Happy Birthday to Me Again (Birthday Trilogy, Book 2)

by Rowe, Brian

  I looked down the mountain and tried to remember where Hannah’s house had been. I hadn’t been planning on re-entering the home with the rotting corpse, but I guess I had no other options. I started running down the slippery slope, falling a few times, trying not to dangerously injure myself. I had to get to a phone. I had to save Wesley.

  My friend is dying. Because of me. Because he came to my rescue. Because he’s the best friend I’ve got.

  I found the house, ran inside, and grabbed the phone in the kitchen. I dialed.

  Then I waited.

  ---

  The rehearsal dinner was to take place nine days later at a posh Reno restaurant called Trader Vic’s, but Liesel and I ended up changing the venue at the last minute to the more casual and fun Uncle Tony’s. I’d had a few conversations with my mom and dad about what to do about the wedding, and we all felt it wise to postpone it to a later date, at least six months or more, considering the eventful circumstances of the last few days. But there had simply not been enough time to cancel all the pre-marital events, as friends and family from all over the country were unable to cancel their flights and hotels and were coming out anyway. So Liesel and I figured Uncle Tony’s would be the perfect venue for a rehearsal dinner that wouldn’t include any rehearsal at all, but a way to let down everyone easy that the wedding had unfortunately been canceled.

  Much of those last few days was spent taking care of my dad, who had suffered a concussion in the car accident but thankfully no permanent damage. He was taken to the local Bishop Hospital for a few days, and then was transferred to Washoe County Med in Reno when he finally started feeling better. It was unusual, to say the least, staying in Bishop for a few days, my mom, sister, and I sharing a one-bedroom motel room. There wasn’t much to do in the town, but Kimber and I played some miniature golf and raided Denny’s at least once a day for a grossly unhealthy but delicious meal. My mom spent much of her time in the hospital room with my dad. As soon as he awoke, they talked and talked, for hours sometimes. What about? I had no idea, as I wanted to let them be. I wanted to sit back and see if there was still the love there that I knew my parents had for each other. As much as I hated that my father was in pain, I knew that this unfortunate occurrence could maybe bring them closer together.

  Liesel headed back to Reno after stopping in Bishop for half the day. She said she had things to take care of back home, and that she wanted to let me be with my family while my dad recovered. Liesel acted different in those days following what happened up top Griffith Park. She seemed distant, almost melancholy, like she didn’t realize I had been saved, for a second time, from an untimely demise. Here I was, back to normal, eighteen years old again, with a new lease on life, and she didn’t even seem that happy about it. I figured it had nothing to do with me. She spent days and days in a torture chamber, locked up in a small cage, face to face with a maniacal sister and the corpse of her dead mother. I assumed that would screw up pretty much anyone for a couple of decades. I just hoped she would come around sooner than later. I hoped she would still be able to see what she had in front of her.

  When we were finally all back in Reno, four days away from what was to be the wedding, I sat down with Liesel at her apartment and tried to make sense of what happened back in Los Angeles. But she still didn’t want to talk about it.

  “Soon,” she said. “Cam, I promise. Soon. I’ll tell you everything.”

  “Did she die?” I asked. The last thing I had seen before blacking out at the age of one was Liesel and Hannah sharing an intimate conversation. “Can you at least tell me that? Did she die? Disappear? Just leave? What?”

  “In time,” she said. “I promise.”

  The sadness was still there, present all over her face. I knew I needed to do something drastic and unplanned, something that would quickly bring the old Liesel I fell in love with back to me.

  I knew what I had to do.

  ---

  The entire restaurant had been closed down for the night to host our rehearsal dinner. Everybody chowed down on the finest of pizza, pasta, salads, and soup, with the infamous chocolate cake with vanilla icing and Oreo cookie crumbles reserved for last. Lots of people were there, some whom I recognized, like Dom, Aunt Margaret, Darlene, and most of my basketball buddies, as well as a few of my dad’s employees who put me under last year when I received that controversial liposuction surgery. Others I didn’t recognize so much, particularly many of my mom’s friends from her bowling league, as well as some distant relatives of my father who insisted on coming out to Reno, not so much to see my wedding, I presumed, but to gamble their life inheritances away.

