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"Have you ever wished you were born into a different family?" she asked and then paused in shock. "I'm so sorry, Vanessa. I'm not sure why—" she apologized before covering her mouth with her hands.
"The cake!" I yelled, and Anna immediately straightened up and rebalanced the cake in her hands. We both breathed a sigh of relief.
If that cake fell, I would have to murderyou, I thought, but herapologetic smile and guilty eyes told me she had already guessed what I was thinking.
"I'm sorry aboutthe cake and what I said earlier. I become self-absorbed when I am frustrated with him," she said, regret evident in her voice.
"It's fine." I shrugged it off, knowing she felt bad for complaining about her family whileI barely had one.
But I wasn't offended by her remark. My parents were killed in a car accident a few years ago. It actually feltlike a long time because, despite the fact that there was always an emptiness and loneliness inside me,I had come to terms with it.
"I mean, I would have preferred to have grown up with my parents, but my uncle sufficed. I just wish he would marry, you know? He is entitled to happiness."
As we rounded the corner, Anna shrugged. My gaze was fixed on her arms, watching her every move. My cake was my most prized possession that day, and I wasn't going to let it fall.
"I don't know," she said lazily. Her brows furrowed in skepticism. "He lovesyou like adaughter. He might be content with justyou," she stated.
I wasn't entirely sure I agreed with her. Uncle Fred didn't seem to be alone by choice; at least, that's the feeling I had. I'm not sure why though.
After my parents died, he sent me to boarding-school, but he always visited and evenstayed on holidays. However, he always seemed to be so preoccupied with business that he refused to tell me what it was about. When we were together, his mind drifted frequently, but he always apologized when I caught him. That continued until I graduated from high school.
I knew very little about my uncle's past, but he was a good man, so I never bothered to ask further. All I wanted was for him to be happy. That's why I spent all day baking thiscake for his birthday. Itwas just a simple chocolate cube with mediocre dressings, but I knew he would appreciate it deeply despite itsquestionable appearance.
When we arrived at his house,I turned to the lawn;it was trimmed short, as it was every time I visited him. He rarely left his little bungalow but always found ways to keep himself busy.
Even though I had called him earlier to wish him a happy birthday, I knew he wasn't expecting me. I wanted it to be a surprise.
I climbed the three stairs to his front door and knocked.
"Who'sthere?" I heard his soft voice after the first knock.
When I turned around, Anna was far behind me. She appeared tired and struggled to keep up. I motioned for her to hurry over to the door.
She jogged over to where I was standing, panting. I waited for her to straighten up before knocking on the door again.
"Who's atthe door?" he asked again.
"Sorry, but I'm looking for a Mr. Westbrook. I have a packagefor him," she said, adjusting her voice as much as she could so she could foolmy uncle sincehe had met her many times.
He undid all the locks andyanked open the door.
"Happybirthday!" I screamed so loudly that I thought I might have ended up scaringhim. He burst out laughing and opened his arms to embrace me. I tried to return the hug, almost forgetting aboutthe large box in my hands.
"What a pleasant surprise," he said before offering to take the box from me.
"You could help Anna with thecake. I don't want to ruin the surprise just yet," I stated, keeping the box to myself.
"Why is nobody else here? What about the people next door?" Anna wondered aloud as she entered the quiet house.
"I'm not a big fan of crowds, and honestly, I don't know any of my neighbors," he explained.
"Because he rarely leaves the house except to pick up groceries and mow his beloved lawn," I explained to her, rolling my eyes.
"Mr. Westbrook, you should get out more. I thought I was going to a birthday party. We need some noise but no alcohol," she immediately corrected herself.
"Yes, no alcohol," my uncle said again, chuckling and shaking his head.
I knew bringing Anna would be a good idea. Her bubbly personality could turn any place into a party, and she always knew how to have a good time.
