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Chapter 15

A few weeks later Willow and Buffy were making their way to sixth period when Willow asked, "What are you gonna do for your birthday, Buffy?"
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"My mom’s throwing me a party, you know family, a few friends, then afterwards the nights all mine."

"Oh you’re having a family party, how quaint," Cordelia said sliding up next to the two girls.

"It’s not everyday that Joyce’s little girl turns 18." Buffy clenched her books to her chest. "Besides, who can say no to chocolate cake and fun hats?"

"Did I hear someone say cake, and point me to the fun hats." Xander hurried between Buffy and Willow draping his arms around the two girls’ shoulders. Cordelia rolled her eyes heavenward as Willow and Buffy laughed.

"Do you want to come to my party Xander?" Buffy asked sweetly.

"Can I be your date?" he replied wiggling his eyebrows.

"I don’t know how my boyfriend is going to feel about that. Whadda you think, Will?" Buffy turned to Willow worried expression.

Willow stopped suddenly and frowned nervously at her; Xander tightened his hold on Willow and dragged her so she wouldn’t fall behind the group. "He’s not coming, is he Buffy?"

"Of course not. I’m not even telling him it’s my birthday. As far as he knows, this weekend I’m having a quiet visit with my mom. He and I are going to be celebrating at a later date."

"Ugh boyfriend talk. I’m out of here; call me with the details about the party. Ladies." Xander bowed deeply and turned, melting into the crowd.

"I’m amazed every time he does that," Buffy said to herself. Shaking her head she turned her attention back to her girl friends. "You’ll be happy to know that next weekend I’m telling Spike the truth. Everything.

"Wow Buffy are you sure?"

"Yes. Next weekend is the perfect time. My mom is going to LA for some artwork auction and I’ll have the house to myself. I’m going to invite him over and we’re going to take that next step."

"That’s so weird," Willow said softly. To her friends confused expression she sighed noting, "I mean you’re all like ‘Tuesday I’m getting my teeth cleaned, Thursday I have a book that I need to return to the library, and oh yeah, Friday I’m going to lose my virginity.’ I’m just saying, weird."

"It’s not like that, Willow. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about it." Buffy turned to Cordelia and said, "Cordelia, please tell her."

Cordelia stopped and thought for moment, "Well, at least you won’t be jail bait anymore."

"Have I told you that I hate you lately?" Buffy pouted and Willow grinned. "Back to my party. Will you guys be able to come and celebrate ‘my not being jail bait’ party this Friday? We can go Bronzing afterwards. Oh, and Cordy, you can’t tell Angel about my birthday. He might tell Spike."

"Yeah, because when Angel and I get together we just talk and talk about you." Cordelia retorted sarcastically.

"Just promise, Cordy." Buffy pleaded.

"OK, don’t have a cow. I promise not to tell him anything. I’ll see you guys later." Cordelia walked away with a flick of her ponytail.

Across town Spike walked through the brightly lit halls of one of Sunnydale many preschools. He had a spring in his step and a whistle on his lips. He turned a corner and stopped at the first door, opening it gently. He stepped in the room that had mats all over the floor. He made his way to his desk, careful not to hit any of the sleeping children laid out on them. He sat down turning on a small lamp, thinking that it would be the best time to catch up on some paperwork, but he was preoccupied with thoughts of Buffy. He opened his planner and pulled out the small picture of Buffy that he kept in the pocket. A small smile graced his face as he took in her laughing countenance. He ran a thumb over the picture when he heard a small sigh. He placed the picture on his desk and looked up into the tired eyes of David. "I think I had a accident." David whispered in a sad voice. At that moment the timer went off and all around them, children started waking up. Spike looked around weighting his options, should he take David or stay with the waking children? The door opened and his assistant Maggie came into the room. She looked from David’s stained pants to Spike’s imploring face.

"No." she stated, simply.

Spike sighed and without a word led David out the door to his cubbie for a change of clothes.

When the door closed behind the two guys, Maggie started gathering the children things together. She looked up and saw one of the students next to William’s desk. "Dawn honey, come over here and pick up your blanket. You know that you’re supposed to stay away from William’s desk. You didn’t touch anything on it did you?"

Dawn smiled sweetly at Maggie and walked to her blanket. Dawn was just getting this whole school thing. It was kinda like Mrs. Rose’s day care but sometimes the bigger kids in the hall were noisy. A lot noisier than Mrs. Rose ever allowed. And Maggie was nice, but she wasn’t as nice as Miss Patty. William was a nice teacher even if he talked funny like Mr. Giles did. She wondered if he was from England like him, and she also wondered if he knew Mr. Giles. She was going to have to ask him when he came back with David. She was also going to ask why he had a picture of Buffy, she wrapped her fingers around the photo in her pocket.