  When I stood up in front of the packed house to make my speech, I was beyond happy to see Liesel sitting at the front table, smiling up at me, even though inside I knew she was still hurting from recent events. I knew she wanted to be here, and that she wanted to spend this night with me.

  But at this moment, the person I felt luckiest of all to see, sitting in the seat to the right of her, was Wesley, thankfully all healed now, sporting a large stomach scar to impress the ladies with, but no internal damage to cause long-lasting effects. The doctors couldn’t explain how such a massive wound on the front of Wesley’s stomach had managed to only scrape the surface of his body, and Liesel and I just shook our heads with confusion, too. But Liesel knew that, while appearing ugly and potentially fatal that night, Wesley’s stomach wound was merely a side blow of Hannah’s powers, and that it could have been a lot worse. Within three days, Wesley had been on the mend, and here he was in front of me, happy that he helped save me, ecstatic that we were both still alive, ready no matter what to be my best man.

  Liesel tapped her spoon against her glass of water, and everybody started to settle down. I looked out on a crowd of at least a hundred or more, all turning their heads to me. I was never one for big speeches, but as Liesel knew, as a waitress who put up with me at this restaurant for many months before I began to notice her, I was always a fan of attention.

  “Hello everyone,” I said. “Thank you for coming to this dinner tonight. I’m afraid I’m going to start with some bad news. In light of some recent events, I have been told to tell you that, unfortunately, there isn’t going to be a wedding tomorrow.” Everyone sighed and started whispering to each other, as I put my hand out. “Liesel, can you come up here, please?”

  She sighed, took my hand, and stood up next to me. I put my arm around her. “Hi everyone,” she said. “Yes, I’m sorry many of you flew all this way, but as Cameron said, it doesn’t seem the right time to have a wedding. Too much has happened, and we felt it best to postpone it until a more appropriate date.”

  I nodded and looked at Wesley, who crossed his arms with a big grin, knowing what I was to say next. “So, yes,” I said, “my parents might be giving you some grief about this very shortly. But I have an even bigger announcement to make, one that I’m sure will leave all of you pleased.”

  Liesel turned to me, not having a clue what I was about to say.

  I turned to her, and got down on my knee for the second time. “Liesel Maupin?”

  “What?” she asked. “Cam… What are you doing?”

  “Liesel Maupin, will you marry me?” I hesitated, then I smiled. “Tonight?”

  Everyone jumped out of their seats and cheered throughout the restaurant, Aunt Margaret and her wife Darlene screaming loudest of all. My parents both had their mouths agape, just like they did last year when they saw Liesel and I floating thirty feet up in the air at graduation.

  Kimber, dressed in a simple but stylish pink dress, rushed up to the two of us and hugged us with all her might. “I think that’s a wonderful idea,” Kimber said.

  Liesel nodded, and smiled at my sister. “I… I…”

  “You…” I waited for her answer.

  “I agree… I mean, I do!”

  I kissed my bride-to-be on the cheek. “And so,” I said to more cheers in the room, “if you can all follow me and Liesel down the
street… There’s a church waiting for us. And the wedding will begin in exactly one hour!”

  I think my mom and dad were the last to get up out of their seats, completely dumbfounded that their only son was getting married not many months down the road, as we had originally discussed, but the night before the wedding was originally going to take place.

  Liesel and I made our way into the warm night air and started heading down the sidewalk, multiple groups of family and friends laughing and cheering as they followed behind us. The St. Thomas Aquinas Church was just three blocks down the road, and the members inside were waiting for us—I had already made up my mind and planned out everything for tonight’s proceedings much earlier. This was a special church to me, the same one I had stepped in a year ago when I needed someone to turn to when I felt like I had nobody. When I thought I was days away from death, when I assumed there was no turning back, He was up there, and He listened to me. I don’t know what good I did to have Liesel in my life, but she was someone I wasn’t going to let go of. Tonight we were to be married. And nothing, and nobody, was going to stop us.

