by Beth Michele
“Aw, shucks guys,” I hold out my arms, “thanks. I think a group hug is in order.” They all barrel toward me at the same time and I nearly fall over. “Whoa, whoa.”
“You want a drink?” Jordan asks after they all retreat, snatching his beer from the table and flicking the cap off the bottle.
“Not just yet. I’m gonna see what that amazing smell is coming from the kitchen.”
He smirks before dropping down on the couch. “Yeah, you go do that.”
The smell of warm chocolate tickles my nose as I make my way into the kitchen. I pause at the doorframe and lean against it, stealing a glance at Evie. Long, amber waves ripple down her back. That short blue dress accentuates her curvy waist and tanned legs. She’s humming lightly to a song on the radio, her body swaying back and forth. I only have one birthday wish.
This is what I want to come home to, every day, for the rest of my life.
I can picture it so vividly in my mind—walking through the front door, inhaling her vanilla scent as I haphazardly toss my keys aside, not caring where they land because I’m so anxious to see her. Finding her in the kitchen and wrapping my arms around her waist, planting open-mouthed kisses down her neck as she giggles, squeezing me tighter. And when she asks how my day was? A question that seems so mundane. There won’t be anything mundane about it. Because even the simplest things with Evie are what make every detail of my life monumental.
She turns her head and catches me staring. “Hey!” Then she pierces me with a sharp glare, jolting me from my dream. “You’re not supposed to be in here.”
“The smell drew me in. Plus, it’s my birthday and doesn’t that give me an automatic pass to go wherever I want?”
“Hmmm,” she holds up a mixing spoon covered in chocolate, “not if it means you’re going to ruin my surprise.”
Taking a couple of steps toward her while still giving her space, I lean sideways to find ingredients scattered along the countertop. “Hopper, you’re making me a cake?”
“Umm,” she clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth, “maybe, and maybe not.”
I dig my hands deep in my pockets, a shyness enveloping me. My whole body is tingling and it’s like I’m ten years old again. My eyes make their way to hers, and I smile. “Thanks, Evie.”
Her face radiates a warmth that settles around me like a blanket. “You’re welcome.” She drops the spoon into the bowl and flaps her hands in the air. “Now shoo.”
I’m just about to leave the kitchen when I spin around. “Hey, Evie,” I call out, and she looks back at me. “You look… really pretty.”
Her cheeks flush pink, a bashful smile lifting her lips. “Thanks, Dills.” She goes back to making my cake and I walk away, my own lips spreading into a huge grin.
I head into the living room to find the four stooges watching a baseball game. “All right,” I rub my hands together, “who’s playing the Angels on my birthday?” Braden is wedged next to Zoey so I squeeze in between her and Wanda, propping my feet on the coffee table. “What’s the score?”
“DW,” Zoey blurts out, “they’re playing the Yankees, Alex Rodriguez is up, and I’m trying to check out his ass… and you’re interrupting.”
Braden cackles while Wanda slaps her knee and busts out laughing, then proceeds to elbow me in the ribs. “I love this girl.”
“Yeah, Slim’s a real gem,” I retort, before gently head-butting Zoey. She scoffs and pushes against my shoulder.
“The ass, remember.” Her eyes pop on the last word making me chuckle, just as the doorbell rings and Jordan jumps up to answer it.
“Wait, let me guess, the stripper’s here?” I tease, and Jordan laughs. He opens the door to reveal a young guy delivering pizzas.
“She’s coming later, Dylan.” His forehead lifts on a devious grin. “You didn’t think I had it in me, did you?”
I hope he’s joking. There’s only one person I’m interested in seeing strip, and there she is, walking out of the kitchen in all her beauty. A lap dance is definitely in order.
“Let me give you some money, Jordy,” Evie says sweetly, and my brother looks at her like she has two heads.
“I’ve got it, Evie. No worries.” He pays the kid, handing the stack of pizzas over to Evie who carries them into the kitchen.
“Okay, who wants what?” she yells out, “Cheese, pepperoni, or sausage? Speak now.”
