Suprises and Sentiments// Theo&Cassius

Today was Mama’s birthday and the shop was closed as we set up the birthday decorations in anticipation of her friend’s arrival in only mere minutes.

The usually clustered filled shop mimicking her brain was all tidied up and covered head to toe in balloons and multicolored streamers. I had spent most of the day making sure everything would be perfect, she had always worked so hard for me to have everything. I just wanted to make sure her special day was filled with joy. On the left wall of the main shop floor, there was a table set up with all kinds of backed goods that Henry’s mom had sent over earlier. Our moms had been friends since the day they started school and Henry and I had been friends since the day we came out of the womb. Didn’t really have much of a choice there.

The guy was supposed to help me set up the party but instead I had received a message that the jerk was out with some sort of flu. As if…he had probably just had a bit too much to drink down in the fields and couldn’t get his hungover ass out of bed. Seemed to be the case with most of my friends these days, they always were out drinking in the same ‘ol field with the same ‘ol people every single day. Sure, it was fun, but sometimes I just wanted to do something else, hell I would even settle for just drinking in a different field for once.

Mama came down the stairs from her work room wearing what the dress I had sewn for her last week. Slowly, I was becoming more confident in designing bigger projects and Mama’s burgundy dress for the party was my first real project. There was a joy in her smile when she had opened the box this morning, I could not tell if she liked the dress or if it was the fact that I definitely took after her skills. There has even been talk that once I graduate this year, the shop would become our shop. A family business where Mama would teach me everything I still had to learn and one day I would do the exact same for my kids.

I did not have much time to say anything before the door to the shop opened followed by a sharp ringing of the bell and she had already made her way over to great her first guests. It was not long till the shop was full and the table on the right wall was aligned with all sorts of gifts varying in shape and size. Mama being the kindhearted extrovert that she was seemed to have invited the entire district, anyone from neighbors and close friends to clientele had received an invite. The chatter amongst the room was loud and it was hard to focus on any one conversations as I squeezed my way through the crowd over to the table with the drinks and the deserts.

Grabbing a glass of wine, I slowly examined everything that Mrs. Becker had brought over for the party. My eyes stopped at the apple pie as I could smell the warm mixture of cinnamon and butter radiating from it. A treat Henry’s mom always made sure to send our way at school. It was his contribution to the group and there was never a crumb a left. With the pie and wine in hand I turned back around to start making my rounds to say hi to everyone. That was until a face that I had not seen in years, unless it was plastered all over our televisions had caught my attention. I knew mine and Theo’s mom still were in contact, and I assumed she would make an appearance at the party, but I did not expect district eights latest victor to be present.

There was a time where Theo sat at lunch with Henry, me and all the others but those days were long gone. I could not just ignore him and pretend that I did not see him, besides without Henry here was not really anyone else my age here.

”Hey, you uhh…want some pie”, I held up the slice as an almost peace offering. For what exactly? I couldn’t tell you, but it felt as if one was needed. ”Henry Becker’s mom made it. Ya know, she’s the one with the bakery over on Elbert Lane”