Chapter 36... No Bullshit

Melissa had turned 18 years old on Wednesday. Can you imagine that I have not one, but two step daughters over the age of 18? This is crazy!

Luckily things have been better with Melissa. Ever since I reached out to Pamela and started communicating with her. Guess she doesn't have anything bad to say about me when I'm the only person who communicates with her!

I decided that we would take the girls out to a Murder Mystery Dinner and I invited Pamela. She accepted.

If you would have told me even 6 months ago that I would be inviting Pamela to dinner I would have laughed at you! With age comes maturity though...

It was about -6 degrees tonight. Just a little bit cold... We got to Pamela's house around 5:30p to meet up with everyone. Carissa couldn't make it, she told me she was booked for the whole month, so it was myself, Seth, Ashley, Melissa, her BFF Allie, and Pamela. We had to take two cars so Seth and I were driving up with Melissa and Allie, Pamela and Ashley were following in her car.

Seth had gotten the three girls flowers for Valentine's Day so we were going inside. The walk to the front door wasn't shoveled so we ad to go through the garage. This led into, Pamela's bedroom. A bit awkward but hey why not? As we enter, Pamela is downstairs getting ready. Her room is a bit disorderly, bed unmade, clothes laying all about, but no surprise there.  She doesn't strike me as the most organized person... Seth moves to go upstairs and Pamela's calls for me. She wants my opinion on what she's wearing. She had already texted me earlier asking me what I was wearing. i told her a skirt, sweater, and heels. And so I was wearing a skirt, sweater, and heels.

She asks me, "Tell me the truth, do I look like a heffalump!???" She was wearing leggings, knee high boots, and a shawl like top. She didn't look bad in it so I said, You look fine."

She then gasps and say, "Please tell me you're old enough to know what a Heffalump is!"

I roll my eyes, "Yes Pamela, I know what a Heffalump is." At this point I consider telling her she in fact does look like one and nothing she wears is going to change that but I play nice. I tell her, "You look fine. Are you comfortable? Because that's what matters. If you're not comfortable then change." And I walk upstairs.

We get to dinner and are sat at a table with two other couples. I am on one side and Pamela is directly across from me.  We have the strange couples on our sides. I strike up a conversation with them but keep it casual. Pamela asks the same questions to each of them... typical questions, "Do you have kids?" "How old are they?" "Where are you from?" "What do you do?"

I don't ever ask these questions because I don't care. I'm not here to make small talk with strangers I'm here to celebrate Melissa's birthday. Although, I never was very good at small talk. I will answer questions if they're asked but I never care to find out about these people I will never see again. I don't need to find 'common ground' to have conversations with people. I usually just stick with what's going on around us. We are at a Murder Mystery dinner after all. There is plenty to talk about without having to get to know these people.

They have a mugshot photo set set up so we all go over to get our pictures taken. Pamela doesn't want a part of it so she stays at the table. Guess she didn't want to look like a heffalump in the picture...

Then after dinner was served the show starts. This involves us getting up and asking questions to the 'suspects.' ME and the girl to my right jump right up ready to go. Nobody else moves. I say "Come on girls, Melissa it's your birthday let's go. I follow your lead!" Pamela says she'll stay at the table and watch the purses. After that nobody moves. They all look at each other wondering what to do. I roll my eyes, again, grab Seth, and say "Ok, I did not pay for you all to sit and watch teh purses get up and let's go figure out who the murderer is. Melissa, Ashley, Allie out of your seats let's go!" And I take off. Surprisingly they all follow. All but Pamela. She's babysitting the purses....

The girl that was sitting next to me was really into it and so was I. This got the girls really into it. Allie was actually pretty good at tit. Ashley and Melissa were just having fun piecing things together. Seth and I took  the lead with interrogating the suspects. When it as time to put in our guess we ended up guessing correctly. It was fun. I just wish Pamela wasn't such a lump on a log.. but it gave me this sense of empowerment that I hadn't had before. She really is boring. I am fun. Yay for me.

All the girls left with Pamela so Seth and I drove home alone. As we are driving I ask him, "Is Pamela always like that?" He says "Like what? Debbie downer? Party killer? Yep that's her." I can't help but chuckle at this. Good to know.