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Chapter Twenty - March 15, Brooklyn's First Birthday Party, Part Two

-- Nick --

After losing my pants to Geoffrey, I no longer wanted to be a Toys 'R' Us kid. The whole incident had taken us away from the party for a lot longer than I had thought. I stood looking at the crowd. Brian's shorts were so tight on me that I was sure I was going to be talking an octave higher the rest of the day. The fabric was cutting into my gonads.

I pointed out AJ and Rochelle. Brian looked and groaned. I then turned to look at my mom and Liv's mom.

It was Brooke's party and I didn't want the day to go down like a WWE match. I had security nearby, but I didn't want to get them involved either.

"Bri, go make sure everything's okay between J and Ro," I said quietly. He nodded and disappeared into the crowd. I took off for the moms.

"I don't know where they are," Liv's mom was saying.

"Oh please. You're the favorite grandmother aren't you? I'm sure your daughter told you where they were going."

"Jane, just be patient. They'll be here. It's a zoo. They're probably walking around with Brooke. The cake will be out soon," Dad reasoned.

"Stay out of this, Robert."

"Hi, mom."

Mom turned to me in surprise. I saw Liv's mom exhale a breath and smile at me gratefully. Dad looked like he was going to strangle her. He nodded at me and then headed towards the punch. I had a feeling he was probably ready to spike a glass. Mike stuck by Liv's mom, his hand protectively on her shoulder.

"Oh, I was just asking where you were," mom said. She shot a dirty look at Liv's mom before looking back at me.

"We were walking around with Brooke."

"What's with the shorts?"

I glanced down and tugged at them. My noodles were getting crushed.

"I had a little accident and lost my pants. Brian loaned me a pair of his shorts."

"Is he really that much skinnier than you or are you just getting fat?"

I felt my jaw tense.

"I've put on a few pounds."

I took Noah from Liv's mom.

"Thanks for watching him."

She smiled. "You're welcome."

I never saw her move faster. Mike took her arm and they disappeared. I glanced over at mom.

"Did you want to hold Noah?"

Mom smirked. "That would be nice. I didn't even bother to ask before. I doubt she would have let me."

I sighed and passed Noah into her arms. She stood there and looked down at him.

"His head's a little lopsided."

"His head's fine."

"I bet your wife doesn't know that she needs to turn him."

"Of course she does. We both do."

"Well I hope you're not going to have any more...especially after what happened last time."

I puffed out my cheeks. Mom looked at me haughtily.

"What? I'm just saying. Obviously she can't handle it."

"She has a name," I said hotly. "It's not 'wife' or 'her' or 'that one.' It's Olivia."

As if on cue, Liv walked up beside me. Brooke was in her arms happily munching on some pizza crust.

"Dada!" Brooke said. I smiled and took her from Liv's arms.

"Look who's here, sweetheart," I said. "It's grandma."

Brooke looked confused and started looking around. Mom's face clouded over.

"She doesn't know me," she said.

"Of course she does," I said. I brought Brooke closer.

"Give grandma a kiss, Brooke," I said. She was a serial kisser.

Unfortunately, Brooke stared down at Noah before she stared up. Noah burped and Brooklyn lost it. Our streak of calm was over. She began to scream her head off. Noah shuddered, his arms flew out from his sides and he began to wail.

"You've brainwashed these kids," mom yelled loudly over Brooke's cries. I turned, placing a hand on the back of Brooke's head. Liv took Noah from mom's arms. His cries faded away much quicker than Brooke's cries once he was in his mommy's arms.

"It's a little bit of sibling adjustment!" I called back angrily. "Jesus, mom, give it a rest already!"

She said something else, but I only caught the first few words. Taking Liv's arm, I began to walk away.

"Nick, we can't just leave her hurt and mad," Liv said. I shook my head.

"Today's not the day," I explained. I motioned for security.

"I don't want us to look at pictures from Brooklyn's party and see her fuming in the background or me with a black eye after getting in a fight."

"How about too-tight shorts?"

I smiled. "That was unavoidable."

"Oh so you had to provoke the giraffe?"

I laughed. "Point taken."

"What can I do for you sir?" the security guard asked.

"I need you to escort a lady out of the party," I explained. I turned and pointed her out. She had found dad and was chewing him out.

The guard headed in her direction. Brooke had calmed down to the point of just dramatically tossing back her head and sniffling.

"Birthday girl, calm down," I said. I bounced her in my arms and tickled her stomach. I made a couple duck noises. Her face lit up in a smile.

"Much better," I said. I looked over at Liv. She kissed the top of Noah's head.

Even I had to admit we were a damn cute family.

I took a moment to look over to the place I had first spotted AJ and Rochelle. Ro was sitting down drinking some punch; AJ was nowhere in sight.

"I don't see AJ," Liv said. I shook my head.

"No. But Ro doesn't look extremely upset. Either everything was okay or Bri broke it up before it got bad."

I saw a little worry line appear in Liv's forehead. I leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Don't worry, be happy," I said in my best Jamaican accent. She laughed.

After stopping and talking to a couple of guests that arrived while we were walking around, I cued the staff to bring out the cake. Brooke's hands clung to my shirt and her eyes widened as the huge cake was wheeled over.

"Oooh," she said.

