AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Stop thinking like that, Paisley. They aren’t bullies. They are your boyfriends. Two of them have confessed they love you. Believe in them.
“Open them!” I hear.
Opening my eyes, I see a cupcake with a lit candle.
“Happy birthday,” they all say.
“Make a wish and blow out the candle,” says Kade.
Tears fall from my eyes. I’m not able to hold them back this time, and they just fall. I start to wipe them, but I’m wrapped up in several arms and I hear several “what’s wrongs,” but I can’t answer just yet, so I just stay there in their arms and let their warmth keep me strong until the crying dies down.
Taking several deep breaths, several minutes later, I remove myself from their embrace and go sit down.
“No one has wished me a happy birthday or gotten me anything since I was five years old. I’m sorry I got super emotional. The last person who did was my dad,” I tell them with bated breaths.
They all come over and give me another reassuring hug.
“It’s okay, guys. I’m sure he was the guy your mom took care of. I have closure, or at least as much as I think I will get, and that’s enough for me. Especially since I didn’t think I would get any,” I say happily. “Now, can I blow that candle out? I know my wish.”
Atlas goes and grabs the forgotten cupcake and relights the candle.
Blowing out the candle, I make my wish.
Let us all be happy. It doesn’t have to be together. Just in our lives.
* * *
An hour or two later, we all end up around the campfire just talking about random stuff. I sit there and listen. They decided they wanted to tell me embarrassing stories about each other. I’ll admit some of them were funny. Luca thought Santa Claus was real until he was ten, Kade peed the bed until he was eight, Mateo picked his nose and ate his boogers until he turned twelve, and Atlas has a whole story about peeing himself at the amusement park.
I know I shouldn’t laugh at them. I know it, but I do it anyway. I can’t stop myself. I think they did it on purpose. They were trying to lighten the mood because of how sad I was earlier. If that was their plan, it worked.
“Would you guys mind if I told you the few memories I have of him?” I ask the group.
None of them mind, so I do. I tell them about stargazing. It’s one memory that camping out here has made more vivid.
“My dad and I used to sit outside and look at the stars every weekend, or at least I think it was the weekend. It was so long ago, I’m actually unsure when it was. We would go out on our porch and just lie on our backs and just stare up at the sky. He would tell me all kinds of facts about the stars, none of which I can specifically remember him telling me, but I know facts because I read up on them to be close to him.”
I tell them about riding a tricycle, and splashing around in a kiddie pool, and about our lullaby that he would sing to me every night.
By the time I’m done, I’m crying again, but I think it was needed. Since Mother never allowed it, talking to these guys about dad is very therapeutic. It’s like I am finally able to put the feelings of abandonment to rest and am able to accept him leaving.
Even though I got the closure I needed from Betty about why he left, this was something else entirely that I needed. I didn’t realize how much it bothered me, keeping all that inside of me.
I’m exhausted after crying so much. My muscles feel so tight from crying, and I have a headache.
Realizing that I need time to myself, the guys let me cry to myself while I’m telling them all my memories of my father.
I appreciate them so much. They always know exactly what I need and when it’s needed. Now that I’m through crying, they all come over and each give me individual hugs, letting me know that they have me no matter what.
“S’mores?” Luca signs enthusiastically while trying to change the subject to something happier.
“I’ve never had a s’more. At least not that I remember. So, sure. Show me how to make one?” I ask excitedly while biting my lip.
Luca smiles and grabs my hand and pulls me towards the fire. He explains how to make s’mores to me. I laugh at how happy and giddy he is and how much he is glowing explaining this to me. While he is explaining, I notice the guys are sitting back smiling. I look at them quizzingly.
Am I doing something wrong?
“He loves s’mores, and you are smiling, so we are happy. Don’t think too much into it, Paisley Girl. We love seeing you happy, and we get to see our brother happy too. This is just going to be a really happy memory,” Kade says.