I get off the couch so I can help her serve the pizza, and Wanda pinches me in the ass. What is it with these women? With an evil scowl in her direction, I trek to the kitchen.
“All right, I’m here to help.” I playfully nudge Evie’s shoulder while she opens up a package of paper plates then tosses the plastic in the garbage.
“It’s your birthday.” She slaps a couple of slices onto each plate. “I’m not putting you to work on your birthday.”
“Yes, the operative word is mine. So, I’m serving the pizza. I want to.” I grab a few plates and bring them into the other room.
By the time we’ve finished the pizza, the ball game is over and I’m completely stuffed. Zoey picks herself up off the couch. “I can’t stay for cake, DW, I have to work tonight, but I did get you a little something.”
“Aw, Slim, you shouldn’t have,” I say, as she hands me the small, square, unwrapped box. “I especially love the wrapping.”
She bends over and pokes me in the side, glaring at me. “Just open it.”
I flip the top of the box open to reveal a white mug with DW written in bold, black letters, and it makes me chuckle. Her thoughtfulness softens the blow of old memories. “Thanks, Slim, I love it.”
“Now every time you have coffee, you’ll think of me.” She jabs at her chest with an air of self-importance before coming over to give me a hug. “Seriously, Happy Birthday.”
“Thank you, and thanks for being here.” My tone isn’t mocking this time. Everyone in this room means the world to me. We’ve created our own family. Typically, parents are the glue that hold everything together. But now that our parents are gone, we’re the glue.
“All right, I’ll catch you guys later.” She turns to address Evie. “I’ve got to work late at the hotel tonight, and probably won’t be in until around two, so I’ll catch you in the morning.” She plods to the door. “Save me a piece of cake.”
The door closes and Evie clears her throat. “Okay, TV off, everyone come into the kitchen.”
On the way, Jordan pauses by the old piano up against the wall opposite the kitchen, his fingers strolling over the worn keys. Evie’s mom played for many years and taught her to play as well. “I can still hear Mrs. Carmichael tapping on the keys while we were sitting on the carpet playing Monopoly. Remember?”
“Yeah.” No other words come. My throat is thick with emotion for a woman that was so kind to me. Fortunately, Jordan’s focus shifts to the pictures on the wall just above the weathered piano. There are a plethora of framed photos: Evie’s mom and dad, the four of them, and many with Jordan and me as well. The one with the six of us on a boat in Sausalito catches his attention.
“Hey, remember that day? That was our first time on a boat and you were so seasick.” He cringes as if he’s actually reliving the memory and I laugh.
“Yup. I sure do. I vomited all over you. It’s kind of hard to forget.” I smile and clap him on the back. “Honestly, though, it’s only because the boat was so small. The time after that I was fine. But I’m sure if it had been a ship, you would’ve been spared.”
“Oh yeah,” he kids, “something like the Titanic. Even better.”
“Let’s go.” I sling an arm over his shoulder. “Time for my cake.”
It’s dark when we walk in the kitchen, and I know Evie is going all out. She loves birthdays, always has. Her mom had this saying, ‘your life is a gift and you must celebrate it.’ She backed that up by throwing parties for Evie and Zoey every year—homemade cakes, streamers, balloons, games. My thoughts drift to my mom and something bubbles up in my throat.
I can’t figure out if it’s hurt or anger, but either way, the memory is difficult to shake.
I tapped Jordy on the shoulder. “Jordy, Mom hasn’t said anything about my birthday all day so I bet she’s going to surprise me tonight. Do you think I should go peek downstairs, or wait? I don’t want to spoil the surprise.”
Jordy had a funny look on his face, his lips squeezed together and it seemed like his cheeks hurt or something. “I-I don’t know Dylan, but I have a surprise for you.”
“You do?” I replied. I loved surprises, even though I never really got any.
He jumped off the bed and went to the closet, pulling out a big square box before coming back over and plopping down on the mattress. “Happy Birthday, buddy.”
I grinned, then tore off the wrapping paper and busted the box open. I was too excited and couldn’t wait. When I dug through the tissue paper, there were several gifts inside: a collection of California Angels baseball cards, a whole new set of matchbox cars, and something else. It was a sketchpad, and there were colored pencils to go along with it.