  As we made our way inside to see a mostly empty, quiet cathedral, Liesel turned to me, panic all over her face. “But… But Cameron…”

  “What?”

  “What about my dress?”

  I smiled and pointed toward a small room at the right. Kimber stood inside of it, already, motioning for Liesel to come over to her, the wedding dress draped in her hands.

  “Oh my God,” Liesel said. “This is happening. This is really happening.”

  “It is,” I said. “I love you.”

  She looked like she was going to start crying, but she kept hold of her emotions. “I love you more, Cameron. More than you’ll ever know.”

  I kissed her on the cheek and made my way to the small room on the left, where Wesley was waiting for me with my tuxedo. I stepped inside and started closing the door, watching as everyone made his and her way through the church. I saw my parents take their seats at the front, and I could tell my mom had already started crying.

  This is it, I thought. Tonight, I become a married man.

  ---

  I stood at the front of the cathedral, barely thirty minutes later, and looked out on a nearly packed house of family and friends. Wesley stood to the left of me, and I calmly waited for Liesel’s entrance. I waved at Kimber, and then my parents.

  I closed my eyes and thought: Please don’t do any magic, Liesel. No magic. Not tonight. Let’s keep this simple.

  The doors at the front opened, and the heavenly music began.

  The first thing I saw was everybody in the church standing up and turning toward the back of the room.

  The second thing I saw was Liesel, absolutely luminous in a white sparkly dress, her arms and shoulders featured prominently at the top, ruffles overtaking the bottom of the dress, her sinfully gorgeous red hair up in a bun. She didn’t look like the prettiest girl in Reno anymore. She looked like the prettiest girl in the world. I stood there in those slow-motion-like seconds completely transfixed on the sight in front of me. I knew Liesel, with all her powers, and occasional tantrums, was one of the most dangerous women I could marry. I knew it would be easier to pick a girl, one without the power to turn me old or young, to spend the rest of my life with. But I didn’t want to. Liesel was it for me.

  You’re the one I want, I thought. For better or for worse. In sickness and in health. Aging backward and forward, sideways and diagonally. You’re the one.

  She stepped up toward me, and we both faced the tall, elderly minister. Everybody sat down, and the proceedings began.

  After a few introductions, and the exchanging of rings, it was time for the reading of the vows.

  I took Liesel’s hands and smiled. “As many are aware, you knew me longer than I knew you, Liesel. I was so wrapped up in my own problems and worries and insecurities that I never took a moment to see who the true love of my life really was. When I got sick last year, you were one of the few people who came to my rescue, and I knew, then and there, that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, and only you. Some may scoff at us, because we’re too young, too naïve, and, yes, maybe a little stupid. But sometimes in your life you get a gut feeling, and Liesel, that gut feeling is you. I know how fleeting life can be. I’ve seen it now… twice. And whether I have one more day on this Earth, or another hundred, I want to spend all of them… with you.”

  Liesel, my mom, Kimber, even Wesley, had tears in their eyes. Liesel looked ready to collapse from an emotional breakdown, but she smiled, wiped her tears away, and kept her composure.

  The minister nodded at Liesel, and she began. “Cameron, I’ll be the first to admit, that our relationship is anything but normal. We’ve been through some trying times together, some scarier than others, and we’re still only in our teens. Any logical person would say to wait a few more years to make sure we’re compatible. But we don’t have the t—” She stopped and took a deep breath. “I know, as you do, that every day we spend with each other is a wish granted, time to cherish forever and ever. We don’t know what’ll happen tomorrow. All we know is now. And I know that I have loved you for many years, never as much as I do right now. Cameron, I want to be with you.” She started to cry, but again, she kept herself composed. “Whatever happens next, I just need you to know, Cameron, that everything I’ve ever done… is because I love you.”

