Solstice
Sheila said to Duke “Hey babe, it’s that time again, and it’s our turn to host Solstice. As always it’s a big deal.”
Duke responded “Yeah, but I like it. I’m old enough to remember in mid-century when there were all the religious, pagan, and Black celebrations at the end of the year. Some still observe one or more of them, but everybody whatever religion, or none, can celebrate on Solstice. Plus we do this; we are off the hook for several holidays.”
“OK, but our next turn might be the New Year after next. That’ll be 2100, not just a new year, but a new century. We’ll be on the hook for a really big one.”
“It’s too far off for me to care. How about this one, how many people do you expect?”
“Eugene Springfield will be down from the Seattle area with Linn and Medford. Some people from work and my old music partners from Whimsy. Your old girlfriends Jackie and Jane, my old semi-boyfriend Governor Shane. Maybe thirty people and all of their cars. We’ll need lots of food, some mild organic hallucinogens, and a bunch of kilowatts for the cars. I know how much you hate to think, except when you are doing math, so I’ll take care of most of it.”
“Sheila, I’ve always liked your love language ‘I’ll take care of it’”.
Duke then asked “Do the cars know what’s coming up.”
Sheila said “They do, and they are looking forward to it. They particularly enjoy visits from the Springfield family. They not only like the humans, but they’re eager to see what new cars Eugene brings down. He always has something new and weird. I think he’s bringing something that hovers over the road this time. The genius inventor in him may have another big hit, not that he needs it.”
Outdoors the cars are also discussing Solstice. Sheila’s car Josie is teasing Carl, Duke’s car. “I’ll bet there will be a lot of cute cars at Solstice.”
Duke decides the best plan is to just ignore Sheila’s jibes.
Deuce, Josie’s other car, is mostly excited about what cars Eugene would bring. Deuce and Eugene are close because Eugene frequently invites Deuce up to his estate to join in Eugene’s car rodeos. Deuce never got a sex education, so he is disinterested in romance with other cars, but he does like to hang out with Eugene’s vehicles.
Duke assumed his usual role in projects. Besides the ‘big picture’ he did the literal heavy lifting and assembled a large tent outdoors large enough for all the guests with chairs, tables, a small banquet of the food and drink, and a small stage. Everything he needed was in storage.
As always Sheila did the detail work. Oregon had been at the forefront of craft beer and liquors. She got a wide variety of beers, leaning heavily on her and his favorite darks, and a lot of flavored vodkas, again with a lot of their drink of choice peach vodka. She ordered a wide variety of mild organic brain benders. Genetic engineering had not only aided medicine, it allowed progress from natural magic mushrooms, to mellow watermelon, stoned carrots, and buzzed Brussels sprouts. The sprouts were not popular, and there wasn’t much interest in the food that filled your stomach, but did nothing for your head.
The Springfields arrived early. The humans were greeted by Duke and Sheila, while all the cars went out to play in the field behind Duke and Sheila’s house. The Springfield hover car Jake got lots of oohs and aahs from the local cars. Duke and Sheila had no interest in flying cars since they had one of their cars converted to fly and were shot down over an unauthorized pot farm, but the hover car never got more than two meters above the ground and was quite safe. Eugene said hovers would be the next big thing.
The cars had a great time performing vehicular acrobatics. The anti-collision software ensured no fenders were bent.
Some of Sheila’s old partners in Whimsy showed up next in a van. Sheila invited them into the tent where they sang some of their old Indonesian Chant hits. The performance was sloppy, but that amused rather than bothered.
Work friends and the old girlfriends and boyfriend showed up late after the work friends. Alcohol and friendly food turned the affair into a love fest. Shane and his two kinky girlfriends ended up under a table, but for most is was chaste hugging, kissing, laughing and dancing.
Eddie, who worked with Sheila, had been babbling for an hour. He had been drinking rather than eating, and said things like “Bring mulk tik hummm” to a disinterested crowd, but two hours in, while everyone was talking loudly, he started to sing “Solstice Song”, a seasonal perennial, in an angelic voice. Everyone quit talking while he sang, and then went back to talking and Eddie returned to babbling “Zim boyt glick.”
There was a lot of good natured flirting “Hey, looking good in that sarong Rita.”
“And you clean up well Charlie.”
Despite the flirting, there were no holiday breakups. Some of the singles got cozy though. At least one new couple went to the guy’s home. Her car followed them while the car’s person rode with the guy.
Around midnight most of the guests went home. Their cars knew the way, so there was no problem. Some wanted to stay, so Duke said “Not to worry” and moved some beds into the tents.
When all was sorted, and all of the farewells spoken, Sheila said “We’ll have a lot of clean up tomorrow, but it was worth it.”
“Yeah, we got some raves. Shane is on for the next Hero’s Day and told me he’ll have a hard time topping us. June said she really loved the Whimsy reunion. Eugene and family enjoyed seeing us and all the cars again.”
Sheila responded “Oh yeah, how did the cars do?”
“They all had a good time. The hover car was a big hit, and they always enjoy the Springfield family and all of their cars.”
Within ten minutes the tired but happy couple was in bed. They were asleep in ten minutes after the traditional “Sweet Dreams Moonbeams” and “All right starlight.”