Josi, I had met her seven years ago. She's the reason I became a social worker. She's twenty now and out of the shelter. She was thirteen when I met her. She comes from an abusive home and seven years ago, her appearance was nothing to write home about.
Her parents, they both committed suicide with her tied to a chair right in front of them.
Took her years to get over that scene. But I had helped.
I helped her get into the community college two years ago. And she's been doing pretty well. She knows so much about my relationship with Mason and she literally watched both my kids grow.
She's always available whenever we needed her to look after the kids. I feel it's cause she feels indebted to me, but that's not it. She loves them, one could easily tell.
As for Mason, he's always ready to give anything to anyone who's there to help take care of his kids.
*****
I was quiet throughout the drive to Ned's place. It was eight at night already and well, the party was scheduled for that time, and we were already thirty minutes late when we drove into the large compound.
Ned had gone right into politics just like his father who was once the governor. Words have it that soon he'd run for the post of a mayor.
The drive through the compound was really long and finally, we got in front of the house.
The whole building was lighted and it was to be an outdoor party at the backyard.
Ned was there, waiting to greet us as we got out the car.
"Avey, don't you look stunning?" he asked as he took me in a light hug.
"Evening Ned" I greeted.
"You don't look bad yourself" I said with a smile as I commented on his appearance.
"Ned!" Mason called smiling as they shook hands.
"Mad man, I feel so anxious" he told Mason.
"Don't worry" Mason encouraged with a bright smile.
"Common, let me walk you guys to the party" he said as he urged us to cone with him.
"How are the kids?" he asked.
It's been minutes since we arrived and I recognized a lot of Mason's friends from the party. We were all talking, trying to create that bond again, till the music went off and we noticed it.
Finally, the really large cake was bring wheeled in with candles burning bright right on top of it.
We were singing the happy birthday song as the celebrant, Ned's girlfriend walked in front of the cake which was right in the middle of the garden.
She had sang the 'I am plus one today' song as we all laughed at her tiny voice.
As she made a wish blowing the candles off, fireworks went off too which caused everyone's attention divert to the sky.
We all looked up to see 'Will you marry me?' boldly written in the sky.
Everyone began to cheer on for them and that's when I turned around to take my leave.
I had lost count. Lost count of how many engagement parties I had attended with Mason in the last six years since I gave birth to Ellie.
He's been invited to so many, even by people who weren't even that close to cause they realize what they would stand to gain from him as an engagement gift.
As I walked off, I could feel my image get hazy and distorted as tears filled my eyelid. A sudden headache had sprang up on me from no where.
I could hear my name, it was Mason but I couldn't bring myself to a stop till finally, a hand pulled me.
It was Mason. I turned took at him in tears.
"What's wrong?" he asked me.
"I wanna go home" I replied as my tears worsened.
"But we haven't gotten to congratulate them yet" he told me staring at them
I turned my neck too and Ned knelt in front of her with a flashing jewellery box in his hands trying to recite whatever quote he might have practiced in front of the mirror.
"I wanna go" I told him as this particular pain filled my heart.