The Anniversary Party

This is submitted for the Literotica 750 Word Project 2021.

A story about life and family in 750 words.

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The party was in full swing. The music was good, and the food was better. Friends and family members were dancing, cousins were catching up, telling jokes and stories about years gone by, while adults corralled the children to keep them out of mischief. In quiet tones, aunts were asking mothers about the sons and daughters who brought dates to the big event and how long would it be before there was a next big announcement? Mothers did their best to calm the gossip and reduce expectations, but secretly wondered themselves. It was your basic family celebration with friends. And why not? The years had been good, the family was healthy, and any problems were in the past.

It was an anniversary party celebrating a major milestone. Off to the side, a man and woman sat at a table with drinks, talking quietly, comfortable in their relationship as only people with a long history can be. Everyone gave them their privacy, and no one interrupted them.

"It's a lovely party, James. Everyone seems so happy and they all get along. How many families can say that?"

"Not many." he said. "I've been watching my parents with their great grandchildren. I'm not sure which generation is having the most fun."

Marie was laughing. "I wish my parents were still around to see this. God, they loved you so much!"

"And I loved them. I remember when I asked your father for permission to marry his daughter, and he only asked me one question. He said, 'Are you sure?' I told him I was, and he said, 'Then you have it.' and he hugged me. From that day on, he treated me like the son he never had."

"If you think my father loved you, my mother was over the moon when you proposed!"

"She was always so good to me."

After that, the two just sat for a time, each with their own thoughts and memories. Neither wanted to disturb the moment.

"Do you remember our first apartment? We had to pinch pennies to make the rent. It was so small, and I was a new wife trying to keep house for the first time. It was all so daunting."

"It was small, but the only furniture we had was a few hand-me-downs."

"We didn't care. All we really needed was a bed." That made them both smile. It was true. The newlyweds had so much passion for each other that many nights they skipped dinner and went straight to bed after work.

"We had all that we needed. We had each other."

The two grew silent again, each remembering and wondering.

"Thank god we didn't get pregnant that first year. I don't think I could have managed."

He just laughed at the thought and said, "We'd have gotten by. Our parents were always waiting in the wings if we needed help."

"Yes, but we were so proud. I was determined that we would make it on our own and I would show them that I could take care of my husband."

"...make it on our own." He was shaking his head and laughing. "At the time I had no perspective. I couldn't see all that they had done for us through the years, raising us, teaching us, holding us up when we would fall and stepping back when we needed to stand. I didn't see any of that until we had our own kids. Now I don't know how they did it."

There was a sadness in her eyes. "They managed, and then we managed, and now our kids are managing."

"We did good. We should be proud." He was smiling.

"Yes, we did good, until I let you down."

"It's all water under the bridge now. Life goes on."

"All these years and I still can't tell you why."

"It doesn't matter anymore."

James looked across the room and saw a smiling face. Patient and all-knowing, Helen walked in their direction.

"So, are the two of you getting along?"

Marie stood. "Of course! He says it's all water under the bridge." She hugged Helen and kissed her on the cheek. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you."

"So, what have I missed?" he said.

"Oh, nothing important, my love. It's time to cut the cake."

It was the twentieth anniversary of two lost souls who'd found each other after being cast aside by spouses who would not know for years the magnitude of their mistake. Life was good and the family was celebrating.

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So, just a quick check on the math. James and Marie get married at 25, have three kids and ten good years, and then she falls in love with another man. Her second marriage fails not too many years later. Infidelity is a poor foundation to build a marriage on. James spends five years rebuilding his life and soul, finds Helen who has two kids from a previous marriage, and they are here celebrating their twentieth anniversary. That makes James and Marie sixty with thirty-year-old kids and young children, and James' parents are about 85. It works.