Petra the Small Ch. 04

Tom reached in his pocket and pulled out a cell phone. "Call the Brown's now. Ask them if we can drop by to have a conversation with them about Friday."

Sabrina took the phone and made the call. The Brown's said to come right over.

The bill was paid, the group rushed out, piled into the car and ten minutes later they pulled down the quarter-mile long driveway at the Brown's farm. The Brown's, Gilbert and Emma, were sitting on the porch steps when they drove up. They were both wearing bib overalls and work boots.

After introductions were made for the benefit of Petra and Buck who had never met the Brown's before they talked about the plan. Gilbert said there would be plenty of parking available, and that he had installed two big lights in between the house and barn. He turned them on and the two lights lit an area big enough to park fifty cars in easily. He also showed them inside the new barn. It was huge. Two hundred people could dance in there with no problem.

The Brown's liked the idea of finding actual ninth of September birthdays. Emma said that as soon as they (Sabrina, et al) left she would phone her part of the phone tree.

It was almost ten o'clock by the time the four got back to Sabrina's. Tom and Petra kissed and hugged their family good-bye and headed for Jenny's home. Petra called Jenny from Tom's cell phone and told her of the plan. She loved it!

Eventually, they did get to sleep.

Early the next morning Tom was in his office. Four miles away Petra was in her office. Sabrina was already at her shop and Buck was at Sabrina's, sound asleep. After Sabrina called Jerry and got his by-in on the birthday party she called the newspaper. They told her that to do what she told them she wanted to do she first had to get a permit at city hall. They also told her that she needed a camera ready ad and that the deadline for this week's paper was ten o'clock the next morning.

Six phone calls later Sabrina had the camera ready ad being made, Harvey was headed for city hall to get a permit and the Brown's knew what was going on. As Sabrina hung up the phone the bell on her shop's front door rang. A customer had walked through the door. Sabrina smiled, and greeted her.

That evening Harvey called Jenny and Sabrina and they started calling the phone tree. The permit had been issued. The city clerk said it was the first permit ever issued for a birthday party in the thirty-six years he had been the clerk. Harvey even got him to look through some of his files for people with a September ninth birthday.

Sabrina called the Brown's. The excitement started to build. Over the next two days people found a DJ who would play music for all ages at the party, various brothers and sisters took on the decorating, six men were given the job of parking the cars for the party, a dozen brothers and sisters decided they would be the clean up committee, and Jenny and Petra bought presents for the birthday people.

On Wednesday morning Petra got a call from the city clerk. The clerk said that he should not be doing this but there was one person he found with a ninth of September birthday. He gave Petra her name and address. He also told Petra that the woman was going to be 75 years old.

When Petra called the number a woman answered and said, "McMillan Assisted Living."

"Good morning. I'm looking for a Margreta Jones. Does she live there?"

"Oh yes! She does. Who may I say is calling?"

"Before I speak to her I'd like to ask you a couple questions about her, if I may."

"OK. Who are you and why are you looking for Margreta?"

"My name is Petra Evans. My family is having a birthday party this Friday evening and since that is the ninth of September we would like to include anyone who was born on the ninth of September."

"Do you know Margreta?"

"No. Does that matter?"

"Tell me your name again, please?"

"Petra Evans."

"Can you come over here to our home?"

"Yes. I can come late this afternoon, say about 4:30 or so."

"I will make sure our director and social worker are here to speak with you then. I will be waiting for you."

Petra got directions and they concluded the call. Then she called Sabrina and Jenny.

"Ladies, I am going to an assisted living home this afternoon to meet the birthday girl, Margreta Jones, who will be 75 on Friday. Want to go with me?"

They both answered, "Yes!"

Petra reviewed her phone call and they agreed to meet in Harvey's parking lot at four and ride over together.

The three women walked from the car to the front door of McMillan's Assisted Living and were met by a woman who looked at Petra and asked, "Petra?"

Petra stuck her hand and smile out and embraced the young woman with both. She introduced Sabrina and Jenny and they were led inside. They young woman was the one Petra had spoken to earlier on the phone, Cathleen. She took them through a large living room and into the office of the Director. She kept looking at Petra like she was amazed at what she saw.

The Director stood when they entered and introductions were made. When everyone was seated the director spoke.