She looked around at everybody as we sang Happy Birthday. She seemed to be practically bathing in the attention. When the song was over and we cheered, she blew kisses to everyone gathered around. One of the staff members lit a solitary candle towards the base of the cake.

"Blow out your candle," I said. I leaned forward, she mimicked my move. I made a blowing noise.

"Nick does that well," I heard Brian say.

"Dude you smell weird." That was Kevin.

"It's giraffe spit."

I was half-distracted, but I still had my focus on Brooklyn. She puffed out her cheeks and blew. I aimed a little helpful air in the same direction. The candle went out and she squealed. Another round of cheers erupted from the crowd.

I put her in the highchair of honor and presented her with her very own cupcake.

This was the moment I had been waiting for. We had never given her that much sugar in the entire 365 days she'd been on the Earth. She poked a test finger into the icing and studied the gooey glob on her finger. Then she stuck it in her mouth. Her eyes lit up. I saw her legs kick in happiness.

After that it was all over. She stuck a hand right into the center and squished the cake between her fingers before shoving her hand right up to her face. By the time she was all done, she was laughing hysterically from the sugar rush. Icing was in her hair, down her dress...up to her elbows.

More conscientious parents would have tackled cleaning her up right away. I stood there eating a slice of cake. Liv was filming and taking pictures Austin-powers style. Noah was sleeping in his stroller. Finally I tossed my plate and headed over with a wet wash cloth.

Brooklyn saw me coming.

"No!"

It was the fourth word she learned how to say after dada, mama, and memee (which was pretty much her word for Liv's mom). I started with her fingers and worked my way up.

"DADA! DADA! NO! NO! NO!"

I wiped her off as best as I could, then leaned down and kissed her forehead. She smelled like a big ball of sugar.

"Are you ready for presents?"

Brooke stuck a finger in her mouth. I pointed towards the table heaped with presents. She seemed to forget about the lost cake.

"OOOH!!"

Liv took over the duty of opening presents. Brooke sat on her lap trying to be helpful by yanking the bow off of each and every one. I took over the picture taking. After awhile I got bored and started taking random shots. I turned the camera upside down and did a crotch shot. I figured Livvy would appreciate that.

If I had thought Liv's baby shower was bad, Brooke's first birthday was even worse. We needed a whole bedroom just to house all of the toys she got. Our attic was filling up rapidly with baby clothes that she had outgrown and that Noah wouldn't wear (aka anything pastel pink).

Finally Liv pulled at a huge gift bag.

"This one's from your uncle AJ," I heard her say. I looked around. He was nowhere in sight. I turned back to see Brooke reaching for it. Even as little as she was, she knew good things came in big packages. I mean, she herself came from a big package, if you know what I mean.

Liv tore open the bag and reached in. I knew the moment the head was out that we were heading for disaster.

Brooke took one look at the giant stuffed giraffe and lost it. Her head tipped back again and she began to wail like someone was sticking her with knives. Liv quickly bagged him back up but the damage was done.

Brooke wasn't destined to be a Toys 'R' Us kid either.

------------------------------

"Thank you for coming."

"Thank you for coming."

Liv and I gave out smiles, hugs, and handshakes as people filed out of the zoo. After we distracted Brooke with a couple presents, the giraffe issue was put to rest and the party ended on a good note.

Mason walked past holding the huge gift bag with the giraffe.

"Thanks!" he said. Kevin gave me a hug.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning at the airport," he said. "Bright and early."

I made a face. "It will be early, but I certaintly won't be bright."

Brian nudged Kevin along.

"You've never been bright."

"Ha-ha."

We hugged and Brian kissed Brooke's cheek. She covered her face and giggled.

"Girls love me," Brian said. Leighanne coughed. Bri turned around sheepishly.

"But you're the most important girl! And Kayleigh..."

"Good party, man," Howie said.

"Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow."

Howie nodded. "Yup. We have a long flight ahead of us."

I groaned. "Goody."

Ro was the last person in line. She took a moment to kiss Brooke and Noah and then looked at Liv.

"Thanks for inviting me."

"Is everything okay?" Liv asked. Ro nodded.

"He just wanted to talk."

"And?" I asked.

Ro looked at me. Tears sprang to her eyes.

"I don't know, Nick. I don't know that I can trust him again."

I sighed. "I'm really sorry."

"It's not your fault. I want to thank you for letting me know."

"I probably should have done it sooner."

"That's in the past," Ro said. "I've got to figure out the future."

Liv and I gave her a hug and watched her walk out. She already looked nine months pregnant as she waddled along.

"So that's what having twins looks like," I said.

Liv nudged me as she brushed by.

"Don't even think about it."

I grinned. "What? Double your Carter, double your fun!"

Liv kissed Noah's head.

"I have double trouble right here," she said as she knelt down to put Noah in the stroller. She looked at me and grinned.

"Plus you."

I laughed.

"It's a full time job," I teased.

"Ain't that the truth," Liv said.

I bent down to kiss the top of head; I felt a rip and a rush of air on my ass. Livvy burst into laughter. I had ripped the shorts right down the seam.

"This is the best job in the world," she declared.

"I'm glad I can provide entertainment," I said.

"In more ways than one," she added.

I grinned. I might be driving home in my underwear, but it was good to be happy.