Dora broke away from the dancing to ask if the helpers would start putting glasses of Champagne or Buck’s Fizz into people’s hands before they started leaving early. Then she asked the DJ if he’d put some softer music on so people could start to relax and unwind before her Champagne toast.
A few older people had left early, but at least they’d been given their little pieces of cake to take home with them. Yet glancing around the enclave of her partygoers she could see most people were starting to tire.
‘Crikey, I’m bloody tipsy now!’ Dora told Jodie.
‘Well, if you can’t get pithed on your fiftieth birthday, me old mate, when can yer?’ Jodie slurred. The elderly gent she’d dragged up to dance had complained his feet hurt and had gone to sit down.
‘So true, my dear. Anyway, I think it’s time for my toast. Right where’s my mother?’
‘I’m here, darling!’ Yvonne said, coming up behind her, with a smile. ‘Right are we doing this now?’
‘Yes, we are. Everyone’s seated so we won’t bother getting on the stage at the risk of falling off! How many bottles of Champagne are left?’
‘Oh, about twelve I think.’
‘Okay well we’ll do this from over by the table then. I’m not dragging heavy bottles around the place.’
‘Okay, darling. I’ll bang the gong!’ said Yvonne.
She grabbed a stainless steel server platter and banged it a few times with a spoon.
‘Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye!’ she cried.
Everyone looked round.
‘Mother!’ Dora hissed. ‘Behave!’
Yvonne stuck out her tongue.
‘Right, folks!’ Dora began. ‘Well I’d just like to say I’ve had an absolutely wonderful birthday, so thanks to all of you for that! And thanks for all your wonderful cards and little pressies. I’ve also lived a wonderfully interesting and chequered life, too. But we won’t go into all that!’
‘Aw, why not?’ someone shouted.
‘Because that would be telling … But I’m here today, all the better for having met all of you. And that is care of Veronica’s brilliant idea, foremost, as well as her daughter’s brilliant idea of making it happen, second. So I’d like to present a bottle of bubbly to the team that is team Veronica and Eileen. And another bottle of bubbly to the team that is Taynor and what will be her new family sometime around next April, I believe. Congratulations, Taynor, but no sneaky sips until after the birth!’
‘Hear, hear!’ people shouted, clapping.
Eileen and Veronica exchanged surprised glances and even Taynor looked shocked as they came forward to receive their bubbly.
‘Right, now I also have bottle of bubbly for the following people. And these people are my friends and family. Some of them are my new friends, thanks to the Afternoon Tea Club. But they are all people who have helped and supported me through my own journey whilst I found a bit more acceptance than I was getting in the world. So please come up for a bottle of champers and a big hug from me. Marjorie. Raymond. Stacy. Jodie. Philippa. And Michael, for being inspiring in our art classes. And last but not least for my brother Stuart and his family. I’m feeling very huggy and kissy today!’
Everyone piled up and plastered her with kisses and long hugs.
‘Happy fiftieth, Dora!’
‘Cheers, Dora!’
‘Right now just one last thing, everybody. There’s stacks of food left so please help yourselves on your way out and take whatever you’d like. There’s nowhere for any of it to go apart from down your tums. There are doggy bags on the side by the drinks table over there.’
‘Thanks, Dora!’ everybody yelled, clapping.
Stuart stood up and took over. ‘And finally. A toast to my little sister Dora. She’s come a long way in life and our family and all her friends are extremely proud of her. So would you please be upstanding – well, that’s for those of you who can make it, please be upstanding to wish Dora a very happy fiftieth birthday!’
‘Happy fiftieth birthday, Dora!’
The balloons above them in the net were released, much to the delight and yelling and stomping of all the birthday guests. The DJ put on some easy-listening sounds.
***
Raymond smiled at Marjorie.
‘Would you like to dance with me? A proper dance this time?’ he said, standing up and offering his hand. ‘I’m not keen on the fast ones but I don’t mind slow ones. This one, “My Way” by Frank Sinatra, is an old favourite of mine.’
Marjorie stood and allowed herself to be led onto the dance floor. She turned to face Raymond and he put his arm around her waist and took her hand in his and they danced a perfectly comfortable waltz. Others joined them. Dora dragged her mother up and they danced together, their heads close, chatting about the things that mothers and daughters chat about.
On the second tune, Marjorie asked Raymond a question she’d been wanting to ask but hadn’t dared. But she’d come to the decision that, whatever the response, she would be happy with that. She’d lived to a certain time in her life whereby any joy that came her way and felt like a bonus, was certainly a bonus. Besides, she’d been gifted so much just knowing this wonderful bunch of people. And her daughter would be married soon and then – joy of joys – she would finally become a grandmother! So she already had heaps to be extremely thankful for.
‘Raymond. What have we got here, you and I?’ she said simply, as they moved in unison to the music.
She didn’t want to push things with him. But she didn’t want to start having feelings for this man only to realise he couldn’t reciprocate those feelings for her. She knew his wife’s memory was still a strong contender for his love and she knew how his guilt for not preventing Dianne from leaving the house, that day, hampered much of what he thought and felt now. Possibly it would always prevent him from moving beyond thoughts of the past. However, she did understand his reticence since her own memories of Oliver had certainly put the brakes on her life for many years, after he died. But she was finally coming to terms with all of that now.
‘Ah! Well, you and I, Marjorie,’ he began, after a little pause. ‘You and I, first and foremost, have got a wonderful friendship. It’s a friendship I never thought I would have with a woman, after Dianne. All my friends were men before. But I think you and I now have something more than just a friendship, even though friendships are marvellous institutions. So if you’re in agreement, Marjorie, I’d like to see where this thing takes us …’
***
Stacy was sitting sullenly at one of the tables.