"Mom, are you home." Buffy called to the obviously empty house. She stuck her head out the door and waved her friends into the house. Willow and Cordelia walked up the driveway and made their way into the Revello Drive kitchen. Willow sat at the island while Cordelia got herself a diet coke out of the refrigerator. "Make yourself at home," Buffy said, eying her friend.

Buffy noticed the answering machine light blinking and went to retrieved the messages. An electronic voice told her that there were two new ones, and she started listening to the first message. It was Allie from the LA Art gallery. "Hello Joyce." she said in her smooth tone. "I can’t wait to see you when you come back to the city. I have this new artist that you are going to just love! He’s young and hip and completely original! I just know--" Buffy interrupted the message. She saved it for her mother and moved on to the next one. "Hey Joy, it’s me. Can you call me back as soon as you get this message. It’s kinda important. It’s about, well just call me back ‘kay?"

"What’s wrong Buffy." Willow asked.

Buffy shook her head slightly whispering, "My aunt sounded so serious. I hope..." she stopped and looked at Cordelia and Willow, waving her hand dismissively. "I’m sure it’s nothing. Let’s go upstairs and figure out what we’re doing tonight."

Cordelia took a pull on the straw in her coke when her eyes fell on an envelope addressed to Buffy. "Buffy this is yours." She picked up the letter and handed it to her. "Ohh it’s from Spain," she added.

Buffy snatched the letter and tore open the envelope. She tossed the card aside without a look and picked up the check that was in it. "Well one thing can be said about Hank. What he lacks in parenting skills he more then makes up for in guilt money." She showed the check to both Willow and Cordelia. Willow whistled while Cordelia gave it a look of approval.

Buffy folded the check up and stuck it in her pocket saying, "I guess lunch is on me. Whadda you guys say to pizza?"

"I say, ‘jump in my tummy’." Willow explained walking up the stairs with Cordelia. Buffy started laughing when her eyes fell on the card sitting on the counter. She picked it up and, seeing only a few words on the paper sadly slid it into her bag.
 

Earlier that afternoon about the same time that Buffy was grabbing her books for her last class, across town her cousin Dawn was getting into the car with her mother. "Mommy! Mommy! Guess what?" The little girl stared at her mom with bright eyes. Dawn’s long brown hair hung shiny around her cherub face. She smiled her gapped tooth smile and repeated excitedly. "Guess what, Mommy."

Jenny started the car and pulled out into the afternoon traffic. "I couldn’t even begin to guess, honey. Why don’t you tell me? Did it involve clowns? Polar bears?"
Dawn giggled into her hands, "No silly. There were real Indians in our class today. Just like on TV."

"Just like on TV?" Jenny echoed.

"Yes, and one looked just like Pocahontas. They brought a whole buncha Indian stuff call artifacts, and they even showed us a dance!"

"It was a good day to be in school, huh?"

"The best! Even when stupid Logan spilling his apple juice on me, that didn’t spoil it. But when I danced I was all sticky. It was gross!" Dawn looked down at her shirt and fingered a large stain on it.

"Well when you get home, throw your clothes in the wash and then you can show me your dance, how does that sound?" Jenny said sitting at the light on the corner of their street.

"OK. I can dance real good. Mr. Shadowhawk said so."

Jenny looked down at the earnest expression on her daughter’s face and kissed her on the forehead. "What was that for," she asked with a gleam in her eye.

"I just wanted to give the best Indian dancer I know a kiss. Is that all right?"

Jenny turned into their driveway and Dawn bolted out the car to the swing set in the back yard. "Dawn, didn’t I tell you to do something first?" Dawn stopped and went in the back door.

"Hi snowball," she said to the white cat that came in the kitchen to meet her. Snowball meowed loudly as Dawn pulled her shirt over her head and kicked her shorts off. She stuffed both in the washer as her mother came in the door. Jenny looked at her daughter standing in the kitchen in her underwear and frowned. "Mom look at my dance!" Dawn started shuffling in place looking so silly that Jenny couldn’t stay upset with her. Dawn started dancing faster and soon both Jenny and her little girl were laughing like crazy.

A half hour later a fully dressed Dawn ran around her swing set with her neighbor Hannah. Jenny watched the two from the kitchen window. Behind her the washing machine hummed. Jenny picked up the phone and dialed. After a moment she said in a low voice, "Hey, it’s just me. How was your day?" She smiled lightly as she listened to the voice on the other end. Jenny turned and leaned on the counter. "You poor thing. Why don’t you come over and I’ll make it all better. Oh and listen, I’m really excited about this weekend. I hope you realize how big a deal this is?" she said in mock seriousness. Then in a softer voice she continued, "I know. OK, I’ll see you when you get here. Bring a bottle of wine, I’m making pasta." She hung up the phone and after a moment picked it up again. "Hey Joy, it’s me. Can you call me back as soon as you get this message? It’s kinda important. It’s about, well just call me back, ‘kay?" She disconnected and watched Dawn through the glass.





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