CALIFORNIA PARADISE
Chapter Thirty-Six

July sixteenth dawned earlier than could have ever been imagined. The first rays of sunlight streamed across the pink sky and began to warm the ground instantly. Before they could even reach Jack and Rose’s window, however, they were awakened by a beautiful, golden, just-turned-five child running into the room, life coursing through every inch of her body, and taking a leap onto the grand bed to land between her parents.

From that moment on, the celebration was on.

*****

The hired help had been working for a good hour before sunrise, and by the time Dawson family had eaten their early breakfast, most of the decorations had already been put up.

*****

At promptly seven o’clock in the morning, Jayvelin was driven to the hotel her grandparents, Robert and Leah Malong, were staying at. She was to spend the day with them for a bigger essence of surprise when she arrived with all the other guests to see the complete decorations and goodies for the day.

*****

For the next three hours, Jack, Rose, fifteen decorators, eight chefs, and assorted help painstakingly went over every stitch of the house to make it into the palace it would serve as for the day.

*****

The first guests began to arrive at ten in the morning. They oohed and aahed over the silk streamers and banners expertly placed around the house. The children Jayvelin played with were sent to the backyard, where they giggled and laughed over the balloons, ponies waiting patiently in the distance for a rider, and the gradually growing yet forbidden present-pile.

*****

It wasn’t until a quarter after that the guest of honor showed up. Jayvelin had been changed into a dress the color of her father’s eyes and which flowed down like her mother’s silky hair. She walked into the backyard, escorted by Robert and Leah, to the welcoming smiles of her eighty-seven guests, twenty-two of whom were children, and not counting the before-mentioned help.

*****

The party, simply put, was a success.

The twenty-two children would grow up and go to dozens of parties in their lives, yet each one of them would be measured up to Jayvelin’s fifth birthday party, and not one would even come close--except for future Dawson bashes. Among the children were Nathan and Natalie. All their young lives they had been taught the proper way to act, but in that one day they learned to be true to themselves, and individuals, no matter what. Another honorable guest was Jolene and Rich’s son, who was put in charge of watching Jacob and stuck to his duty faithfully.

"Joel, don’t you want to go on a pony ride?"

"I don’t know. Jacob’s still pretty little..."

"I am not!"

"Okay. But if something happens to Jacob..."

The adults were a more assorted crowd. Friends from around the neighborhood felt deeply humbled by the beauty queen looks of Rose and her friends like Anna and Jolene. This problem was promptly solved when a group of rebels, led by Jack and Robert, started an ambush that led to the soaking of all the women at the party. They all came out of the pool beautiful water goddesses with long, soaking hair and the droplets glistening rainbows from the reflections the sun cast on them. Revenge was soon received, however, with half the pies baked ending up on the rebellious men’s faces.

*****

The gem of the party occurred as the sun was going down over their perfect world. Everyone was in a good mood, as the presents had just been opened and a great heap of china sets, porcelain dolls, and rocking horses lay in back of them. The best gift of all, of course, was a life-size portrait of Jayvelin. It had taken Jack a week to sketch it and Rose three times that much to brilliantly add color. The result was a masterpiece no one would ever be able to top; the eyes were a pathway to the innocence and beauty of Jayvelin’s heart, the simple white dress had every ruffle in place and each ruffle had blues and greens and pinks for the shadows, the cheeks reflected the rosy smiles the pink lips had often shown, and oh, how brilliantly the hair flowed in perfect, natural curls across her shoulders and to her waist; brighter than the sun itself. The painting was Dawson family property only, and would never be subject to a museum where even the lowliest of scum might come in to view the piece. But that was all over and done with. The time had now come for the birthday cake.

This was no simple chocolate cake with some icing and candles stuffed in. No, it was a five-layer strawberry ice cream cake with intricately designed white roses held in place on the borders by a swirl of cinnamon mixed in whipped cream.

*****

It wasn’t until not a crumb was left that good-byes even began to be said. Young children slumped against their fathers’ shoulders as they were carried away.

*****

At half past nine, Jack and Rose gave Jayvelin and Jacob a quick bath and put them to bed. When they walked onto the back porch once again, they found that only Cal, Isabella, Jolene, Rich, Anna, Chad, Justin, and Victoria remained.

"Do you still want it?" Jack was looking squarely at Cal.

"Want what?" Cal asked.

"The diamond."

Cal’s mind whirled. This was what he had been waiting for all these years. To feel the wealth in the palm of his hand; feel the power as it surged through his whole body. "No. Keep it. Someday, somehow, you two can keep it somewhere safe."

Jack shrugged, trying to keep his jaw from dropping with all the willpower he had left in him, and sat down on one of the chairs as he pulled Rose onto his lap.

Murmuring as if to no one, he said, "This was nice. For one day, at least, everyone could forget who they were. They forgot about social status, they didn’t give a crap about who had how much money in their wallet; they were just who they were. And tomorrow they’ll all go back to their regular lives. They’re gonna go back to who they’ve always been. But I’m a firm believer that they’ll remember today until their dying day. And they’re gonna be thankful for this one moment in eternity of freedom. And maybe, just maybe, it might make them a better person."

"You think too much, Jack," Rose said. "I’m too blissfully happy to even care about any of that kind of stuff." Stars began to appear in the sky as she continued talking, "I’ve decided that this is my happy ending. I’ve gotten my closure from everyone from that nice couple who married us to Mother." She looked at each member of the small group assembled before her. "Life makes you a better person. I’m going to live out my days to the fullest, but for now, this is where the story stops. Maybe one day when I retell it, I’ll stop sooner if that’s all that’s really necessary, or maybe I’ll even go on. No matter what happens tomorrow, I’ve got my happily ever after for now. So I believe this is..."

Stories