Chapter 2 - The Bonfire

Overall, the Saturday evening bonfire proved to be a huge success, even though it meant different things to the families who attended Terry’s birthday party.

Crystal had been taking care of the twins all day, so the three girls went down to the lake with her grandparents to set everything up. Penny drove her own car down, so she could take the birthday cake, as well as her guitar. That way, she would be able to leave early, if the family tensions ran too high. Franklin and Irene, a happy and peaceful, older couple, showed up shortly after she got there.

“Franklin and his wife are here,” said Ron. “Excuse me, please. I have to go to the car to get something.” He waved at them, as he walked by. “I will be right back, with the beer.”

“How do you do!” said Franklin, greeting everyone else with a heartwarming smile. Irene stood quietly at his side and smiled sweetly at the children. Penny liked them both instantly.

“Hello,” said Marie to them. “Thank you for coming.”

She was surprisingly gracious to everyone.

“Folks, you know everyone else, but I don’t think you have met Penny yet, have you?”

“Hello everyone, it is so nice to see you all,” said Penny, as she put a new set of strings on her old guitar. “This should be a fun evening, right, Crystal?”

Crystal nodded. She stayed close by Penny’s side, but was very quiet. She still seemed to be at odds with her grandmother.

“Where is our dad?” asked Dana. “He is supposed to be our guest of honor.”

“He should be here by now,” replied Dani. “After all, he is the birthday boy!”

“Oh, no!” said Dana, when he finally appeared, with a strange woman on his arm. “Dani, I think our dad has a new girlfriend,” she whispered.

“Who is she?” asked Dani. “We have never met her, have we?”

“No! I already know we are not going to like her.”

“He looks happy,” thought Penny to herself.

The twins were devastated, as this was not what was supposed to happen. They had planned the birthday party for their father, with the expectation that Terry would get to know Penny better. To them, it was going to be their dad’s first date with her.

“Hello everyone, I would like you to meet Tanya,” said Terry, with a smile. “I know you are all going to love her, just like I do.”

For the twins, at that exact moment in time, Tanya was their worst nightmare come true. She was too dressed up for a bonfire and wore an 'icy-nice', fake smile that frightened them.

“Oh Terry, your twins are so sweet!” said Tanya. “Come over here, girls and let me give you a big hug.”

“We don’t want her as our stepmother,” whispered Dana, hesitating for the moment. “Do we?”

“No way, I don’t like her, at all,” replied Dani, quickly hiding behind Dana’s back.

Dana and Dani were reluctant to meet Tanya, but at their father’s insistence, they went over to talk to her.

Penny smiled. She was not surprised at this unexpected turn of events, as Terry had shown no interest in her, at all. At least, now she knew why.

“I am not that unattractive,” she thought to herself.

Crystal was shocked at what had just happened. This was the last thing she ever expected at Terry’s birthday party. “So much for my step-sisters and little step-brother,” she thought to herself.

Ron and Marie were not surprised, as they knew that this was not the first time he had been involved with someone. Franklin and Irene were too busy putting wieners on the long willow poles, to pay much attention to anyone.

It was not long before Terry and Tanya were chasing the twins up and down the beach. Penny could hear their laughter from a distance. She felt almost envious of Tanya.

Unexpectedly, Terry’s former wife showed up with her husband and son, much to everyone’s surprise. Terry had invited them. They all stayed down on the beach for a while.

Ron and Marie, Franklin and Irene, sat in their lawn chairs, drinking beer.

Penny declined Ron’s offer to join them.

“Thank you,” she said. “I have juice for later.”

She took advantage of the moment to show Crystal a few chords on her guitar. Crystal’s grandmother had been far too busy talking to Irene, to pay much attention to what they were doing.

“I wrote a song,” said Crystal, quietly. “I don’t know how to put chords to it.”

At that very moment, Marie glanced over at Crystal.

“I am your guitar teacher, Crystal,” replied Penny, loud enough so that Marie could hear what she was saying. “It is my job as your guitar teacher, to show you how to do that.”

Marie did not seem to have any problem with that relationship and the tensions between them seemed to ease up. Penny knew that music was a legitimate part of Crystal’s heritage. As her guitar teacher, she also knew that she had found her place in Crystal’s life.

“Hot dogs!” everyone, hollered Marie. “There is salad, too.”

“Save room for birthday cake!” said Penny, with a grin. Later, after Terry and Tanya blew out the candles, she cut it in pieces and passed them around.

After supper, Crystal sang her new song for everyone, accompanied by Penny, who had given it some chords. Then, they all enjoyed a sing-a-long.

Terry did not pay much attention to Penny throughout the entire evening, but he was kind to her. She knew that juggling all these people in his life, was not going to be an easy task.

He knew that somehow, he had to find a way to reveal his plans for the future, without upsetting anyone.

Ron pulled out his peace pipe, a while later. The men sat back and enjoyed smoking it, while the women chatted in front of the bonfire.

Crystal and Penny took a short walk on the beach, in the moonlight.

“If I am to be your guitar teacher, then you have an excuse to visit me.”

“That works for me,” said Crystal. “Look at that moon. It is so beautiful! I could write a song about it!”

“Listen, you brats, if you think you are going to break up your dad and I, you have another think coming,” said Tanya to the twins, as they were returning to the bonfire. "You can go live with your real mother."

Penny could scarcely believe her ears. She could see that the twins were on the verge of tears. Their little brother was tired and upset too.

“Listen folks, Tanya and I have an announcement to make,” said Terry. “I know that there is probably no right time to say this, but Tanya and I just got engaged!”