Jordy ruffled my hair, then patted me on the head. “You know, in case you wanted to draw me a picture,” he said, and I smiled. He remembered, and that made me feel special.
“Thanks, Jordy.” I put my gifts on the bed and looked toward the door. “Okay, now I’m going to sneak downstairs to check for more surprises,” I said excitedly, but Jordy grabbed my arm.
“Umm, wait, D,” he hesitated, “why don’t you stay up here with me for a while and we can go through your new baseball cards?”
“I want to, Jordy, but first I want to check. I’ll be right back, I promise.” He finally let go of me and I opened the door quietly, tiptoeing down the staircase.
When I got down to the bottom of the stairs, I tried to keep my footsteps light, but the wood floor was creaking beneath me. I saw that the living room was empty, so I made my way to the kitchen when I heard voices. Mom and Dad were arguing about something. I didn’t know exactly what they were saying but I heard a loud pound against the table and Dad saying that their talk was over. I stood in the doorway and Dad went still when he saw me. His face looked weird, twisted and angry. He made a strange noise and Mom lifted her head. She just looked unhappy, like always.
‘Dylan,’ she said, ‘your father and I have to run out but there’s a cake in the fridge and we’ll celebrate your birthday when we get back, okay?’ My shoulders slumped and I sighed. I don’t know why she asked me, because she never waited for me to answer. Instead, she got her coat on and patted my head before she and Dad walked out the door.
My heart felt funny as I climbed back up the stairs, like someone was stepping on it, hard. My eyes were watery and I quickly patted them because I didn’t want Jordy to know I was sad. Pushing the door open, I forced myself to smile even though I was sure Jordy would see right through me.
“Hey, buddy.”
“Hey.” I closed the door behind me and sat on the floor beside the bed, keeping my eyes on the blue carpet.
“Well,” he whispered, “I forgot to tell you that I have one more birthday surprise for you.”
My eyes climbed up to his, and I hoped he couldn’t tell I’d been about to cry. “You do?”
“Close your eyes,” he told me, and I did, squeezing them super tight. There was the sound of a door opening and closing and I got a little bit excited because I already sensed she was there.
When I opened them, I smiled big. Jordy and Evie were sitting cross-legged on the floor, a chocolate cupcake with a candle set in front of me. “Happy tenth Birthday, Dylan,” they said together, laughing.
I smiled, and for a few minutes, my heart didn’t feel like it would knock me over. Jordan made my sadness disappear. He was like a magician that way.
“I love you, Jordy.” My eyes crept over to Evie’s and then nervously back down to the cupcake. I wanted to say it to her, too, but I didn’t want her to think I was a weirdo. After all, I was only ten. What do ten-year-olds know about love? Although, I felt like I knew everything.
“I love you, too, buddy. Now make a wish.”
“Dills? Aren’t you going to make a wish?” Evie’s voice drags me from the past into the now, the memory drifting away.
“A wish, right. Hmmm,” I pause, as if I actually have to consider my wish. It’s the same one I make every year. I wish for Evie.
Maybe this year it will come true.
In one big breath, I blow out all twenty candles, and that’s when the chanting begins.
“Speech, speech,” Jordan, Wanda, Braden, and Evie yell in unison.
“Birthdays suck. Thanks for being here?” I joke, and they all laugh until the smile on my face turns wistful. “Seriously, though, this was… awesome, you guys.”
There’s so much more I want to say, but the emotion pulling at my chest holds me hostage. Evie reaches over and lays a comforting hand on my arm, always knowing just what I need. I stare at her hand, aware of how difficult this day has been for her over the past few years. Her parents died two days before my seventeenth birthday, yet here she is, looking beyond that to make this day special—for me.
The next few minutes are quiet as we devour the chocolate cake, which is absolutely incredible. I lift a forkful to my mouth. “Evie, this cake is fantastic. You outdid yourself.” She brings her own fork to her mouth and closes her eyes on a tiny moan when the cake reaches her lips. It makes me think dirty thoughts. But it’s my birthday, so I’m entitled.
