Birthday Party

A short story I wrote for a friend and my first submission to the site.

On the 18th anniversary of my birth, thick clouds filled the skies with gloomy gray and the city below with a never-ending deluge. It had been raining all week and, although I’d hoped it wouldn’t that day, I was unsurprised. Reality often has a habit of disappointing us.

On a padded bench near the window, I sat and watched the world outside through the sheer curtain of raindrops. Cars rolled by. The tops of umbrellas were navigated around one another, presumably with people beneath them, cold, wet, and wanting to be anywhere else. Everything glistened in the pale, dim lamp light behind my own bored reflection in the fogged glass.

Father was reading nearby in his favorite chair (one used by him almost exclusively as if by rule) while my brother and sister watched The Voice on TF1. From the kitchen, my mother’s voice rang out amidst the sound of clinking kitchen ware and lit burners. “Don’t think that just because it’s your birthday that you get to take the day off,” she said. Her lilting tone and chiding words were like ice water rolling down my spine. “As soon as your friends go home, I want you to go study.”

I sighed. “Okay, mother.”

Dad shook his head and looked up from his book “Oh, leave the girl be.” He said with a smile. “Let her have one day free of worry.”

Mother’s stepped into the room. She frowned and worked her hands into a white towel then placed her hands on her hips. “There you go again.”

Dad laughed, “What? Where am I going?”

She blinked at him and frowned with disapproval, then turned her gaze on me. “Graduation is just around the corner. There’s no point in taking breaks now when your future is at stake! You’ll study, young lady. I expect to see good marks from you.”

“She said she would. Don’t nag.”

“I’m not nagging!”

“Right, you’re not nagging. You’re never nagging.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. My brother whispered something to our sister and they laughed audibly until mother shot a glance at them that could cut glass. “I’m on to you both. You’ll not get to slack off, either. In the kitchen.”

“But mom!” they cried in near perfect unison.

Mother jammed her finger in the direction of the kitchen. “In!” she shouted.

They groaned and marched past her, their shoulders slumped

Mom pointed a finger at Dad, “You as well -- let’s go.”

“But mom!”

She gasped with an expression of feigned indignation. “You’re far too old to be my child!” They laughed. I caught myself smiling at them and quickly went back to gazing out the window. “On your feet, before I give you a thrashing, old man.”

He set his book down on a small table beside him. “Alright, alright. I’m coming.”

Our eyes met as he was standing. He smiled and winked and disappeared into the kitchen with the others. I sat alone for several minutes, the silence mitigated by the rain beating against the windowpane, when I saw a grouping of umbrellas wind their way up the far end of the walk and disappear beneath our building. When the buzzer sounded on the intercom a few moments later, I marched briskly to it and pushed the talk button.

“Yes?”

Axelle’s voice came through the speaker in a cool drawl: “It’s us.”

“Open up, we’re f-freezing to death!” Bernadine seemed wracked with panic, her words fractured by chattering teeth in frenetic rhythm.

Laughter forced its way through my nostrils then burst from my mouth as I spoke. “Alright, don’t be dramatic!” I hit a button on the intercom panel to unlock the door downstairs, then unlatched the door to our flat and pulled it open. It wasn’t long before everyone appeared in the doorway. Corinne and Axelle were chatting and laughing as they entered while Bernadine trailed a short distance behind, her arms folded tight against her chest. I met them at the door �" helped them all individually with their coats and gave them hugs in turn as they filed in. “Happy Birthday,” was on all of their tongues as we drew close. The gifts they’d come in with formed a small pile on the table nearest the door, wrapped neatly with bows and shiny paper and everyone sat together on the couch while I stowed their wet things in the closet by the front door.

“Stop it, Bibi,” Axelle said, a smirk on her lips as she watched her sister. “It’s not that cold out.”

“You’re c-crazy.” Bernadine was rubbing her bare arms and shoulders, shivering terribly in her dark, polka-dotted frock. Her pale lips trembled. “I d-don’t know how you can s-stand it. I’m frozen to the b-bone!”