"Your call came as quite a surprise. Let me explain. Margreta came to live with us six years ago. A man about fifty brought her to us. She was sick and frail. He paid us for fifteen years of care at our then going rate. When he walked out the door he was really gone. The contact information he gave us was faked. We have had no way to contact him or anyone about her. She has told us a lot about herself over the last six years. Everyone here loves her. We would do just about anything for her. Then you called."

Sabrina spoke up, "Is she well enough to attend a party?"

"Oh, Yes! She will probably even dance!"

"Can we meet her?"

"Yes, but there is something you need to understand first. Margreta thinks she has a daughter. She knows she hasn't seen her daughter in many years but she talks about her daughter often. Her daughter is named Petra."

That last word hung in the air of the office like it was about to explode.

"Petra?" Petra asked.

"Yes. Meeting you I now believe she will believe you are her daughter. She describes Petra as very petite, smart as a whip, and gentle. I think she will embrace you and introduce you to everyone as her long lost daughter."

A tear ran down Petra's face.

"I would like to meet a woman who would like me to be her daughter."

"OK. Just so you know what's likely to happen."

Everyone stood and as a group they followed the director out into the big living room. Every eye was watching this group of young people walking through their living room. They walked to a lady sitting in a wing-backed chair by a window. She was holding a book in her hands and looking out the window.

When the group realized they were headed for that particular woman Sabrina started to cry. Petra took out tissues for all of them and they wiped tears away.

The old woman in the chair was tiny. Sitting in the chair her feet stuck straight out from the cushion. She resembled a wrinkled child sitting in an adult chair.

When the Director spoke her name the old woman looked up, with Petra's eyes. The same bright, intense, joy was in her eyes that everyone saw in Petra.

"Margreta, you have some visitors."

One look at the people behind the Director and Margreta was scooting her way out of the chair. With the moves of a much younger woman she was past the director and in Petra's arms.

"Petra! I have missed you so!"

Petra returned the hug and added her tears to the embrace. After a while Margreta broke the embrace and said, "Where are my manners? I have not even acknowledged your friends."

Sabrina and Jenny introduced themselves and everyone hugged. The social worker left them for a moment and returned with two boxes of tissues. Everyone sat.

"Petra, how did you find me? Oh, never mind. I don't really care how you found me. I'm just glad you're here."

"Margreta, how would you like to attend a party on Friday evening?" Sabrina asked.

"A birthday party?"

"Yes. It is your birthday, isn't it?"

"Yes," and looking at Petra she said, "and yours is February twelfth."

"Yes, it is." Petra said in a voice so soft it was barely hearable at all.

The energy in the group changed again. This meeting was no longer about the party and a stranger.

"If I may ask, Margreta, what happened a long time ago..."

"I always wondered if your parents told you. I guess they didn't. Did you ever wonder why you didn't look like your Mother Alice?"

Petra looked stunned. She knew her mother's name was Alice!

"I wondered. How do you know my mother's name?"

"Oh. I thought you knew more than you know. I am your mother. I am also your father's half-sister. His father married my mother after your grandmother died giving birth to him. When I was raped and got pregnant your parents took me in and when you were born they took you to raise. Back then a single woman couldn't raise a child alone. They said they would care for you as their own and their only request was that I not be a part of your life until you were an adult. Once a year until you graduated from high school I got a letter from your Dad telling me a little about you and sending along your school picture."

"You thought I was looking for you?"

"Yes. The look on your face says I was wrong."

"I have to be honest. I never knew I was adopted. I couldn't look for you. I didn't know you existed."

"And you found me anyway."

"And I came here to invite you to your seventy-fifth birthday party!"

"I accept! Can my friends here come too?"

Sabrina answered, "Oh yes! We want them all!"

"None of us drive so we'll need transportation."

The Director blew her nose and said, "I'll arrange for a bus. I'll need details and directions but I think almost everyone here can attend. Do you have room for all of us?"

"We'll make room." Jenny said, "After all, you're family."

Jenny set things up for the evening. Petra was staying for dinner with her Mom. Jenny and Sabrina were going to a party planning meeting to spread the news and to send Tom to get Petra after dinner.

"Who is Tom?" Margreta asked.

