Playing Pretend

Prologue

“So Chloe, what were you thinking about for your birthday next month?” asked her mother Teresa from the doorway of Chloe’s room while Chloe played tea party with her stuffed animals.

“I don’t know mommy, I was thinking I could be a princess and we could have a princess party,” said Chloe pouring some tea for Mr. Cuddles the bear.

“A princess party? That sounds like a wonderful idea, let me just talk with your father about it tonight and I’ll get back to you. I think Evan and his mother are here, let’s go meet them at the door,” said Teresa extending her hand to Chloe that she took gladly since she loved to play with Evan. Evan was their next door neighbor so they got to play together all the time and were even in the same kindergarten class.

“Hello Lizzie, hi Evan, come on in. Chloe, why don’t you and Evan go play while we talk,” said Teresa, ushering the kids back down the hallway to Chloe’s room.

“Come on Evan, let’s go play house,” said Chloe dragging Evan the rest of the way to her room. Once they got in there Chloe took charge, “Okay Evan, I will be the mommy and you will be the daddy and this will be our baby,” said Chloe lifting up a baby doll to show him.

“Okay, how about I go to my job building things while you stay home and take care of the baby?” said Evan, pulling out Chloe’s blocks from her drawer. They played in silence for a little bit while Chloe played with the baby and Evan played with the blocks. “Chloe?” asked Evan.

“Yeah?”

“Do you like me?” asked Evan.

“Of course I like you, you’re my best friend.”

“Good. Chloe?”

“Yes?”

“Would you ever marry me?” asked Evan. Chloe stopped and looked at him. “I mean, I hear mommy and daddy always saying that they married their best friend and since they married each other, they must be each other’s best friend.”

Chloe thought about it a little longer, “I guess you’re right, so yeah, I’ll marry you.”

“Good, let’s shake on it, but since we’re going marry each other we should kiss like our mommy and daddy do,” said Evan, standing up and coming over to Chloe and kissing her on the cheek. “Okay, now it’s your turn.” Chloe leaned forward and kissed Evan on the cheek as well. “Okay, now we get married.”

Evan and Chloe stood there for a moment looking at each other. “I’ve got an idea, how about we have our mommy and daddies marry us?” said Chloe.

“Okay,” replied Evan.

Chloe left the room to go tell her mother their plans to get married. “Mommy, Evan and I have decided to get married and want you to marry us, will you do it?”

Teresa looked at Chloe and then raised an eyebrow to Lizzie who was sitting shocked across from her but then shrugged her shoulders. “Of course baby, we’ll marry you, but since you’re getting married it needs to be a special occasion. How about we plan a big wedding for you and Evan to have on your birthday?”

Chloe started jumping up and down, “Yeah, it can be a princess wedding and Evan can be the prince. I’m gonna go tell Evan,” said Chloe running back to her room. “Evan! We’re gonna get married on my birthday!”

A few weeks later everything was set up in the back yard. Chloe had a brand new big puffy princess dress in white while Evan had a custom tailored white suit. The back yard looked like a fairy garden with white streamers and twinkling lights everywhere. Everyone was there to celebrate Chloe’s birthday and thought that the wedding was just a preparty play event they were having before the princess party. Everything looked and sounded just like a regular wedding including Evan and Chloe saying “I do” to each other and exchanging rings. Everyone in the audience awed when Chloe and Evan kissed each other on the cheek and walked hand in hand back down the aisle.

“Okay Chloe, now to finish being married you need to sign your name here and Evan you need to sign you name here,” said Teresa as they were standing his Chloe’s father’s office with both her parents, Evan’s parents, and the man that had married them.  Chloe and Evan obeyed and signed their names. “Can we go to the party now?” asked Chloe, not liking that everyone was having fun without her, the birthday girl.

“Yes, you can go, we’ll be right out.”

“Come on Evan, let’s go check out my presents,” said Chloe dragging Evan along with her.

“Are you sure this was the right thing to do to them? They’re so young and don’t know anything,” said Lizzie in a harsh whisper after the kids had left to Teresa.

“It doesn’t matter anymore, it’s done.”