Julie gently brushed a strand of hair behind Isla's ear, her eyes locked on her friend's tear-stained face.
"Isla, I know this is a lot to deal with, but I want to remind you of something," Julie said softly. "Your birthday is in three days."Isla's expression faltered, and for a moment, Julie saw a glimmer of sadness in her eyes. "I forgot," Isla whispered.Julie's smile was encouraging. "Well, let's not let this situation overshadow your special day. And speaking of which, the fashion show is coming up soon. You have to be there, Isla."Isla's gaze drifted away, her shoulders sagging in defeat. "I don't know, Julie. I don't feel like attending anything right now."Julie's grip on Isla's hands tightened. "Nonsense. You need to show up and show them all that you're not going down without a fight. Besides, it'll be good for you to get out there and do something you love."Julie pulled out her phone and began dialing a number. "I'll call Lindsay and see if she can get us a valid RiseUp code to attend the show. We can't miss this opportunity."Isla's eyes met Julie's, a spark of hope flickering to life. "You'd do that for me?"Julie's smile was reassuring. "Of course, I'm here for you, always."
"She didn't pick. Maybe she's busy. But I promise I'll reach out to her." Julie told Isla.
"We'll try later. I'm hungry. Go and get some snacks, I'll wait here."
As Julie headed to the kitchen, she caught Cade's eye and gave him a warm smile.
"Hey, thanks for being so sweet to Isla," Julie said, her voice low so Isla wouldn't hear.
"She's been through a lot, and it's nice to see her happy again." Cade's smile broadened, and he nodded slightly, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
"Three days, right?" Julie continued, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"We're throwing her a birthday party she'll never forget. Make sure to take good care of her, Cade. She's lucky to have you as her house manager." Julie's gaze lingered on Cade's face, and she added with a sly grin,
"And if you're interested in her, go for it. You've got my full support."Cade's face lit up, and he looked like he was about to burst into a dance. He quickly composed himself, nodded, and said,
"I'll get snacks for you guys." As he turned to head into the kitchen, Julie could swear she saw a spring in his step. A few minutes later, Cade returned with a tray laden with an assortment of snacks - chips, popcorn, and cookies. He handed it to Julie, who thanked him and headed back to Isla's room.
"Hey, I'm back!" Julie announced, balancing the tray as she settled back onto the bed beside Isla.
"Cade gave some goodies." Isla's eyes lit up, and she reached for a bag of popcorn, tearing it open with a happy sigh.
"Perfect timing," she said, munching on a handful of popcorn. "Now, where were we? Ah yes, the masquerade ball theme..."
As the day went by, Julie and Isla reminisced about their childhood birthday celebrations, sharing laughter and stories about their friends Lindsay and Wendy. They giggled about the time they had a sleepover and tried to stay up all night, only to end up falling asleep in a heap on the floor.
As the evening drew to a close, Julie stood up, brushing off her pants. "I should get going, it's getting late," she said, grabbing her purse. Isla walked her to the door, where Cade was waiting to see Julie off. As they said their goodbyes, Julie turned to Cade and said,
"Hey, let's exchange numbers. It was great talking to you today." Cade smiled, pulling out his phone, and they quickly exchanged contacts.
"Add me on Instagram too," Julie said with a grin. "I'll send you a follow request, and you can follow me back." Cade nodded, already pulling out his phone to search for Julie's Instagram handle.
As Julie drove away in her sleek, expensive car, Isla returned to her room, feeling grateful for the wonderful day she'd had with her friend. The next day, however, Isla's gratitude began to fade as she noticed Cade talking to Julie on video call for hours. They were laughing hysterically, and Isla couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.When Cade finally ended the call, Isla raised an eyebrow.
"What's going on with you and Julie?" she asked, trying to sound casual. Cade smiled, looking a bit sheepish. "Just getting to know her better," he said. "We were talking about... um... party planning?" Isla raised an eyebrow, skeptical.
"For hours?" she asked, her voice laced with amusement and a hint of curiosity. Cade chuckled.
"Okay, maybe we got a bit sidetracked. She's really cool and funny. Fact; she's also very beautiful." Isla's eyes narrowed slightly, her mind racing with thoughts she didn't quite understand yet.
"I'm glad you think so," she said, her tone neutral.
"Okay, so I'm trying to decide what to wear to go shopping today," Julie said, holding up two outfits for Cade to see on the video call.
"Which one do you think I should choose?" Cade laughed as Julie showed him a revealing red dress.
"Oh, I think you should definitely wear that one," he said with a grin.But Julie chuckled and said, "My husband disagrees. He says it's too revealing and I need to cover up more." Cade burst out laughing.
"What's wrong with your husband? That dress is amazing!" Julie giggled. "I know, right? But he's always like that. One time, we were at the beach and I wore a bikini. He was so embarrassed that he ended up covering me with his jacket."Cade was laughing hysterically now.
"That's hilarious! What's his name, anyway?" Julie smiled.
"His name is Lucas, and he's a total goofball. We have the best time together. Like, one time we went to Japan and got lost in the subway system. We ended up singing K-pop songs to a group of strangers to get help finding our way."Cade was in stitches.
"That's amazing! I've had some crazy travel moments too. Like the time I accidentally ordered a spicy dish in Thailand and thought my mouth was on fire." Julie laughed so hard she snorted.