"He's my almost husband." Petra said, beaming.

The group left and Petra and Margreta went down a hallway to Margreta's room. Once inside they sat and talked and shared from the past and created memories. Margreta showed Petra her scrap book of pictures and letters from Alice. The book had every letter and photograph that Alice ever sent.

They cried together.

They went to the dining room and had dinner together. Petra was introduced to everyone and hugged by everyone who could stand and two men who couldn't. There were tears during dinner too.

As soon as they could Petra and Margreta went back to Margreta's room. Inside they talked quietly, sitting very close on the couch. They talked about the past, and the future. They talked about hopes, dreams, wishes and God.

At nine o'clock there was a knock on the door. Margreta called out, "Come in!" and Tom did.

"Margreta, this is Tom. Tom, this is my mother Margreta."

Tom hugged her and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Margreta pulled back and said, "Why are you thanking me?"

"If you hadn't given birth to Petra I couldn't be as happy as I am every day."

"You're welcome."

By 9:30 they were in Tom's car headed for Jenny's. They stayed up with Jenny, Jerry, Sabrina and Buck talking about miracles and surprises until about midnight. There were times during the conversation that Petra noticed she was crying again. The tears were joy leaking out and falling as expressions of a verse in the Bible "my cup runneth over."

Just after midnight Tom called a halt. He could see how tired Petra was and knew she needed some rest. Sabrina and Buck went home. Petra stayed awake long after she and Tom went to bed. The next morning she said she felt good and rested. No one believed her.

On Friday morning Jenny got up and followed her normal morning routine. After starting the coffee she showered and got dressed. Then she went out into the front yard to get the paper. Petra was in the shower when Jenny came back inside.

"Petra!"

Petra shut the water off and answered, "Yes?"

"You're on the front page!"

As quickly as possible Petra got out of the shower, wrapped a towel around herself and headed for the kitchen. Tom and Jenny were holding the paper and smiling.

Tom read, "Two days ago a surprise visitor to the McMillan's Assisted Living facility arrived to meet Margreta Jones who will be celebrating her 75th birthday today, the 9th of September. What the visitor did not know was that the woman she would meet is, in fact, her mother. About thirty years ago Margreta Jones gave up her only daughter into adoption. The mother and daughter reunion lasted the evening and promises to last much longer. The daughter, Petra Evans, has arranged a birthday party for her mother at the new barn of Gilbert and Emma Brown on West Alameda Street near Via Abajo. Anyone who lives in or around our town who has a birthday in September is invited. Be sure you bring proof of birth to the party. Further information can be obtained by calling Sabrina Thomas at 555-1818. The party is potluck except for punch and the birthday cake! Please let Sabrina know you're coming so they can have enough cake."

As Tom handed the paper to Petra the phone rang. Jenny answered.

She listened for a few moments and said, "Tell Petra." She handed Petra the phone. It was Sabrina.

"Petra, my phone might melt! I keep getting call after call. Buck is in the living room now taking calls. We have fifteen more September birthdays. Miller's Bakery called and they are donating eight sheet birthday cakes for the party! Donating! The manager of the A&P called and is giving us all the paper goods we need. His birthday is in June but he wants to come. What do I say to people?"

"Tell them to come! Tell them when the barn is full we'll dance and eat outside. Tell them to bring lawn chairs, blankets and no booze! This party isn't about getting drunk it's about Love and Joy!"

When Petra pushed the button on the phone to hang up it rang again. This time it was Harvey. "Petra, take the day off. That is an order. There are a hundred things you need to coordinate today and my finances aren't on the list. By the way, let me know where you're going first I have something for you."

"I think I need to go to Sabrina's. Then to the Brown's."

"OK. I'll meet you at Sabrina's."

"Do you know someone who can help her with the phones?"

"Yes. I've got it covered." He hung up.

"Harvey commanded me to take the day off. I'm going to Sabrina's and then to the farm. My gosh people are really getting behind this idea!"

"Honey, you are amazing! I'm so glad you came into our lives." Tom hugged and kissed Petra. When the hug ended the group got their stuff together, Petra dressed, and off they went.