“I can light the fire if you want to warm up a bit,” I suggested.

Axelle shook her head. “Don’t encourage her.”

Corinne craned her head nervously at the two from her position between them and stifled a small laugh when Bibi cast a vicious glance at Axelle

Still vigorously warming herself, Bibi looked up at me with pleading eyes. “Could you, p-please?”

With a flashed smiled, I nodded. Bibi almost leapt after me as I stepped toward the dining area to the fireplace. A turned knob sent flames dancing under false wood logs behind the glass and Bibi huddled near it. She hugged me tight, her body a bundle of twitching sinew. “You’re the best,” she said as she released me, her entire being fixated on the heat of the fire.

I put my hand on her shoulder. “Of course I am.” I left her there and rejoined the others. The television cut on, but we were too busy riffing off one another to pay any attention to whatever was on at the time.

Corinne said she was in love �" again. Axelle teased her mercilessly until she said “you’re just jealous” and Axie went quiet. Her face flushed.

Bibi rejoined us shortly after, color in her cheeks on a visage that spoke of utter relief. “Did I miss anything important?” she asked. She leaned on the arm of the couch on which we all sat and harassed Corinne with the tips of fingers playfully jabbed at her shoulder and ribs. Corinne laughed hysterically and cried “stahp!” between gasps.

“Maybe you should take that outside, you two,” Axelle remarked.

“There’s no f*****g way,” said Bernadine. “I’m not going out there again until the rain stops. I’ll stay here forever, if I have to.”

“Hang on �" do I get a say in this?” I interjected.

“No!” Bibi swaggered to where I was sitting �" “But I bet we’ll get to share a bed.” �" and wrapped her arms around me �" “Just imagine it. We’ll be so…” �" and squeezed me tight, our faces close, her voice a sultry whisper. “Warm,” her breath was hot against my ear.

I wriggled in her grasp. My heart beat in my chest in rhythm with my uncomfortable laughter. “Get off!” Flailing my arms, I managed to push her away. She fell backwards onto her a*s. She laughed. We all laughed.

Everyone turned as a procession came from the kitchen led by Mother. They carried plates and tableware among them, my younger sister held a small stack of floral cloth linen napkins which were probably as old as I �" maybe older �" and everyone began setting the table.

“You all seem to be having a good time,” Father laughed, beaming so wide you could see each tooth in his mouth.

My brother muttered audibly to my little sister, “If only we could all be so lucky, today.” She giggled cutely and Mother gave them a look that could cut glass.

“I hope you’re all hungry,” Mother said as she attempted to break up a fight that was starting between my brother and sister while remaining composed and address the four of us �" or, rather, our three guests. “We all slaved over the stove to make you (stop it, you two �" this instant) a nice meal.”

A polite and easy smile spread Axelle’s lips in a disarming display of pearly teeth and crinkled green eyes.“We appreciate it,” she laughed.

“Yeah, thanks so much!” Corrine chirped.

“I’m so hungry…” moaned Bibi as she picked herself up off the carpet. She straightened her dress and picked a spot at the table while the rest of us followed shortly after.

Of the eight places set, we placed ourselves facing each other two by two, myself beside Corinne and opposite Bibi who sat beside the head of the table on the left-hand side. Father and the children entered the room carrying dishes of lamb and poultry and quiches… they laid them all down on the table and Father looked at me with a curious expression. “What are you doing sitting there?” he asked. “The birthday girl sits at the head of the table! Go on �" you can have my usual spot.”

As I shifted, the other girls moved to fill the space I’d left between us. It was an odd thing to sit and look down the entire length of the table, the same scene I’d witnessed a thousand or more times before seemed completely new as though seeing it through eyes that were not my own. Mother set one of the last plate of food down at the center of the table and came over to where I sat and put her hand on my shoulder. She kissed the top of my head and spoke softly: “Happy birthday, daughter.”

