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At long last the day of the Violet’s Sweet Sixteen Birthday Party arrived.
That morning, Violet was treated to one of her Dad’s Super Breakfasts – all of Violet’s favourites, plus everything else you can think of, topped with bacon and waffles. Then, the family gave her their gifts – clothes from her parents, decidedly more mature in style than her usual clothes, and included some lovely amethyst jewelry – a ring, a pair of earrings, and a necklace. Jack Jack and Dash made her a card that actually brought tears to Violet’s eyes. And from Karen, a thin gold necklace with a pendant of the letter V.
“V for Violet!” Jack Jack declared.
“Or V for Voyd,” Violet said as she thanked Karen with a hug. Karen blushed and stammered out a clarification but Violet just turned and asked for help attaching the chain around her throat.
Once the gifts were given, opened, admired and put away, Helen took Violet out to get her hair, nails and makeup done, a whole beautician treatment for the birthday girl. While they were gone, Bob and Karen and the boys decorated the house and got the snacks and treats ready for the guests, who were invited to arrive around eight. Karen passed the vacuum and Dash dusted. Bob set up the patio chairs outside for the adults who were coming over, so they’d be close by in case of… well, in case, but still far enough away that the teens could have fun.
Dash kept the party music playing on the Hi Fi, and at one point jumped up on the coffee table to surf along to the Beach Boys.
“Dashiell Robert Parr, you get off that table this instant!” Karen snapped at him just as Helen and Violet walked in. Helen stared at Karen, impressed.
“Couldn’t have said it any better myself,” Helen said, and Dash hopped off the table.
“Heh, I’ll just go help Dad,” he said sheepishly, and zipped outside.
Karen knew she was staring, but she couldn’t stop. Violet’s hair had been poofed up in the back, a real bouffant ‘do, with just a bit of an upturn at the ends. Her bangs were styled, slick and low, and held back with a violet Alice band. Her makeup was perfect, flawless – thick dark eyeliner with purple eye shadow, dark burgundy lips, just a hint of blush on her cheeks.
“Do you like it?” Violet asked her.
“You’re stunning,” Karen managed to say without stammering, keenly aware of the rollers in her hair, of the sloppy tshirt and old jeans she wore. Violet smiled and blushed.
“Hey hey hey, who are these two superstar models?” Bob asked jovially, coming in from outside.
Helen primped her new beehive hairdo and laughed.
Bob grabbed her by the waist and swung her around.
“BOB IF YOU WRECK MY HAIRDO I SWEAR!”
He laughed and put her back down. “Okay, okay!” he said, then turned to Violet. “Oh sweetheart, you’re just gorgeous. As beautiful as your mother, thank goodness.”
“Thanks Dad,” Violet said bashfully.
They had a quick supper of Chinese takeout, eaten from the boxes to Dash’s obvious delight, and then got dressed for the party. Karen shepherded the boys through the process and tied Dash’s tie for him with a warning that it had to stay tied until the last guest arrive at least. Dash made a face of infinite suffering, but when Karen threatened to portal him to Antarctica (a feat impossible for her, though Dash didn’t know that) he rolled his eyes and reluctantly agreed.
“What is taking so long?” Dash asked at 7:58. Violet and Helen had still not yet emerged from Violet’s room.
Karen carefully threaded a finger along the Veronica Lake wave she’d put in her teal hair. “Girl things.”
“Can you go check on them? It’s taking forever,” Dash complained from the couch. He zipped over to the snacks table and eyed the triangular sandwiches.
“Hey!” Jack Jack yelled. “No powers Dash! No fair!”
There was a blur, Karen could have sworn she saw it in the mirror, but when she turned Dash had an innocent look… and a full mouth.
“Mmrkuh,” Dash mumbled around whatever he’d swiped from the table. “Mmuh mmrrwuhs.”
“Okay, no powers,” Karen translated, fluent in guilty pre-teen. “I will hold you to that, Mister.”
“Okay, okay, sheesh.”
“Ta-daaaah!” Helen announced from the stairs.
Violet stepped down from some kind of dream and into the living room. Karen knew she was staring, didn’t care, couldn’t stop if she tried.
