The Fragile Ordinary(91)
I frowned, wondering at the melancholy in his tone, confused by it.
“Anyway, happy birthday.” He handed me the present.
Staring at the book-shaped package, I didn’t move to open it for a moment. I was bemused by the whole encounter. Finally, I carefully tore the wrapping and a soft gasp escaped me. The smell of real leather hit my nostrils as I smoothed my fingers over the handmade leather wrap journal he’d given me. It even had leather ties. It was thick and lush-feeling, and when I opened it to find lined paper inside, I was startled to discover a handwritten inscription on the first page.
Comet,
I have no doubt that as long as you put you into your writing people will fall in love with the beauty of your words. You’re the best person I’ve ever known, kid.
Love always,
Dad
Tears filled my eyes and clogged my throat as the words blurred together from my emotion. They seemed surreal. Like words written for someone else in some other house on a beach thousands of miles away.
But Kyle had written them.
My dad had written them for me.
And although the gesture could never wipe away the tears of the past, I would cherish them anyway.
At the feel of his lips on my temple, a tear splashed down my cheek. I waited until I heard his footsteps fade out of the kitchen and down the hall before I looked up, wiping the tear away. I hugged the journal to my chest, already designating it as the journal only the poems I felt most strongly about would be written in.
A little melancholy clung to me as I walked down the esplanade to the pub, wishing my dad and I could somehow magically unite to rewrite our past. We couldn’t. Still...his words meant a lot to me.
The lingering sadness I felt, however, was pushed to the depths of my mind as soon as I walked inside the pub to a chorus of shouts of “Happy birthday!” My gaze flew toward the table opposite the bar and right next to the bay window looking out over the beach.
Tobias, Vicki, Luke, Steph and Andy were standing at the table and Steph was waving a Happy Birthday banner back and forth. I grinned at my friends, skipping up the small set of steps to greet them. Tobias approached me first, enveloping me in his warm, strong hug—a hug that I’d become addicted to. Truly. If I didn’t get a hug from Tobias at least once a day it put me in an irritable mood. If I was a better person I’d suggest he donate his hugs to charity the way puppy dogs were used in children’s hospitals to cheer them up.
But I was selfish and wanted to keep his supply of hugs to myself.
“Nice outfit,” Vicki praised as I shrugged out of my coat after hugging all of them. Tobias held out my chair for me as I thanked him and Vicki at the same time. “You look great.”
“So does my vintage baby doll,” Steph laughed at Andy, expecting him to chuckle with her. He just raised an eyebrow, clearly sensing an undercurrent in her words but being a boy not understanding.
But I understood cattiness. And I was braver than I used to be. I grinned at her, deciding to kill her with kindness. “We get it, Steph. You hate the way I dress. It embarrasses you. I’m sorry about that, but this is me.”
She looked mortified. “I didn’t mean... I mean...”
“Anyhoo!” Vicki rescued us all. “Presents!”
The awkward moment dissipated as I was spoiled like I’d never been spoiled before. Vicki and Steph had gone in on a gift together, buying me five cloth-bound books from the new Penguin Classics collection that I’d been mooning over for weeks. Along with that they’d given me a box of my favorite chocolates. To my delight both Andy and Luke gave me a birthday card with vouchers for books inside it from them and the rest of the guys.
Tobias was last, handing me a small, neatly wrapped gift. “Maybe you could open it later.”
I nodded, my curiosity piqued. “Of course.”
“Aw, did ye get her somethin’ cheesy ye don’t want the rest of us to see, King?” Luke teased.
Tobias sighed. “Whatever.”
“He did.” Andy laughed. “Oh come on, Com, open it. Let us see.”
“Nope.” I tucked the gift into my bag. “For my eyes only.”
Tobias smiled at me in gratitude. “So birthday girl...breakfast is on us. What do you want?”
“Do you even have to ask?”
He and Vicki exchanged a look. “Belgian waffles.”
I giggled happily.
Best birthday ever.
It was only proved as such later that night when I snuck Tobias into my room. We’d spent the whole day with our friends in the city. First we’d gone to the cinema to see the latest Marvel flick, and then we’d just wandered around, checking out shops together, having a laugh.
Being with them all was great. Having them in my life was something I hadn’t even realized I was missing. Yet, I was also desperate to get Tobias alone so I could open his present.
“Finally!” I threw myself on my bed and immediately dived into my bag for the gift.
I was aware of Tobias taking a seat on the armchair across from me but I was mostly focused on the present.
Caressing the paper, I was at once excited and nervous. There was always a chance of not liking a gift someone I loved gave me and I wasn’t sure I was very good at lying.
“Would you open it already?”
I bit my lip at his nervous impatience. “Sorry.” I tore the paper, and my heart started to pound when I realized it was a Thomas Sabo jewelry box. Inside I discovered a thin rose-gold double-banded bracelet. The metal of the bracelets was twisted to make it look like rope. Decorating the middle was a rose-gold, unopened lotus flower inside a larger opened flower. Four tiny crystals embellished the inner flower, sparkling and catching in the light. A card fell out as I picked up the delicate, beautiful bracelet, and I opened it only to suck in my breath at the words he’d scrawled on it.