At Sabrina's Petra was hugged and kissed by Buck, Sabrina and three other people she didn't even know. The three were sent by Harvey to handle the phones. Sabrina shut her shop. They were about ready to go out the door when Harvey walked in. He handed Petra a credit card. She took it and looked at Harvey with a question on her face.

"You're going to need something for the party. Pay for it with the card. I trust you. I love you and I want to help however I can."

Petra kissed him the way a man like him deserves to always be kissed and then she and Sabrina left. Sabrina gave him the same kiss that Petra did. Buck watched and smiled. He wasn't jealous. He was happy.

He thought, as he watched Petra's little car drive away, "I got it! I am a happy, blessed man."

At the farm they found a big truck from Santa Fe parked by the barn. The workers were unloading tables and chairs. The man with a clip board asked which of them was Petra and asked her to sign for the tables and chairs.

"How much is this costing us?"

"You get a special rate, a hundred chairs for a dollar, two hundred chairs for two dollars. Oh, the tables are more, ten cents apiece. The total comes to five bucks and someone already paid." The man was smiling like he knew the Cheshire Cat personally.

"Who paid the bill?"

"I did." He was still smiling.

"And who asked you to bring the tables and chairs? Not that I'm not grateful, I am, but I hadn't gotten that far in my thinking."

"You hadn't. I had. I read about you and your Momma in the paper and I just want to be a part of this."

"You are a part of this! Thank you." Petra hugged him.

"You are going to be here aren't you?"

"No one in my family has a September birthday."

"You have a September un-birthday don't you?"

"Yes, I do."

"Wife? Kids?"

"Yes and yes."

"Call them. Tell them you're coming to the best birthday party ever! I want you and your family to help my Momma celebrate her life!"

Sabrina handed him a cell phone and he did just what Petra asked him to do.

When he handed the phone back to Sabrina they hugged. He got in the cab of his truck with his two workers and Petra climbed up on the step of the truck. She could barely see into the cab. The two men were looking at her. They were Hispanic men and smiling at her.

"Su tengo novias?"

"Si, Senora."

"Come to the party." The man driving translated and the men smiled very widely. Petra got down and the truck drove off. She walked into the barn. The DJ was setting up his equipment down at the far end. Sabrina was down with him. Petra walked and looked at how the tables and chairs were set up. Sabrina was talking with the DJ.

"Is it possible to have a couple of the speakers outside? I think we are going to have more people that this barn will hold."

"Just tell me where you want them."

"I'll get back to you in just a few minutes." Sabrina saw Gilbert walk in and she went to him.

"Gilbert, can we set an area for outside dancing?"

He burst into a smile and said "Sure!" His cell phone came out of his bib pocket and he dialed. Two minutes later he came back to Sabrina and said, "In an hour there will be a portable corral built right out the north side of the barn. It'll be about the same size as the barn."

Sabrina told the DJ and he set up speakers out there. All day calls were made, received and trucks arrived, unloaded and left. As the sun lowered in the sky Tom showed up with Buck and clothes for Sabrina and Petra. They kissed the men and went in the house to dress.

While they were inside folks started arriving. They arrived in cars, pick up trucks, SUV's and one on horseback. The women all carried food, some men carried food too. Kids dressed up for a party got out of their cars and ran around. The party had begun.

When Sabrina and Petra came out of the house they smiled to see twenty vehicles parked and people just inside the barn. When they walked in Petra stopped. There were presents on a table. Wrapped in colorful papers and tied with bows the table had birthday presents on it.

She turned to Sabrina and Emma and said, "Oh my, I didn't get Momma anything!"

They both laughed. "You call this nothing?"

"But, shouldn't I have a present for her?"

"We'll put a bow on you!"

"Are you sure?"

"She only wanted you. That's all any of us wants."

"OK. I guess."

Over the next hour Harvey, Gilbert, Buck and three others showed up and directed traffic. Gilbert attempted to count people as they arrived but lost count somewhere after four hundred. The truck that brought the tables and chairs earlier came back and another two hundred chairs were unloaded and put around another thirty tables. The dancing would be outside until dinner was cleaned up.

Ten minutes later a truck delivered a big dumpster and ten trash cans. No one had thought of that. No one had been asking for paper showing birthdays either. Petra was up by the DJ when her cell phone rang. It was Harvey at the gate.