“I hope so,” Melanie nervously laughed as she looked around the kitchen. “Do we have everything? There are fifty balloons, right?”
“I counted them twice.”
“Good. Good.”
“You did a great job, Mel,” Isla reassured her. “Cam is going to love it.”
As they finished decorating, the guests started to arrive. They’d tried to keep the party small, but it seemed to have escalated quickly. The nurses from Cameron’s department all came, along with a few of the doctors. Palmer and Laura were there as usual. All the Mackenzie kids were in attendance, as wellas Mason’s best friend Chase. Most of Maggie Carlson’s family was there, which alone accounted for easily a dozen people.
Melanie’s phone buzzed with a text from Dylan.
Almost there!
“Okay everyone!” Melanie waited a beat to get everyone’s attention. “They’re almost here, so let’s all gather by the door to greet them!”
Making her way to the front of the group, Melanie waited with sweating palms and a fast-beating heart for Cameron to come in the front door.
Chapter 27
Cameron
All day Cameron knew the kids were up to something. It was the Saturday before her fiftieth birthday, so her best guess was there was going to be a surprise party. And her next guess would be Melanie, Isla, and Vera were involved in the planning. That trio had also coordinated a surprise fortieth birthday for her, so they had the track record already.
Cameron’s suspicions had started when Melanie declined her invitation to join them at the aquarium. She knew Melanie was off that weekend, so her lack of attendance with them had been red flag number one. Especially since over the last few months, the two of them have been inseparable. Melanie was over at their house more often than not every night after work for dinner. The four of them would eat together and have fun before the kids went to bed and Melanie would go home.
That last part was Cameron’s least favorite part. She wanted desperately for Melanie to stay over, but she didn’t know how to ask her that. Especially not before she made sure the kids would be okay with that. It was their house too, and they deserved to be entirely comfortable with whoever Cameron was bringing home. Even if it was their Aunt Mel.
Sooner rather than later, Cameron would have to talk to the kids about her relationship with Melanie. They knew they were dating, yes, but Cameron wasn’t sure they knew how fast things had gone between them. There was no going back to friends now, not that Cameron wanted that. She most definitely didn’t. And she knew Melanie felt the same way.
Now she just had to make sure the kids were on the same page.
Cameron turned in the passenger seat slightly to see both of the kids. Jonah was driving while Dylan was in the backseat behind him. But her plan went out the window when they turned into the subdivision and Cameron saw the line of cars parked along the road.
“What in the world?” Cameron laughed as Jonah slowly went around them and parked in the only spot left in the driveway. “Did you all invite the whole town?”
“What can we say? Everyone loves you, Mom.” Jonah unbuckled his seatbelt as they got out of the car.
With the kids flanking her on either side, they walked up to the front door. Jonah opened it for them as Cameron stepped inside. A chorus ofhappy birthdaybegan as soon as she crossed the threshold, and Cameron tried to make eye contact with all of her friends. The room was full of people who meant the world to Cameron, but her eyes found Melanie’s and stayed locked with them.
Melanie looked stunning in her pantsuit and heels, and Cameron had the delicious thought of taking it off Melanie later that night. It would be the perfect birthday present, after all. As the song ended, Melanie broke from the group and walked toward Cameron. The two embraced tightly as Melanie whispered in her ear.
“Happy birthday, baby.”
“Thanks, babe.” Not caring that their friends were all watching, Cameron kissed Melanie. It wasn’t anything scandalous; her kids were right beside her after all. But Cameron could still feel the passion and love behind it. “You look beautiful.”
“So do you.”
Melanie took Cameron’s hand and motioned for her to spin in a circle, which, of course, she did. Their friends clapped and encouraged her as she giggled. The floral sundress wasn’t one she’d normally wear before the summer, but the warm late-March day had called for something fun.
Making her way around to everyone, Cameron savored her time with her friends. She wasn’t used to being the center of attention, but she had to admit it was fun to have the spotlight for a few hours. Cameron reminisced with some friends she hadn’t seen in a while and caught up with the night shift nurses she rarely saw. More gifts than Cameron could count waited for her on the dining room table, but her eyes were drawn instead to the large number fifty on the wall in various photos.
“Oh, my god.” Cameron touched her fingers to her lips as tears fell from her eyes. She touched one photo of her with baby Dylan as a tear ran down her cheek. “These are so beautiful. Did you do this?”
“Mel did,” Vera proudly stated as she nodded toward Melanie. Cameron held her hand out as Melanie came over to her.
“Thank you.”
“I tried to get some from every year.”