‘I really thought they’d come, you know.’
John put his arm around her.
‘You’ve done your best, Stacy. The rest is up to them. We can’t predict what someone else will do. It’s the same in my line of work. Everybody reacts differently to things like trauma, shock or bad news. Some people lose it and smash things up or hurt people. Others bury their head in the sand. Or maybe they’ve simply been discussing things and want to go and see her privately. That would be more likely, don’t you think? Look, let’s finish the Champagne and let’s have one last dance.’
‘But they don’t know where she lives. I only put the address of the community centre on that piece of paper. And she’s moving into her new flat soon so they won’t know where that is, either.’
‘Well, you’ve tried your best. Come on, Stacy. I want to have our first slow dance together here. Let’s start making some of our own happy memories, sweetheart. Let everything else sort itself out.’
***
As the evening wore down, people started slowly drifting away. Dora hoped they’d have happy memories of her party. She’d wished them a happy Christmas and fun at New Year if they were going to parties. They all traipsed out around ten-ish with their food bags and happy boozy smiles.
‘Thanks for inviting us, Dora. It’s been wonderful!’
‘Yes, thank you, Dora. We don’t often go to parties!’
‘You’re all very welcome!’ Dora smiled, happily.
The DJ had started putting his decks and equipment away and Eileen and Taynor followed him out the door after hugging Dora and all her family and friends.
‘Happy Christmas! Happy New Year! See you next year. We start up again from mid-January, so see you then. Bye!’
Even though Dora had told people to take as much food as they liked from the buffet table, there was still masses of it left.
‘Hey, guys,’ she said to her remaining crowd, ‘Please take some more of this stuff. It’s sacrilegious to leave it all here.’
Eileen had told Dora that the woman who locked up after parties would come at midnight so could Dora put any rubbish in the bins provided, ready for removal. Usually everything had to be cleared out by the partygoers but on this occasion she’d okayed it with the organisers for Dora to just do the clearing and leave their rubbish bags in the canteen. Marjorie, Raymond, Stacy and John and the rest of Dora’s family had said they would stay and help clear up. And so they set to, putting jackets on the backs of chairs and rolling their sleeves up as they started the clearing process.
By 10.40 p.m. the last black bin sack had just been put in the kitchen and the chairs stacked in the corner of the hall. Raymond and even Stuart were pink-faced and perspiring.
‘Remind me not to offer a full spring-clean at the end of the next party!’ Raymond said chuckling.
The door connecting the main hall to the reception area, opened.
‘Anyone want a balloon to take home, guys? Otherwise we’ll have to go round popping them all,’ Dora called out.
That made Marjorie smile.
‘Um, I think I’d like a balloon,’ said the voice of the girl who came in through the door.
She wasn’t alone. Her father was with her and his mother was behind them. The girl’s grandmother went straight over to the surprised but delighted Stacy and gave her a hug.
‘Thank you so much! You were right, love,’ she said. ‘I didn’t know the whole story. I do now.’
Dora stood staring, from one to the other, her mouth slowly opening in awe. Marjorie knew what was happening straight away; it was patently clear that they were witnessing the long-overdue reunion between her dear friend and her long-lost family. There was no doubt that Dora was Lauren’s mother with her blonde hair, blue eyes, the same cheekbones. Dora’s mother’s mouth dropped open in shock too and she stared in complete disbelief at the scene being played out in front of her.
Stacy was so happy she burst into tears. John hugged her and whispered, ‘Why are you crying, Stace? This is the best possible outcome. You should be so pleased.’
‘This is me p-pleased!’ she spluttered.
‘God, I’d hate to see you when you’re sad then,’ he said with a smile.
‘I think it’s time we left,’ Marjorie said to Raymond, quietly.
‘What, love?’
‘No, don’t. Please stay. This is momentous for me. I’m sorry, Mum. I should’ve told you. But the time never seemed right and I never thought … I really never thought this day would come. I’d hoped it would happen. But no, I never truly believed it would,’ Dora said, looking across the room at her mother.
Andy looked around at everybody and then he suddenly moved forward. He went to everyone in turn, shaking their hands.
‘Hi, I’m Andy,’ he said. ‘And this amazing young woman here is my – no – mine and Dora’s daughter, Lauren. And we’re, um, we’re very pleased to meet you all, even though this is a little overdue.’
When Dora’s mother had recovered from her shock she strode over to Dora, her eyes blazing.
‘Why didn’t you tell us? Why didn’t you tell us? Your father would have loved her! Your father would have absolutely bloody ADORED her!’ she yelled, bursting into tears. Then she abruptly turned on her heels and stormed out of the building, with her sister in hot pursuit.
Dora stared after her mother in complete astonishment; as did everybody else. She never imagined, for an instant, that her mother would react so aggressively to this amazing news. Her mother should’ve been hugging her only actual granddaughter for all she was worth! She’d been building bridges with her mother for years; always waiting for that one special moment when – she imagined – Yvonne would take her in her arms and tell her she loved her, no matter what she did in life. But, in that instant Dora realised her mother would never forgive her for this.
And that knowledge was too much for Dora to bear. Her head drooped forward and silent tears flooded her face, dripping off her chin as she stood there, crushed.
Stacy and Marjorie reacted, first, but Andy was nearest and reached out and scooped her into a tight hug.
‘I’m so sorry about all this, Dee. It’s all my fault,’ he said hoarsely, wrapping his arms around her, feeling her racking sobs.
And then suddenly Lauren was there too, tears dripping down her own face as she reached out to hug the woman she’d recently been reintroduced to as her mother. ‘It’s okay … Mum. It’ll be okay!’