Bridget wasn't the best singer. But she loved music. Even if it wasn't an incredible song. She had a thing for one-hit wonders and catchy songs. She had made a special playlist that she used while she was cleaning or preparing for an event like Thanksgiving; all of the music was generally upbeat so it aroused her excitement.

When Adam arrived (I invited him over to help), the song Stacy's Mom by Fountains of Wayne began to play. "Hurry inside, it's quite chilly out."

I hurried down the stairs to meet him. Pretending to hug him, I sang along quietly with the song, "'Hadley's second cousin has got it going on...she's all I want and I've waited for so long...'"

Adam went wide-eyed even though there was no chance Bridget heard. And then I nearly shouted, "'I'm in love with-'" But Adam interrupted with, "Oh, wow, Bridget, that looks amazing."

She had pulled the turkey from the oven. "Thank you...I was so nervous that it wouldn't turn out. This is my first year doing this without my mother's help." I watched Adam blush when she looked him in the eye as I silently got down to Stacy's Mom while clearing out some space in the laundry room to make room for guest's shoes.

Adam did his best to help out. Mostly, he helped Bridget open jars and reached things that she couldn't, which I found cute. Then Star Baby by the Guess Who started up, and I came out from the laundry room in full swing. "I love this song!  Well I never been much for admitting things, that's why it's all so hard to say, that I'm head-over-heels in love with your kind of insanity..."  I began to set the table as Adam and Bridget kept chatting quietly and looking over at me suspiciously. 

I was looking at them too when they weren't watching me.  

I wanted a gale-force wind to push them together.  Now, kiss. 

I had a feeling that Adam would have liked that too, especially so he wouldn't actually be the one to kiss her.  

Bridget blushed for a moment, but then said, "I've got to go get ready.  Hadley, can you turn on the fireplace?  It's a bit cold in here."  I quickly did as I was told and smiled at Adam.  I moved to sincerely hug him.  "Thank you for coming.  It means a lot to me."  Whenever I hugged him, I always felt so small compared to him.  But Adam was a gentle giant.  "It would have felt awful missing it, you know...you're a part of my family now."

That one remark kept warm all night.

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The first twenty minutes of the gathering I kept running coats up to my room.  I was happy to see that Adam didn't look too incredibly nervous having some of Bridget's family and friends talk to him.  Once I had finished, I stood by his side for any support I could offer in case he wasn't sure of what to say.  The woman he was talking to was a bit older and mistakenly referred to Adam as Bridget's boyfriend to her husband.  He blushed vividly.  I said quickly, "He's just a very good friend of both of ours."  There was no teasing or diversion; I was just trying to be honest.  

There were a few times that evening where Adam was put on the spot and I tried my best to quietly ask if he was alright in case the crowd was starting to overwhelm him.  He always said he was fine.  Once I gave his hand a gentle squeeze.  

You're alright, I silently assured him.  You've handled crowds of thousands; you can do this.

I think it may have unnerved a few people the way I was constantly near him.  I'm certain that some of them might have gotten the wrong idea, or they had simply brushed it off, thinking I had some crush on Adam.  

Mack was the one for me, I had decided.  Adam was easily the most wonderful person I had ever met, but we were destined to be friends and nothing more.  

After we said grace and gorged ourselves on Bridget's Thanksgiving meal, people chatted at the table.  The conversation took many turns and many topics were discuss.  Adam didn't talk much.  I tapped his shoulder timidly.  "I wanted to show you something."

He quietly excused himself.  I led him down the stairs to the basement of the house.  Before we disappeared from view of the dining table, I saw Bridget glance at us.  More specifically Adam.  

"Bridget found a keyboard for me.  She kept it down here until we could find a good place to organize my room to fit there.  I was playing it earlier today.  I thought that...maybe you'd like to play it too."

"If you'd like me to."

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The same woman who thought Adam was Bridget's boyfriend cornered her while she was in the kitchen wrapping up some of the leftovers.  Hadley didn't know that she was Bridget's aunt.  "He seems a lovely man.  A shy, but nice man."

"He's a very nice man.  He's a very good friend of Hadley's.  I wish I had the relationship he has with her."  Bridget went a bit quiet until her aunt interrupted her thoughts.  "Well...I know you have Hadley, but I've been thinking, my dear...having a man in your life would be a good thing for you.  That way Hadley could have a sort-of father figure-"

"Adam is Hadley's father figure.  I think he realizes it too.  I know it isn't the wisest for her to cling to him like she does, but she truly loves him.  I have reason to believe that she would not have made it to Owatonna without him."  Bridget tried to change the subject.  "Please take some of the leftovers; I've got so much to spare.  I need to go check on Hadley.  I'll be back."

She was quiet on the stairs when she heard someone elegantly playing the keyboard.  It was a somber song, but it was moving a bit fast.  It was beautiful.  She pressed her shoulder and head to the wall.  

Her aunt was right.  Adam was a lovely man.  But she was too shy to ask him out on another date.  And what a better father figure for Hadley than the man she already held on a high pedestal?

But Bridget feared it would hurt Hadley for Bridget to get more than friendly with him.  It could create an awkward situation.  

And Bridget could never quite tell what Adam was thinking.  What if he didn't care about her the way she thought he did?

She listened to him softly finish the song, and Hadley told him it was magnificent.  Bridget couldn't agree more.  

I'm so sorry I haven't updated much.  I promise I will.  

This Thursday I'm seeing Owl City perform and I couldn't be more joyous!  I promise to tell you about it in my next update, which should be soon :)

Love, 

Luna <3