Halfway Heroes
Page 41
Lydia assumed that Wren had spread the word about today’s significance. Whenever the girls arrived at class, everyone else chimed in with “Happy Birthday!” At lunch, she received gifts from her other friends. Donny gave her some licorice and jawbreakers. Aidan presented a small, inexpensive silver bracelet.
“I wasn’t sure what to get,” he said when she tried it on. “I hope it fits.”
“It does,” she said, snapping the clasp. “Thank you.”
Jando had baked Lydia a cupcake, lit by a small candle, on which Jando had stuck an elongated picture of himself. In the photograph, his eyes were closed and his lips were puckered up, expecting a kiss. When Lydia blew out the candle, he encouraged her to leave in the candle as she ate. She took it out anyway.
“And after all the love I put into making that,” Jando said, displaying his best crestfallen face.
She bit into the cupcake. “Leave the photography to me. Your culinary skills are great though,” Lydia said, laughing.
“Good to know,” he said, licking the frosting off the candle. “How about an actual kiss?”
“Not even if it was your birthday,” she said, shaking her head.
After school, Lydia was confronted by Arthur waiting outside her class. He swept her away from her classmates to one of the upper levels of the Center. When Lydia asked where he was taking her, he only said, “You’ll see in a minute.”
He led her to a small and dimly lit conference room. Lydia could just decipher a man and a woman, seated at a table in the middle of the room. A faint scent of peaches and fresh-cut grass filled the air. And the woman’s face—angular, well-defined—
Arthur flipped the light switch. Lydia sucked in her breath and looked up at Arthur. Was this a cruel prank? Some hallucination? He was chuckling at her gaping reaction. He clapped her on the back. “Happy birthday,” he said.
It was real. Her parents were truly there, dressed nicely and smiling at her. Tears pricked her eyes. “Thank you,” she said, trembling. Her vision blurred. “Thank you, thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he said. She ran into her parents’ embrace while Arthur quietly exited the room. The family held each other, kissed, and moved like a strange, top-heavy creature about to fall over. When they finally released one another, Lydia wiped her eyes. “When did you guys get here? How did you get here?”
“Arthur arranged it,” Debra explained. “Late yesterday. Blindfolded us for part of the way. But how have you been, hon?” She brushed aside a strand of Lydia’s hair.
“Are they treating you well?” Arnold asked.
“Yeah, so far,” Lydia said. “I really miss you guys.”
“We miss you, too.” Debra pulled her in for another hug. “I wish we could trade places so you wouldn’t have to go through this.”
“At least it’s only for a while. It’ll pass before you know it and you’ll be back with us,” Arnold said, holding Lydia close. He offered an uneasy smile. Yet Lydia knew he was no more comfortable with the situation than when she’d first left.
“We’re still trying to get you out of here,” Debra said. “I know a judge I can talk to about all this. I have a meeting with him next week, so pray for me.” But Lydia picked up on a part of her tone that the outlook wasn’t good.
Soon that won’t be a problem. Lydia decided against telling her parents about her escape plan. Despite trying to make amends, Arthur could be watching. She kept up a smile for them. “I will.”
“Let’s enjoy ourselves for now,” Arnold said. “It’s your birthday, after all.”
“Yes, yes,” Debra said, nodding.
Arnold walked to the corner of the room and brought back a handful of presents. On top was a boxed chocolate cake, colorfully decorated to wish Lydia a happy birthday. Her father jammed sixteen candles into the cake and lit them. As her parents sang “Happy Birthday” to her, Lydia thought there was no better birthday that she’d ever have. She wished there was no end to her joy. Lydia promised herself that she’d be cured as soon as possible, for her parents’ sakes as well, so they would never lose each other again.