During dinner, everyone was lively and cheerful. Bibi told a story about a swan that chased her at a gardens she visited on her family’s trip to Versailles. “It was so vicious �" stalked after me with its wings spread like an angry bear!” she held her arms up over her head and made her hands into claws. “Then it opened its mouth and it screamed like you wouldn’t believe! I swear I saw fangs.”

“Swans don’t have fangs!” Axelle put in. “They don’t even have teeth!”

“You didn’t see! It was a devil bird! Possessed by a demon!”

Father laughed heartily, “Yes, the infamous demon swans of Versailles. I do believe I’ve heard of them. They lure you in with their beauty and then they attack�"” he squeezed Mother’s arm with the tips of his fingers. She cried out and jumped in her seat and everyone burst into hysterical laughter.

“What kind of example are you setting?” she asked, trying to hide the smile growing across her features. “This is supposed to be a nice dinner!”

“What did you do to the swan?” Sister asked, looking on in wonder.

“What can you do to a swan? You cannot kick a swan in Versailles. I ran as fast as I could.”

“Which isn’t very fast, mind you. It was mainly a lot of stumbling and flailing.”

“Quiet, Axelle! I’m trying to tell the story.”

“Okay! I’m sorry. Go on, please.”

“Thank you �"” Bibi cleared her throat, then opened her mouth. When no words came out, she shut it again and looked down at her plate, searching as if the rest of the story were there somewhere among her meal. After a few moments, she frowned. “I �" uh, I guess that was it,” she drank from her glass and turned to her sister. “D****t, Axelle, you ruined the ending!”

“Come, don’t be mad. I said I was sorry, didn’t I?”

“Then why are you smiling?”

“Because I love you.”

After muttering something under her breath, Bibi sat silently sulking. Her cheeks and ears were quite red.

“It’s alright,” Father said after a short silence, “It was a fine story, wasn’t it?”

“Yes!” Sister said cheerfully.

“Quite entertaining �"” Mother agreed, “thank you for sharing, Bernadine.” She smiled and cast her eyes over the table. “Is anyone ready for dessert?” The answer was affected by audible murmuring in the affirmative by everyone at the table.

Ultimately, however, everyone just looked in my direction.

“Should we have dessert now?” Corrine asked.

It was somewhat shocking. Looking back, it seems such a small thing, and it’s embarrassing to admit, but at the time it was quite nerve-wracking to decide the course of the entire dinner so suddenly. In fact, I hadn’t shaken off the fact that I was sitting where I was or… “I �"” my breath caught in my chest, already crowded with the rapid beating of my heart. I felt dizzy.

The next thing I remember, I was laying on the couch, everyone looking down on me, mouths gaping, eyes wide with anxiety.

“Wha�" where?” I tried to sit up, but Father stopped me.

“No need to hurry,” he said. “Just try and relax a bit.”

“What happened?”

Corrine started crying and threw herself over me. “I �" *hic* �" thought I’d killed you…”

“Stop crying,” Axelle said. “It’s like I said: you can’t kill someone by asking them if they want dessert.” She smiled at me. “How are you feeling?”

Before I could think of anything to say, my sister’s little fingers jumped out in front of my face. “How many fingers do you see?”

“What’s today’s date?” my brother added.

“What’s your name?”

“Stop it, you two,” Mother interrupted, her voice trembling. “I was so frightened. Are you alright, dear?”

“I’m fine,” I said, finally.

“Well, if you’re feeling up to it, I bought raspberry tart...”

“I’m okay, mother �" everyone,” I looked down at Corrine. My blouse was growing damp with her tears. I nudged her in an attempt to get her to collect herself, but she only grasped me tighter and sobbed. All I could do was sigh and pat the back of her head.

After a few minutes, we rejoined at the table and finished dessert. By then it was getting quite late and Axelle, Bibi, and Corrine said their good-byes and started out for home.

Bernadine moaned and slumped her shoulders as she left. “It’s still raining.”

Author's Note

Thanks for reading and reviewing! :)