The shimmering purple dress fit her like a glove, the skirt swaying with each step, the wide, high-collared neckline framing Violet’s exquisitely made-up face and flawless hair. The darker purple shoes, another gift from Edna, had three-inch heels, open toes through which peeked shimmering purple-painted toenails, and straps around the ankles. Even from across the living room, Karen noticed Violet was wearing the V necklace she’d given her, and the amethyst earrings that had been a gift from Helen and Bob.
“Violet, you are byooful!” Jack Jack declared. “Like a movie star!”
“Yeah, you look cool, I guess,” Dash admitted.
“What do you think, Karen?” Helen asked.
Karen cleared her throat, never taking her eyes from Violet. “You look incredible.”
Violet grinned, and at that moment, the doorbell rang and the first of the guests arrived. Everyone made a special effort to dress up for the party, the girls in fancy dresses (though none as fancy as Violet’s), the boys wearing ties and blazers.
Lucius and Honey gave her a pair of midnight blue high-heeled go-go boots. Susie’s gift was a makeup set. Violet’s other school friends gave her chocolates, flowers, a bottle of her favourite lavendar perfume, some cute earrings, and an itty bitty purse. Violet loved all the gifts and the hugs and the over-the-shoulder air-kisses from her girlfriends, laughing at how grown-up they felt.
Dash got the music going and Bob made sure everyone had drinks, from soda pop and punch for the kids to some more adult drinks for the grown ups. Karen made sure the snacks kept flowing onto the snack table.
The music was jumping and everyone was having a great time. They listened to the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Elvis, and Jerry Lee Lewis. They danced to the Crystals, the Shirelles, the Ronettes and the Marvelettes. They played Little Eva and Little Peggy and Where Are You, Little Star. They danced the mashed potato and the monkey, the locomotion and the swim, and of course, the twist. When someone put on Bobby's Girl, the kids who were dancing took a break for drinks and snacks and conversations.
Violet headed over to the snacks table and helped herself to a cup of punch – grape and ginger-ale, her favourite – and brought the cut-glass cup to her lips, turning to face the room and look at all her friends.
“I wanna be Bobby’s girl,” Marcie Blaine sang from the Hi Fi. “I wanna be Bobby’s girl.”
Violet spotted Karen and her breath caught in her chest. The light outside on the patio was hitting Karen just right, highlighting her high cheekbones and slim figure and most importantly, her glorious smile.
Marcie Blaine pleaded, “And if I were Bobby’s girl, if I were-“
“Karen’s girl,” Violet whispered to herself in time with the music, staring at Karen across the room. She was so beautiful in that green dress, hanging out with the adults. Lucius was telling some kind of story and Violet’s dad was obviously the good-natured butt of the joke, based on his expression, how often he was rolling his eyes, and how often he was interjecting defensively. Karen would hide her laugh behind a hand, but she couldn’t hide the grin in her eyes.
Violet took a sip of punch, heart racing. She felt warm and tingly all over, dizzy, lightheaded, and most importantly, so, so happy. She felt like she’d never stop smiling, never be sad ever again.
“I wanna be Karen’s girl,” Violet sang, a little louder. Just saying the words made her face burn, her heart pound even harder. “I wanna be Karen’s girl.”
Karen glanced over at Violet and saw she was being watched. She ducked behind her teal hair bashfully, but the wave she’d put in for the party revealed her eyes, still looking towards Violet. Violet grinned at her, and Karen grinned back. Violet hid behind her cup of punch, twisting her shoulders in time to the music, making the skirt of her dress sway back and forth around her legs.
“Karen’s girl,” Violet sang, almost loud enough to be heard by the kids standing near her. Saying the words that loud made her whole body feel on fire, and she closed her eyes against the sudden rush, feeling dizzy, feeling wonderful, feeling electrified.
Karen frowned, tilting her head quizzically. She started to cross the room, concern shining from her bright blue-green eyes. Violet watched her come closer and closer, lightheaded with joy, breaths rapid and shallow, heart pounding. “Karen’s girl,” she whispered again as Karen drew close.
When Karen reached Violet, she reached out to take Violet by the arm. The mere touch, so gentle and caring and electric made Violet want to gasp, want to scream, want to jump with joy and hug Karen tight for ever and ever. And kiss her. Oh to kiss her, to feel Karen’s lips against her own. She shivered at the thought.
“Are you okay?” Karen asked, coming close enough to Violet that she could smell her perfume. Lavender, Violet’s favourite. Violet’s eyes fluttered as she breathed in.
