Episode 13
By: Faith Lucky.
Rodney’s Pov:
I went into the bathroom and brushed my teeth and after that, decided to spend some time in the garden.
I dallied as I walked on the passage, feeling so weak and just as I entered into the sitting room, I heard voices that screamed: “SURPRISE!”
That was when I lifted my eyes and saw mum, Leo and Megan over there, all smiling at me.
Mum was sitting on the couch, while Megan and Leo remained standing with a cake on a round glass table.
Leo who held a balloon suddenly burst it and Megan shrieked at the sound it had made.
Then he took out flowers from a bowl and sprinkled it on me.
“Happy birthday Bro. Many more years” Leo said to me as he gave me a side hug.
“Happy birthday Rodney” Megan also said and embraced me.
I kept staring at them and managed a smile.
“Thanks guys” I said with a perfunctory smile.
“Hey; hurry up so we can cut the cake. Make a wish” Megan said as she held my hand and took me close to the cake which was decorated with my name on it. “Try making a different wish this year” Megan whispered into my ear.
I shot her a stare and bent my head to the level of the cake. For the past eighteen years, I’ve been making the same wish. But how can I make a different wish?
“I wish for Jocelyn to return” I said with a doleful smile and blew out the birthday candles.
Mum and Leo started clapping, then Megan joined later.
“Okay. So, let’s cut the cake” Megan announced and I held the knife in the cake.
“Okay. So, let’s cut the cake after… After the spelling of happiness. Let’s go.
“HAPPINESS! Yay!” They chorused and I cut the cake.
“Now, it’s time to feed the couples” Megan said and laughed.
“Mum, were you serious when you said Rodney forgot today was his birthday?” Leo asked as Megan cut the cake into a round plate. “Of course. Isn’t it obvious?” Mum replied.
She’s been quiet the whole time, probably because of my attitude. I guess she misses her happy lively son.
It’s a good thing I actually participated in the little house party. For the pass eighteen years since Jocelyn left, I’ve never agreed to celebrate my birthday. I’ve warned them not to bring up birthday parties again.
On my 13th birthday, my parents had forcefully hosted a birthday party for me and guess what I did? I walked out of it.
I walked out of it – ran away from home and had even gone missing but was luckily found two days after.
My life has never been the same since Jocelyn left and mum was dying silently because of that.
Well, I just can’t help it.
“Megan was already through cutting the cake and she fed some of it to me.
“This isn’t a wedding party, Megan” Leo said and Megan rolled her eyes at him.
“Oh,.my God! Megna!” Leo called aloud and tapped her.
“We forgot to sing the birthday song!”
“Oh, my God! Are you kidding me? Oh, my God! How did this even happen? I think this is all your fault.
“My fault? And how’s it my fault? You were supposed to start the song the moment he steps in remember?” Leo defended.
“Well, you were supposed to burst the balloon after the song. So bursting it before
the song had gotten me confuse”
“Yet, you say it’s my fault?”
“Of course, it is!’
And I laughed.
Hm. Finally, I was able to laugh.
“I’ll deal with you later” Megan mumbled to Leo and fingered him.
“Okay . fine; let’s do it now. It’s not too late” she added and cleared her throat with
Leo and they started singing:
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to Rodney
Happy birthday to you
How old are you now?
How old are you now?
Does he even remember?
How old are you now?
I cracked and laughed again and this time around, they all joined me in laughing “Yeah. We decided to edit the song this year, Rodney” Leo said. “So, Rodney, how old are you?” Megan asked and I replied:
“Fifty two”.
And we all laughed again.
Megan reached for her handbag and returned with a wrapped gift.
“Happy birthday Rodney” she said as she gave the prezzie to me and hugged me again.
“Thanks” I replied and kissed her forehead.
She blushed.
“Mmm – Mmm. So, what’re we having today? I was thinking we should go to city
glamour” Leo said.
“Yes. We could go out today after lunch. I’ll make lunch with mum. What would
you like to eat, Rodney?” Megan asked.
“I…”
“I think he would want to go for cheese fries. What do you think?”
I stared at them and wished Jocelyn were around. I imagined her doing the things megan was doing – embracing me, feeding the cake to me, preparing lunch for me; how happy I’d be.
Oh, Jocelyn; where are you?
“Thanks for the little surprise, guys” I looked at them and said.
“I really appreciate all of it. Um…guess we’ll have lunch later”.
“Hey, hey; don’t tell me you’re leaving. We haven’t even opened the wine yet”.
“Sorry. I…I need to go”.
I took a piece of cake from the plate and walked over to mum.
I fed the cake to her and gave her a peck.
“I love you mum” I whispered into her ears and left.
Megan’s Pov:
“Be careful with that, okay?” I said to one of the maids who arranged the food on the dining.
With the assistance of Mrs Houston and the rest of maids, I had prepared lot of food for Rodney’s birthday lunch.
“Leo, tell Rodney to get ready. Lunch has been served” I said to Leo who just came out of his room.
“Rodney’s not at home” Leo replied and I flinched.
Huh?
“Not at home? Then where’s he? I thought he was in his room the whole time?” I asked.
“No. I saw him driving out a while ago”.
What the heck?
We all agreed to have lunch together.
“So where’s he?” I asked, perturbed.
“I don’t know” he replied with a shrug.
“Well; have you tried calling him?”
“Yes. He’s not picking his calls.
Oh, my God! What?
Where the hell could he be?
TBC.
Hmm. I wonder where Rodney is and why he’s not picking his calls. Who else is sensing trouble?
DEAR
JOCELYN