An Island Celebration

It is a 9 o’clock on a sunny Monday morning and already 23 degrees if Google is right. I have my heater turned off in anticipation of a summery day. And I feel no chilly air on my back…a good sign.

Chaya was still home this morning doing some community book-keeping. She brought me coffee and then prepared cereal for us both. She just came in to let me know she was leaving to lead her fitness class…the first of 2 today.

This is heaven being home with my oldest daughter. I am waiting to wake up!

Yesterday I attended Charlotte’s birthday party at the home of her parents Matt and Meghan. It was the biggest event on the island…a who’s who of the island’s most important citizens. Apparently the party went on long after we left…Chaya and me.

Charlotte is her son Dylan’s best friend and she turned 5 yesterday.

Chaya told me today that people from boats moored in the bay and even tourists came up to celebrate. Dylan never left but slept over at the house of his best friend little Charlotte.

Later in the afternoon the party still in full swing Chaya went in to their house to find me a plate of food. She came out with some rice, salad, and a burger on a bun. I passed on the bun but ate everything else.

Bettianne who was observing everything asked How are you coming? and then asked if she could take my empty plate to dispose of it.  She was going to ask her grandson to run the errand for me. I told her I didn’t want to trouble them…but Bettianne was having none of it.

“Do you mean to tell me that your new slaves are not good enough to do the job?”

With that one line she shattered my pretense, took my plate and passed it to her grandson a very handsome young man of about 25 with twinkling blue eyes and red hair and beard sprouting from under his skull cap. He looked at me as he took my plate…a look full of wry humor but completely ego-less.

It was obvious watching him that he is devoted to his grandmother…and would do whatever she asked of him. So my protest was all hot air…and blown out of the water in that moment.

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