirt, and she’s instantly a bun in the oven. I’m not hopeful any of the boys will figure this out, but you never know, they could surprise all of us.

Then, there is my costume. It’s more for Jeremy’s entertainment, or more his torment, than anything. I’ve overly applied my makeup and let my hair drop in heavily defined curls with a black satin ribbon tied in a bow on top. My old skating costume with a blue tulle skirt and puff sleeves has been nicely shortened, and Grace has attached a white apron that falls to maybe thigh high. Finishing the costume are my bright blue platform heels and white thigh highs with a big black bow on the front where it meets my thighs. My little bunny rabbit will complete the transformation into the sexified Alice from
Alice in Wonderland
. Jeremy will die a thousand deaths before this night is over.

All of us are sitting around laughing and talking about absolute nonsense, when a little girl no more than three comes barreling into the room wearing a princess costume. “Cotwey! Cotwey!” She adorably attempts saying Courtney’s name.

A woman’s voice comes up the stairs from behind her. “Maggie, where do you think you’re going?” After introductions, I learn that this is Maggie, Courtney’s cousin Jim’s, little girl and his wife Kristen. Kristen is clearly interested in finally meeting the one and only girl Jeremy has ever brought home to meet the parents. Evidently, I am all Grace talks about to everyone in the family these days.

Grace comes up shortly after to give the thumbs up on the costumes and also to secure the buns to Sue’s oven. As bad as it is, we can’t stop laughing, and Sue can’t either. I think after realizing she will have so much support, she is finally becoming comfortable with the idea of pregnancy. It’s Dave she’s worried about. Courtney keeps the light atmosphere by snapping a few selfies of all of us together smiling, hugging and being supportive of each other. I don’t want to be anywhere else right now.

While the girls are busy inside for the afternoon, Josh, Dave, and I spend a good portion of the time setting up tables and decorations. Everything is coming together just before family and friends are set to arrive. The sun is setting, allowing the lights under the tent to twinkle with the soft cool breeze. Josh is busy arranging hay bales and filling the dunk-for-apples bucket with water. Dave is spray painting a makeshift yard
Twister
game on the grass. My cousin Jim is just arriving with his wife Kristen and daughter Maggie. I’m not sure who we hear first, Maggie yelling all our names as best a three-year-old can, or Jim wheeling in the keg of Otter Creek Oktoberfest shouting, “‘Sup Kids!”

Jim is around my age, and being my dad’s brother’s only kid, we are more like brothers than cousins. Kristen walks over with Maggie on her hip. The big mop of curly red hair and foam bow and arrow aren’t easy to figure out, but Kristen had mentioned to Mom a while ago that Maggie was coming dressed as Merida from
Brave
. Maggie bounces around, as Kristen listens to something she whispers into her ear.

“Miss Maggie would like to know where Courtney might be hiding. She wants to show her the costume.”

Pointing toward the house, I tell them, “Apparently, all the girls are inside. We’ve been told not to go in. Something about the costumes being a surprise.”

Maggie gets down from Kristen’s arms and runs her little legs through the back door with Kristen quick on her heels. Jim is still setting up the keg as Dave sits on a nearby hay bale telling him about his most recent excursion to Promiscuous.

Walking over to join in on this conversation, I ask, “Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t you going out with Sue now?” I know Dave wouldn’t cheat, but at the same time, I can’t think Sue would be completely okay with him going there without one of us to confirm his faithfulness. Standing slowly, he makes his way over to what is now a small circle since Josh has made his way into our conversation. I can’t confirm or deny, but I’m pretty sure Josh isn’t thrilled about the Dave-Sue dating situation.

Grabbing at my shoulder, Dave says, “Sue’s a big girl. She knew exactly what I was and did before she decided to get involved with this fine piece of male.” Shaking my head at his clear love for himself, I make my way back toward my place to start getting dressed for this shindig. Jim has the keg ready just as I’m about to walk through my back door. “You want one?” he yells.

“Yeah, just have Josh bring it up. I’ve got to get dressed,” I tell him before shutting the door behind me.

As I’m almost dressed in my nerd costume, Josh walks in wearing his own costume and carrying two red Solo cups. All it takes is one look, and I am laughing hysterically. I swear, he can’t have it any more spot on. The bathrobe, the dress shoes without pants, the winter hat with earflaps and the shitter hose. He is the epitome of Cousin Eddie from
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
.

“That’s the best costume I’ve seen in years!”

Josh hands me my cup and looks me over. “What the hell are you supposed to be?” I hardly put any thought into the costumes, but this year I did actually go out to buy the pocket protector, bowtie, black thick-framed glasses and suspenders. It should be totally obvious what I am dressed as.

“Dude, I’m a nerd.”

He looks me up and down. “Really? Kind of thought you were that guy from
Family Matters
, but it’s decent.”

As he starts walking back toward the living room, we hear the door slam open and Jim and Dave storm in boisterously. What the hell? My head angles around the corner, and I have to do a double take. Jim’s costume is straightforward. He’s dressed as a cowboy, but Dave’s costume just set the bar. Josh and I are at a loss for words, standing there staring at this genius of a costume. It’s almost as though Justin Timberlake is standing in my living room. Dave already has the shaggy hair and scruffy beard, but the black sunglasses, gold chain, black blazer and wrapped gift box held up by his belt is seriously the best “Dick in a Box” costume I’ve ever seen.