Party Like a Rock Star

A few hours later, the kids and I are busy getting dressed and perfectly groomed for Kate's party.  They are looking forward to it as much as I am. Lots of kids. Lots of food. Lots of permissive parents who won't over-supervise because they are too busy enjoying the company of other parents.

And speaking of parents, the very purpose of the party is to give all of us a chance to see Kate's parents who she flies up to visit at the holidays when there are kids Christmas concerts and family birthdays and lots of reasons to celebrate together. They will be there and so with Kate's sisters, the other sister, Priscilla having flown in the night before.  I can hardly wait. The possibility to hilarity is endless.

Kate's parents are enormously important to me. It was important to me that they'd met J.  I could tell they were surprised at my choice...we were fairly far down the road to ruin by then to be honest, so I can't blame them...and I was so excited for them to meet Scott two years later. Milt and Maggie had been so cute. Maggie cornered Scott in the doorway of the kitchen near the bar. And Scott had been so good-natured about The Test. I'd told him Milt and Maggie were as important to me as my own parents so he knew there would be some type of Parental Assessment. And after a few minutes of conversation, Maggie had said something sweet and reassuring to him followed by "Liza's last boyfriend was such a dud!" A+ on the Boyfriend Report. It made his day. He was a fan of Milt and Maggie in an instant.

And tonight, I am going to the same party, happy but unescorted. Enormously happy. I am almost bouncing into Kate's house I am in such a good place in my heart. It doesn't even give me the vapors to rehash The Non-Break-up in great detail with Maggie.  She asks a lot of great questions only a happily married woman her age could think to ask. She roots for me.  She is as dismayed as any mother would be. And she wants to kill him. But only if I want to kill him, to be clear.

It's a full house. Jack and Charlotte are there being fabulous. Joy and her husband are there with bells on. The recently separated Priscilla has asked her new love interest to come and meet her family and some more friends. Jackie and her husband have made a rare appearance. The mood is festive and jubilant.

Jackie is shocked to learn that J. had died, that Scott had bolted, that I was truly single. Her husband, whose friend Mac I'd gone on several hideous dates with when I was first single and very vulnerable, is happy to pass along my number to that guy again - swearing he's a good guy and that I am in a much better place to deal with him now.  Mac would be no match for me. What the hell?  Give him my number. He won't call.  Not until Christmas is over - no need to deal with that uncomfortable do-I-buy-a-gift-or-not situation. And then why not wait until the horror of Valentines Day has passed as well. It gives me some time to think and meet other people.

And meet other people I will. Tonight, I am convinced of it.