My future is bright, my youth is history and my presents are arriving in five minutes! Tonight is my annual pool party, notoriously themed by my crafty mother in her efforts to be the next Canadian Martha Stewart. But tonight is also a surprise party for Natalie, Aunt Judy and Uncle Dave. My identical cousin is moving to Connecticut next week, and although Natalie and I tried everything to stop it, the move is inevitable. Mom thought it would be a cool idea to have a New England clambake and decorate the backyard with red, white and blue. She even ordered a ginormous apple pie with tiny sparklers to serve next to my store-bought sheet cake. My mom is a mega-dork and tends to go overboard with the party themes. Like at my 15th birthday party luau. . . my friends spent the first hour puking their brains out over some gooey shit called poi, but then, the night really lit up when half of the cheerleading squad’s bangs started a fire by the tiki torches. Or the first coed pool party I had in seventh grade, in which Mom created a whimsical carnival with games and cotton candy – and a kissing booth?