“Mm-hmm,” Violet said, hiding her excitement in a sip from her cup. Karen looked doubtful. Violet noticed Karen’s hand hadn’t left her arm. “Just super happy right now.”
“I saw you say my name but I wasn’t sure what else you were saying,” Karen said, then dawning horror flickered over her face. “Was it ‘hurl’? Are you going to be sick?”
Violet laughed. She’d never felt better, felt more alive, in her entire life. “Never better,” she managed to say without exploding.
Karen grinned at her just as the song ended.
“Play something we can dance to!” Susie yelled into the crowd. Whoever was nearest the Hi Fi changed the record. Dusty Springfield’s I Only Wanna Be With You started to play, and everyone jumped up to dance. Violet’s eyes went wide with excitement and she put down her drink.
“Mmm!” Violet exclaimed around a mouthful of punch. She swallowed and said, “Our song!”
Karen laughed and asked, “We have a song?” as Violet grabbed her by the wrist and hauled her out to the dance floor.
They danced the pony, just as they’d done that dance lesson so long ago, Violet managing even in her high heels. Hand in hand, swinging each other around, laughing and grinning with joy and delight, mock serious, high drama, goofy teens, they danced.
The song ended and everyone cheered and applauded. One of the boys called for a slow song, and the teens excitedly agreed. Karen looked around the room, watching everyone pair up, then turned to Violet.
Who only had eyes for Karen.
“Did you want to dance?” Karen asked, hooking her thumb towards the crowd of kids as Baby I’m Yours began to play.
Violet looked around, then back to Karen. “There’s no one I’d rather dance with.”
Karen giggled, biting her lower lip, but Violet stepped forward and rested her forearms across Karen’s shoulders. With Violet’s hands linked behind Karen’s neck, Karen was left with nowhere to place her own hands – except on Violet’s waist. Violet stepped closer and began to sway in time to the music, eyes firmly locked on Karen’s.
Karen felt her cheeks burning, but began to dance, unable to stop herself, unwilling to fight her feelings another second. She longed to hold Violet, to pull her close and never let go, and she could see clear as the brilliant, glittering, violet eyes that were the whole world, that were everything, that Violet felt the same. Karen felt dizzy, lightheaded, floating, falling. Her face hurt from holding back the grin that threatened to break through.
Old habits die hard, though, and instead she blinked and briefly looked away – right at the sign Dash and Jack Jack had made:
HapPY BiRthDAY sWeeT 16!
Sixteen years old. Violet was almost four years younger than Karen. Karen had to be strong, for Violet’s sake.
Karen licked her lips and glanced around the room. Boys and girls were dancing close together, talking quietly or looking into each other’s eyes. “Violet, your friends will… talk,” Karen said softly, regretting every word.
“Let them,” Violet said, turning Karen’s face with one gentle hand to look at her, instead. And then, Violet began to sing along with the music.
“I’m going to stay right here, by your side,” Violet sang quietly, for Karen alone to hear. Did she blush as she looked down and sang, “Do my best to keep you satisfied”, looking up at her through long lashes, or was that Karen’s overactive imagination?
“Nothing in the world could ever drive me away,” Violet continued. “Every day, you’ll hear me say…” The next line was spoken, in all seriousness, eyes wide and honest, trusting and loving: “Baby, I’m yours.”
They continued to dance. Nothing more was said.
Violet closed her eyes and allowed Karen to direct their movements, a soft smile on her lips. Karen didn’t hear anything, didn’t see anything but Violet’s face, the only scent Violet’s perfume, the only touch Violet’s waist moving under her hands. Karen felt stunned, drunk, dizzier than the days after her head injury… and happy. A happiness so intense, so brilliant, she felt like she’d just explode if she didn’t at least let herself grin. She wanted to laugh, yell, scream, cry…
The song ended and everyone parted, clapping. Karen reluctantly stepped away from Violet.
“I need to check something… in the kitchen,” Karen said, hooking a thumb over her shoulder towards the garage.
“Okay,” Violet said, never breaking eye contact as she pointed the right way to the kitchen.
“Right.”
Karen somehow made her way to the kitchen, where she soaked a dishrag in cold water and lay it across the back of her neck, focussing on remembering how to breathe.