New Year's Eve party

Year End Celebrations

(Simple Pleasures)

Let’s have a New Year’s Eve party!

What a wonderful idea! A time for games, food and drinks, a setting suitable for friends, for family. A time for the author to slip in a frustration sliver.

In my novel, Baggage burdens., the New Year’s Eve party among young people starts a joyful relationship between Eve and Daniel. It also plants the seed for an even happier development and an unwanted challenge for Jill, Daniel's mother.

At Jill’s family’s New Year’s Eve party a growing bond begins between Eve and Jill. Then Eve’s news suggests an even closer relationship in the future. Because of the antagonistic past between Eve’s mother and Jill, the reader must suspect a storm is brewing. The coming disturbance sucks in other irritating seeds to create hurricane force damage.

“So, do you think last year’s New Year’s eve toast came true?” asks Eve, as she looks at Jill and then Amber. Eve has come over early to help Amber and Jill prepare the New Year’s eve treat trays–– a vegetable tray, a fruit tray, and a meat, cheese and cracker tray.

“It’s been a good year,” says Jill.

Amber agrees.

Jill announces, “We’ll serve one tray after each game. Charade winners will be the servers.”

“Can you handle that?” Amber looks at Eve, remembering that Eve and Daniel won all three games at last year’s New Years Eve party.

“Be our pleasure,” responds Eve smiling. Looking at the bottle of wine, she says, “Same as last year I see. A good tradition.” Eve sets the bottle down. “I think this year was the best. I doubt next year can beat it.” She proudly extends her left hand, wiggling her ring finger. “Today Daniel asked me to marry him.” She bounces up and down like a rubber ball. Jill catches her hand to get a better look.

After they finish admiring the ring and congratulating Daniel and Eve, Amber asks, “Why now?” Amber looks at Daniel for an explanation.

“Exactly two years ago Eve let me kiss her. She made it a special day for me, so I wanted the same day to be special for her this year.” Daniel wraps his arm around Eve’s waist.

“What about the rest of the story?” interrupts Eve. Before Daniel can start she says, “Two years ago a bunch of us from church got together for a New Year’s Eve party. Late in the afternoon Martin Shopka hitched up a couple of his horses and took us for a hayride. I was pushed off the wagon. Half buried in cold, powdery snow I watched the wagon pull away.”

“Everybody was laughing so hard that Mr. Shopka didn’t hear her call to stop,” says Daniel.

“So Daniel jumped off to help me,” cuts in Eve. “Another burst of laughter erupted from the wagon.”

“I think the others thought I too was pushed off,” adds Daniel.

“Anyway, Daniel rescued me.”

“That’s when she kissed me,” explains Daniel. “We walked back to the church,” continues Daniel. “It wasn’t that cold.”

“For the rest of the night Daniel was the target of my affection. I thought I’d make some of the other guys jealous,” says Eve. “How was I to know that Daniel would take me seriously? After that he never quit calling me. Eventually he convinced me he was worth hanging on to.” She looks at him and plants a kiss on his lips.

Hidden in this happy setting a thorn slips in. Anticipate unexpected, unwelcome challenges.  

haiku capsule:        

             Time for fun, food, games        

                               Old year finishes on high note     

                               Now, no better time.

Next blog: Simple Pleasures––A Wedding Celebration