Goodness gracious! Did I truly give birth to this little whirlwind? He is absolutely relentless! How on earth am I supposed to get him ready for the party?
"ALAIN! Stop running! Come here! We'll be late!" Ethan shouts, his voice reverberating through the house as he tries to wrangle his energetic son. Today is a big day—the family is preparing to celebrate Ethan's cousin's child's first birthday, and everyone needs to be ready and out the door in time.
As they hustle to get dressed, they anxiously await Alice's return from work. However, Alain is determined to evade his dad's attempts at assistance. Instead, he's calling out for his mom.
"NO! Dad, I don't want to wear this!" Alain protests, his little face scrunching up in defiance.
Ethan reassures him, "Alain, this outfit is fantastic! You'll look so handsome. Now come on! Don't waste my time."
With a burst of energy, Ethan scoops Alain into his arms, lifting him high into the air. Laughter fills the room as Ethan spins him around, both of them caught up in the joy of the moment. Alain's giggles echo as he shouts, "Dad, let me down!!!"
Just then, Alice walks through the door, her bag slung over her shoulder. She drops it on the dining table and falls onto the sofa in the living room. Alain's eyes brighten, and he dashes toward his mother, who seems utterly exhausted. Yet, as she opens her arms for a hug, the weariness fades away. She settles back into the sofa, and Alain climbs onto her lap, stretching his nose and hugging her tightly from behind.
Alice is a stunning woman with a radiant smile. In her late thirties, her youthful appearance belies her age. Despite the visible tension and stress etched on her forehead, the brightness of her face overshadows her flaws. She dons a formal pink blazer with a loosely tied scarf around her neck. Her long hair is gathered in a big bun, secured with pins, and a few tendrils hang down, likely a result of the long day she's had. She slips off her long heels, lightening her legs.
"How was the event, honey? Did you enjoy it?" Alice asks, her curiosity piqued.
"Yes! And guess what? I was a panda today, and my friend Aurora and I scared everyone!" Alain exclaims enthusiastically.
"Oh, really? So you were quite the little troublemaker today!"
"I wasn't naughty!!"
"Honey, you should freshen up and get ready. We must leave as soon as possible!" Ethan urges Alice.
"Yes, about that..."
"Where are my glasses? Ethan! Honey, have you seen my glasses?" Martha, Ethan's mother, enters the room in search of her specs.
Martha, in her late sixties, is dressed for the party in a lovely long blue coat set, adorned with a delicate piece of jewelry around her neck. She looks beautiful, though the wrinkles on her face reveal her age as she frantically searches for her glasses. She approaches the sofa, glancing around before taking a seat.
"I am really tired today... I had so much to do. I think I'll skip the party. Can you all go without me?" Alice continues, her exhaustion evident.
Alice stands up wearily and walks to the open modern kitchen connected to the hall. She opens the fridge, reaching for a water bottle, but then pauses. Her eyes widen as she spots two full containers of sandwiches tucked away. Alice's smile fades as she grabs the water bottle, shuts the fridge door, and turns to Ethan.
"Ethan, what is this?"
"What happened?" he asks, puzzled.
"You forgot the sandwiches! Now what am I going to do with forty sandwiches?"
"Ohh... That! I'm so sorry, I had this interview and completely forgot about them. We'll eat them," Ethan replies, brushing it off.
"Forty sandwiches! They're going to last us for weeks."
"How could you forget, Ethan? She woke up at five in the morning to prepare these," Martha chimes in, supportive of her daughter-in-law. Martha possesses a big heart, full of empathy and understanding.
"I know... I just couldn't remember, and you didn't remind me either," Ethan argues.
"I... I have to leave early in the morning, Ethan,"
"Ethan, it's not just Alice's responsibility to remember everything. You're also a parent and share equal responsibility. You can't just blame her for not reminding you. Look how tired she is! And you're arguing with my girl.",Martha argues.
"God! I'm arguing? Mom... Okay. I'm sorry, it won't happen again."
"Good," Martha replies. Martha's smile suddenly fades and she looks as if she is thinking about something.
"Mum, where are your glasses? Did you find them?" Ethan asks, attempting to change the subject.
"Glasses?... Oh! Yes, no... I'm still looking for them."
Just then, Alain approaches Martha and tugs at her dress to get her attention.
"Mom-Mom..." he says sweetly. It is Alian's way of calling his grand ma.
Martha turns around, and Alain hands her the glasses. For a moment, she looks confused, staring at the specs.
"What happened, Mom?" Ethan asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Ohh... You found my glasses! Thank you, honey."
Seeing that everyone is finally ready, Ethan asks, "So, shall we go?"
"Yesss!" Alain squeals with excitement. Children possess a unique ability to be thrilled by the smallest things, while adults often feel obligated to participate out of social norms. Yet, the enthusiasm of children can reignite a sense of childlike wonder in adults.
Ethan scoops Alain up by the waist, holding him high in the air. "Okay! Let's go!"
Martha chuckles at the sight of them both as they head out, with Alice bidding them goodbye.
They arrive at the venue, initially expecting a typical birthday party, but instead, they are greeted with a spectacular celebration. There are games, stalls, and rides set up for the children to enjoy. Alain's face transforms from amazement to surprise to pure excitement in mere seconds. Martha and Ethan share the same awe as they take in the stunning arrangements. Ethan's cousin truly outdid themselves; everything about this birthday party is simply perfect.