  “I know,” I said, and then I turned to the large crowd before us. “What do you all think? Should I marry this girl?”

  Everyone cheered, even my dad, who, also surprisingly, now had tears in his eyes. Best of all, I could see him holding my mom’s hand in his.

  Then Kimber stood up and shouted, “Seal the deal, you fools! Seal the deal!”

  Liesel and I looked at each other with big, infectious grins, and turned to the minister.

  “Do you, Cameron, take Liesel, to be your lawfully wedded wife, from this day forward, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?”

  I nodded. There was no question. “I do.”

  He turned to Liesel. “Do you, Liesel, take Cameron, to be your lawfully wedded husband, from this day forward, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?”

  Her eyes were red with tears. She opened her mouth, but no words came out for a moment. I waited for her to say it, but she didn’t. She closed her mouth and smiled. Finally: “You bet I do.”

  Everyone sighed with joy. Even I had to smile with relief.

  The minister finished with: “By the powers invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!”

  I took a step forward, dipped Liesel into my arms, and gave her a big, wet kiss.

  Everybody cheered and whistled with jubilant glee. My parents hugged each other, and my sister started jumping up and down. I turned to my right to see Wesley give me one of the biggest smiles of the night. I smiled back, happy as ever, knowing I was finally back to normal, loving life, now married to the woman I knew I was meant to be with forever and ever, in the eagerly awaited future.

  I turned to Liesel and kissed her again.

  The future.

  18. Nineteen

  Here I was. Again.

  No matter how much I insisted, no matter how much I pleaded with Liesel and my family, here I was, listening to the worst song in the universe for the umpteenth time.

  “Happy birthday to you…”

  It was hard to believe I had been married for six weeks. It was June tenth, the night of Kimber’s major violin performance in Washington D.C., as well as my nineteenth birthday. I looked over at Kimber to see her barely touching her dinner, scared beyond belief at the evening she had ahead of her. My parents were happy as can be, not officially but seemingly back together, at least for the time being. They were pleased as ever to celebrate these two big events tonight, not to mention, my six-week anniversary with Liesel.


  “…Happy birthday to you…”

  Liesel sat to the side of me, holding my hand, smiling, but somehow distant. She hadn’t said very much today, and I wondered if she wasn’t feeling well. Our last six weeks had been spectacular. On the Sunday after our wedding, we departed Reno for a three-week vacation in Europe, the first international trip for the two of us. We spent a week in Paris, a week in London, and a week in Florence, and it couldn’t have been a more pleasant, romantic time. We finally made love on our first night in Paris, and after that, Liesel couldn’t keep her hands off me, with the two of us spending more time in hotel rooms, seemingly, than in all the touristy spots. What can I say? I wasn’t exactly complaining.

  “…Happy birthday dear Cameron…”

  Best of all, it seemed like Liesel had finally gotten control over her powers. I thought for sure she’d give the audience a big show on our wedding night, but she didn’t. When we first made love, I figured she’d be pushing me up through the ceiling and all the way over the Paris moon, but she didn’t. Six weeks later, she seemed to finally have a handle on her magic, and I for one couldn’t be happier. I knew she wouldn’t curse me again. I knew I was safe. I knew there was nothing more to worry about.

  “…Happy birthday to you!”

  I clasped my hands together and shook my head with annoyance as four waiters and five waitresses finished the song and set a giant chocolate cake down in the center of the table. My mom smiled with glee, while Kimber looked about ready to throw up.

  My dad turned to me and smiled. “Don’t you think for one second that I got this cake for free.”

  “Yeah,” I said with a laugh. “I figured.”

  There were nineteen candles lit in the center of the cake. I looked at Liesel, who didn’t show much expression. I sighed, turned back to the cake, and made a wish.

  No curses, I thought. Please, for once, no curses.

  I blew as hard as I could and knocked down the flames of eighteen of the nineteen candles. I leaned forward and blew out the last one. Everybody politely clapped.