Talibah's Books
Friday, June 25, 1999 - 3:24 PM.
Gary slowly put the phone back on to the cradle. His eyes were
dancing. Hot Damn! This was going to work out after all. Ted was going
to have the time of his life. Gary knew that Ted was actually dreading
his birthday, his family used to make a big thing out of birthdays. Last
August, they even went back for Will's birthday, of course, a whole lot
has changed since then. There's now a hole in Ted that Gary can't fill
alone.
"Getting paid for daydreaming again?" Gary looked up to Sandi
laughing at him. Sandi was the real 'Talibah'. She got the name from Ted
one night. Some sort of private joke between him and Gary. But she liked
it.
"Sandi, that was Ted's brother, Will, on the phone. He and Bart
said that they would be here for the party."
"That's great, Gary. Ted still doesn't know anything does he?"
Gary gives her an accusing looking, "Well, if he knows, he didn't
hear it from me." His eyes now sparkle with laughter. He knows that
Sandi wouldn't say anything to Ted, she was helping him plan the whole
thing. It was her idea the night of the party to tell Ted she needed
help unpacking a shipment of books. Then keeping him busy until it was
time for the party to start. Ted already thought that Gary would be at
St. Lukes Hospital till 8:00 PM that day. "Which reminds me, did you
send out all the invites?"
Sandi goes thru this every day about one thing or another, Gary
was being so paranoid about the party. The only thing that kept her from
getting mad, is when she saw the eagerness in him, he was like a little
kid in a candy store. It was so obvious that he wanted 'his' Ted to be
happy. They have been together for a over a year yet acted more like
newlyweds than anyone she had ever known. It was sickening sometimes,
holding open the door each other, the unconscious fleeting touches. The
quick kisses when they thought no one was looking.
"Yes Gary, I sent them all out. The invitations practically
shouted that It was a surprise party. The RSVP gave my home phone
number. We've already ordered the cake. Jim is making some tapes to
play. CJ is arranging for the subs. Do we have to go thru the list every
day for the next three weeks?"
"Sandi, we got to get you a girl. Changes your whole outlook on
life." Gary has hoping Sandi would meet up with someone, again. When
Cheryl died, it took away Sandi's sunshine. It's taken her six months to
just get this far. Ted's party will be the first time she's really going
out since the memorial service. It was the memorial service, that gave
him and Ted a reality check. When they saw how Cheryl's family treated
Sandi, it made them realize that the world can really suck. When they
got home that night, they talked about it, how they felt about each
other in those deep down places. ... The next day, they went to the
legal aid society and start getting every thing in order, personal and
living wills, power of attorney, and lot of stuff, that made them
married in all but name. It was the living wills, though, that said the
most about how they felt about each - giving the power of your life or
death to your partner is total and complete trust.
Sandi looked as Gary's face changed from glowing to pensive, he
seemed to be out in outer space. "Earth to Gary - Earth to Gary. Don't
worry about it, the party will be an absolute success - the Social Event
of Season. Soon they'll all be clamoring for invites."
He smiled back. "It better be."
"So did you finally decide what to get him? or are you still
keeping it a secret?" Her curiosity was killing her. Normally Gary and
her tell each other everything, but he's refused to tell her what
present he's giving him.
"Won't tell, you'd tell the entire world."
Just then a customer walked in, "Do you have 'The Catch Trap' by
Bradley, Marion Zimmer Bradley?" Gary said "I'll get it for you." and he
was off.
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back to "stray e-mail, part one"