AFTER EVERYONE LEAVES, I help Evie clean up, and then we head out to the living room. A wave of contentment splashes over me. This has been a great birthday.
“So….” There’s mischief in her smile and I know she’s up to something.
“So?”
Her smile grows even bigger. “I have a present for you.”
“Evie,” I know I sound reprimanding even though I don’t mean to be, “you’ve done enough. You didn’t have to get me anything.”
She bounces off the couch, skipping up the stairs. A minute later she returns with a long, rectangular box covered in black and white wrapping paper, a giant red bow in the center. I’m trying hard to fight the excitement, but am betrayed by the way my eyes are lighting up, my chest tingling with anticipation.
“That’s a big gift.”
“Yup.” She doesn’t say anything else, but simply places the box in front of me on the sofa. “Open it.” She fiddles with her fingers on her lap, lip caught between her teeth.
I’m trying to figure out what it could be and I haven’t got a clue. With a not so subtle tear, I rip apart the paper, my mouth falling open. Heart racing, I clutch my chest in an attempt to stop the erratic beat. “You remembered.” My voice is choppy and I’m barely able to catch my breath.
“This is the coolest place ever!” I exclaimed, as we tipped our heads back and gazed at the ceiling of stars in the planetarium. It made me think of the postcard Jordy got from his friend in New York. The entire city was lit up. It was the most awesome thing I’d ever seen. “Hey, Evie.”
“Hmmm?”
I angled my head to look at her, her eyes still glued to the stars. “Someday when we grow up, I think we should go to New York, maybe we could even live there or something.” I’m not sure where that last part came from, but maybe it was wanting to run away from my parents.
She turned then, her eyes trying to meet mine in the darkness. “New York? What’s in New York?”
“Bright lights and a sky full of stars.”
She shrugged but her smile hung in the air between us. “Okay. Let’s do it. If there are stars there, you know I’m all in.” She was quiet for a while but something stirred inside of me.
It felt a little bit like hope.
Finally, she said, “They look so close, don’t they, Dills? Like if we reached up, we could actually grab one right out of the sky.”
“Yeah.” I was completely mesmerized. “Someday, I’m going to get one of those giant telescopes so I can see what�
��s really out there.” I squeezed my fingers into a fist. “Mom and Dad said it’s a waste of money, but I don’t care, I’m going to save up.”
Evie reached over and put her hand on my leg, and I looked away from the stars to find the glow of her sweet smile. “It’s not a waste, Dills, if it’s important to you.”
Her words made me warm inside, like she cared about me, and my eyes went back to the stars, while my lips bent into a smile.
“I can’t believe you remembered,” I say again quietly as I shake my head in disbelief, eyeing the Celestron NexStar telescope, speechless at her thoughtful gesture.
“Of course I remembered. I always remember what matters.” She shrugs, her lashes doing a shy flutter, and I’m at a complete loss. My head is muddled by runaway thoughts and crazy impulses—like how badly I want to kiss her right now.
“Evie,” I glance at the box then back up to her. “You shouldn’t have. I know how much these things cost.”
“Well,” she says with a soft smile, “I’ve been saving up for a while, and I couldn’t wait to give it to you.”
I place the box down and pull her in for an embrace. “I love it,” I whisper into her ear. “I love it so much.” Squeezing my eyes shut, I try to rein in my emotions but my heart refuses to cooperate, raging inside my chest. “So, should we put it together?” I ask, still not retreating, wanting to hold her in my arms forever.
“Yes.” She takes the initiative and pulls back, standing up and walking to the bay window as she looks out at the sky. “It’s a perfect night for stargazing.”
We spend the next half hour putting the telescope together. Every now and then as Evie hands me a part, I chance a glimpse at her, marveling at her utter selflessness. Even though the house was paid off by her parents’ life insurance policy, she worked two jobs last year to make sure she could save enough money to at least cover her associates. Not only does she want to finish her degree in English Lit, but she wants to go on to obtain her master’s degree and teach someday.
Out of all the things she could have spent her hard-earned money on, she chose this—she chose me.
