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“Don’t you dare get all weird, or we’ll have to do something mean,” Cookie said.
“You can get weird. We’ll still get you a cake next year and we won’t be mean,” Dice said, and then stared at Cookie. “Will we?”
“Do you have to take everything so damn literally? It’s exhausting.”
Connor punched me in my arm and smiled.
I swallowed hard, like the kind of force you needed to keep your soul in your chest because it wanted to leap out and splatter everywhere, taking every tear you possessed with it.
Then they started singing “Happy Birthday.” I hated being sung to, and yet I was about to make an epic scene, bawling at the gesture.
I blew out my candles and then wiped my face. “Smoke got in my eye,” I said.
Cookie rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything.
“Hey, we got you gifts too. We’re not animals.” Connor threw me a package.
It was a dagger with a beautifully engraved etchings on the handle and part of the blade.
“Sterling silver,” Connor said. “That shit will kill more than you think, just in case you find yourself in an untinkerable position.”
Cookie handed me a box and ripped the lid off. A pair of boots similar to hers were there. “I know you like fancy shoes, but you have to be ready to fight on occasion. I was trying to tinker this guy once, and his girlfriend did not appreciate me touching him. If I hadn’t had these boots on when I kicked her in the crotch, things could’ve gotten messy.” She lifted her foot, modeling them for me.
“This is from me,” Dice said, handing me a jewelry box.
It was a beautiful strand of Tahitian pearls.
“These are so beautiful.” I ran my hands over them. “What do they do?”
“Look good. I thought women liked that kind of shit?” Dice punched Connor in the arm. “I told you I should’ve gotten her a gun.”
He reached for the box, and I yanked it to my chest. “No, I love them. I don’t want a gun.”
Connor was cutting up the cake already, and handed me a piece.
“Hey, how’d you all know it was my birthday?” I asked.
“Kaden mentioned it,” Cookie said.
Kaden? There was no way he’d suggested doing something nice for me. If he had, he would’ve shown up. Kaden probably knew everyone’s birthday, one of the tricky details he kept to use against people.
Connor elbowed me. “We got you a new-release movie to watch. That sci-fi thing you were talking about? I don’t know. Whatever it was called.” Connor turned to Dice. “Hey, get the movie on.”
“The cake is from the leprechaun’s place,” Cookie said. “Try it.”
I took a bite. “This is the best thing I’ve ever tasted in my life.”
“Right?”
“Come on. It’s starting,” Connor said, sitting in his spot in the chair.
Dice and Cookie took their usual seats.
And I took mine. I had ausualseat. Maybe I didn’t have nobody. Maybe I had these people. As gruff, obnoxious, and irritating as they could be, as much as I swore I never would, I actually liked these people.
We were only ten minutes into the movie when Kaden strolled in.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said, and tossed me a small box. “Happy birthday.” He walked over to the cake.
“Thanks.” I tucked the gift beside me. I’d open his later, when I was alone.
Yeah, for better or worse, I had people.