"Oh my god, that sounds hilarious!"Isla walked into the sitting room, curious about the loud laughter coming from Cade's direction. She saw him on the video call with Julie, who was still showing him her wardrobe. Isla shook her head, smiling, but as she turned to leave, she saw Cade's eyes glued to Julie's phone screen after the call ended.Her smile quickly turned into a scowl as she saw him scrolling through Julie's Instagram posts.
She saw the picture of Julie in a red and white polka dotty revealing dress at the beach, and her anger boiled over.
"What are you doing?" she demanded, snatching the phone out of Cade's hand.
"Why are you staring at my friend instead of doing your job?"Cade looked up, startled. "I was just... um... admiring her tattoo," he stammered, his eyes darting to the picture on the phone.
"I think I'd like to get the same one." Isla's anger turned to jealousy, and she felt a pang in her chest. "What tattoo?" she asked curtly, her eyes scanning the picture.
"The one on her back," Cade replied, his eyes still fixed on the phone, which Isla was now holding tightly in her hand. "I think it's beautiful." Isla's face darkened, and she glared at Cade.
Isla's voice was firm as she warned Cade, "Just focus on your job, okay? Don't get too close to my friend." Cade nodded, looking contrite.
"Okay." he said, his eyes cast downward.
Later that day, Isla spent some quality time with Dora, playing games and chatting about her birthday plans. Dora beamed with happiness, thrilled to see Isla back on her feet. As dinnertime approached, Cade took over the kitchen, cooking up a storm while simultaneously chatting with Julie on the phone.
Isla's anger simmered just below the surface as she watched Cade laugh and joke with Julie. When the call finally ended, Isla swiftly dialed Julie's number, her fingers flying across the keypad.
"What's going on between you and Cade?" she demanded, her voice laced with jealousy. Julie pretended not to understand the undertone, her tone light and airy.
"Oh, we're just becoming fast friends! He's really cool, and we have so much fun talking. What's the big deal?" Isla's anger boiled over.
"The big deal is that you're married, Julie! You shouldn't be flirting with my house manager. It's not right."Julie chuckled, still feigning innocence.
"I'm not flirting, Isla! We're just having fun. Besides, Lucas knows I'm friends with everyone. He's not worried."
Isla's voice turned stern.
"Julie, don't let your friendship with Cade ruin your marriage. You're better than that."
As Isla ended the call, she stormed into the kitchen to check on dinner. But to her surprise, Cade was nowhere to be found. She asked Dora,
"Where's your dad?" Dora shrugged nonchalantly. "My friends are outside to pick me up. I'm going to their house for a sleepover." With that, Dora grabbed her bag and skipped out the door, leaving Isla speechless and furious in the empty kitchen.
The four friends, Lindsay, Wendy, Julie, and Sasha, sat around a large table, surrounded by Barbie-themed decorations and fashion magazines. They were determined to make Isla's 33rd birthday an unforgettable celebration.
"I think we should start with the guest list," Lindsay said, pulling out a notebook and pen.
"Who do we want to invite?"
"Definitely all of our close friends and family," Wendy replied. "And we should also invite some of Isla's colleagues and acquaintances. Let's make it a big party!"
"I'm thinking we should limit it to around 200 guests," Julie said. "That way, we can still have a intimate feel while also having a good number of people to celebrate with."Sasha nodded in agreement. "I like that idea. Now, let's talk about the decorations. We need to make it look like a Barbie world."The friends brainstormed ideas, tossing around suggestions for pink and white balloons, glittery streamers, and a giant Barbie cutout. They decided on a color scheme of pastel pink, white, and gold, and agreed to hire a professional decorator to bring their vision to life.
Next, they discussed the cake. "We need a cake that's as sweet as Isla," Wendy said, giggling. "Let's get a custom-made Barbie cake with fondant and edible glitter.""I know just the person to call," Lindsay said, pulling out her phone. "My cousin's friend is a cake designer, and she's amazing."The friends moved on to discuss the menu. "We need to have a variety of finger foods and appetizers," Julie said. "Maybe some mini quiches, deviled eggs, and meatballs.""And we can't forget about the drinks," Sasha added. "Let's have a signature cocktail, like a 'Barbie-tini' or something."After some deliberation, they decided on a menu that included a range of sweet and savory options, including cupcakes, macarons, and a chocolate fountain.As they continued to plan, they discussed the gifts they would give Isla. "I was thinking of getting her a new car," Julie said.
"Maybe a pink Mercedes or a white Audi."Wendy's eyes widened. "That's so extravagant! I love it. I'm thinking of getting her a designer handbag or a piece of jewelry."Sasha chimed in, "I'll get her a personalized photo album or a customized piece of art."Lindsay smiled. "I'll get her a year's supply of her favorite champagne."The friends continued to brainstorm, coming up with more and more elaborate gift ideas. They decided to pool their resources and give Isla an unforgettable gift – a brand-new, pink Tesla.As for activities, they planned a range of fun games and contests, including a Barbie-themed photo booth, a scavenger hunt, and a fashion show. They also hired a live band to play Isla's favorite music.After hours of planning, the friends finally had a detailed plan for Isla's birthday party.
The budget was astronomical, but they didn't care – they wanted to make this birthday one for the book. The friends looked at each other, grinning from ear to ear. "This is going to be the best birthday party ever," Julie said, clinking glasses with her friends.
"To Isla, and to an unforgettable birthday celebration!" they cheered in unison.
"I don't want anyone to mock Isla for not having a man by her side on that day." Lindsay said.
"About that....." Julie tried to think.