44. A Million Cheers to That

A Million Cheers to That

"Thanks again for watching Littlefoot the other day," Hadley said as she grabbed a jalapeno popper from the platter on the table. "I'm not sure why I thought I would be gone for days and not hours, but it was still a help."

"She's literally the sweetest cat. You're lucky I didn't hold her hostage," Stephanie laughed. She balanced a mojito in her right hand and a half-eaten jalapeno popper in her left. Her hair was secured on the top of her head by a pink scrunchie, and she was wearing a ribbed white tank top with a pair of jeans.

"I don't understand how she ended up in a shelter," Helen wondered as she reapplied her cherry red lipstick.

"Yeah," Hadley replied. "Honestly, how any pet gets abandoned is just beyond me."

"I think people don't understand what responsibility and commitment means until it's too late. So they panic," Meghan said, tucking a loose curl behind her ear.

"So true," Hadley nodded. "Anyway, thanks for this, guys. I really needed a night out after last night."

"Please," Cathleen waved her off. "Any excuse to pass bedtime duties to Henry is fine by me."

"Andrew has Amelia tonight, so I was also happy to get out of my quiet house."

"Well," Helen added, gulping her cosmopolitan. "No kids or husbands here but always down for a girls' night." Helen was wearing a low-cut navy blouse with a pair of black pleather shorts. She lifted her empty glass in the air, letting the waitress know she was ready for another. "Anyone else?"

"I'll take another mojito," Stephanie said shyly.

"Yes, girl! Steph showin' up," Helen said emphatically.

Stephanie looked embarrassed as she sipped on the watered down remains of her drink. "I don't know about that. I wasn't expecting an invite so I'm happy you guys thought to include me."

"Oh please, you're one of us now," Meghan said with a wink.

"Josh or no Josh, you always have a place at this table," Cathleen added.

"Totally." Hadley smiled.

"Really?" Stephanie sounded relieved.

"Yeah, of course," Hadley said with a hesitant look. "Why… are things okay with you guys?"

"Oh, yes, give us the gossip." Helen leaned in with eager eyes.

"No," Stephanie said quickly. "That's not what I meant. Josh is perfect."

"Please don't tell him that," Meghan said with an eye roll that made the girls laugh.

"I never had a solid group of girlfriends, so this is new to me. I had a lot of friends in high school but nothing that lasted past graduation. Josh always speaks so highly of you guys, especially you, Hadley," Stephanie said, pointing casually in her direction.

Hadley blushed slightly. "Meg and Josh have become the family I always wanted… needed."

"I totally see that now and it's amazing. If I'm being honest, though, I was super jealous of you at first. Josh just never shuts up about you or about Littlefoot or – well actually he just never shuts up in general."

Meghan spit her drink as a laugh spilled out of her. "He's so chatty, right? Worse than Cathleen."

It was Stephanie's turn to laugh. "Yeah, you're telling me. I think I just chose to focus on the moments he would mention you, Hadley. I was creating these scenarios in my head out of my own insecurity." Stephanie's eyes grew wide with her admission. "I don't know why I told you that," she added quickly, wiping her hands down her face. "I only meant to say I'm glad I got over myself and got to know you. All of you."

"I'll cheers to that," Helen said.

"You'll cheers to anything," Cathleen retorted.

Once their drinks were refilled and they placed an order for soft pretzel nuggets, Meghan turned her attention back to Hadley. "I don't want to bring the mood down, but I want to make sure you're actually doing okay."

Hadley put down her seltzer and shifted her gaze to Meghan. "I am. For now, I am. It's been a rollercoaster of emotions. I'm fine one minute, angry another, crying the next."

"Are you happy you went to see him the other day," Cathleen asked.

"Yeah, I am," Hadley said as the waitress approached with the pretzels. "Thank you," she smiled. She grabbed a nugget, dipped it in the cheese sauce, and placed it on the plate in front of her. "Five years is a long time for silence. I guess I saw him that one time last year but that hardly counted. I got to this weird place mentally where I viewed myself as an orphan. Sure, he was technically alive, but to me he wasn't." Hadley blew out a breath, debating what to say next. "I don't know, it's hard to explain. I'm glad I went. I didn't say everything I wanted to say but I said enough of it. It felt like a huge weight off my chest. Like I can breathe easier now."

"I'm glad you had that opportunity," Meghan said.

Hadley took a bite of her pretzel before she continued. "You know what the worst part was? He said he didn't remember most of it. So he has no real concept of how crappy he treated me and everything he did back then. He was totally disconnected from it. When he tried to apologize to me, it didn't feel real. How can he be sorry for something he can't even remember doing or saying."

"That's shitty," Helen said. "There's no other way to describe it."

"Yeah," Hadley said with a small sigh. "I'm glad I went though. I would have regretted it otherwise. Maybe not right away but one day." Hadley looked over at Meghan before continuing. "I probably wouldn't have gone if you hadn't pushed Josh to push me."

"I got you, girl."

"So now what?" Stephanie questioned.

"I'm not sure. When Nurse Aida called me last night to let me know he passed, she explained he had prearranged everything and already had a plot secured next to my mom. They purchased the gravesites together when my mom first got sick. Another thing I never knew. Um, but yeah… he didn't want to have a church service or burial. I guess he thought no one would show up. So, yeah," Hadley said with a shrug.

"What about going to say a last goodbye at the cemetery," Cathleen questioned.

"I don't think so," Hadley shook her head. "I'm ashamed to admit this but I've never gone to my mom's grave. Not since her funeral. I have these really great memories of her in my head and photos of her that I cherish. The thought of staring at a headstone and talking to her that way seems so cold. When I want to talk to my mom, I look at the stars."

"That's beautiful."

"Thanks," Hadley smiled. "I'm not sure what I'll do about my dad. For right now, I don't have anything else to say to him. One day, maybe. But for now, I'm processing it all and getting back to life as I know it."

"Well, I would like to say one last toast before we head home," Helen said. Hadley grabbed her glass, prepared to hear something hysterically raunchy. Instead, Helen lifted her half empty cosmopolitan and said, "There are friends, there is family, and then there are friends that become family. Cheers to creating the best family out of the best friends."

"Jeez, Helen. Way to keep things light," Hadley dabbed her finger against the corner of her eye. "Okay, okay," Hadley lifted her glass. "A million cheers to that." They clinked their glasses together and let out a collective whoop. Hadley finished her seltzer and placed it back on the table. "As much as I would love to stay and suck back more of these fancy waters, I better get home to Littlefoot. Meg, I'll see you at work tomorrow?"

"I'll be there."

"Does anyone need a ride home?"

"Josh is coming to get Meg and me in a few minutes," Stephanie said.

"Yeah, and Henry should be on his way for Helen and me."

"Are the kids okay by themselves?"

"Please," Cathleen laughed. "Do you really think Henry's at home just crushing the dad duties? Those kids are probably running the house at this point."

"Or they are sound asleep because Henry is a saint," Helen laughed.

"Anything is possible," Cathleen said unconvinced. "Either way, the kids are fine alone for twenty minutes."

"Okay then," Hadley laughed. "I'll see you guys soon." She waved goodbye as she started to walk toward the front door.

Once in her car, she let out a deep breath. A smile spread across her face as she thought back to Helen's unexpected toast. There are worse ways life could have gone, she thought. She drove home with the windows down, letting the cool night air tangle her hair.

***