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Her what?
Maybelle’s eyes darted after Penny wide-eyed, to Trey, still wide-eyed, and then to the quilted blanket Penny had been apparently sitting with. There was a full ass picnic basket, fancy glasses, what looked to be a bottle of cider and a blue cake frosted to sayHappy Birthdaywith one candle in the middle.
Penny squeezed one last time, “Ok I love you, have the best day!” Penny released Maybelle then launched herself at Trey who caught her embrace with ease and expectance.
“God, I love you two! Ok, I’m gone!” And she was, skipping off to a parked vehicle up the way and driving off.
Maybelle finally looked to Trey who snickered, “I asked her to set this up for me and watch over it til we got here. She was easily convinced because she wanted to see you.” He said like that was enough explanation.
Maybelle turned slowly to the setup, her skirt catching in the salty, sea, breeze and her curls dancing across her face, “It’s my birthday?” She asked not really knowing what else to say.
Trey grabbed the fabric of her dress at her waist pulling her against him as he brushed back a curl, “Yes. Are you upset I didn’t tell you? I knew you have been pretty busy and probablyhad forgotten reading about your birthday in the journal, so I thought I’d go ahead and surprise you. Was that ok?” He asked in all seriousness.
Maybelle took a second and she actually thought about it. Was she mad at him per se? No.
What was a tad upsetting was the fact that she didn’t remember her own birthday. Just another reminder of how much of a stranger she still was in her own body. Another reminder that even after all this time, other people still knew more than she did about herself. Maybelle shook her head.
“No, I like surprises. What’s in the basket?” She asked gesturing to the picnic set up not willing to depress his efforts under her own personal drama.
Trey’s demeanor brightened as he led her to the blanket. Maybelle followed his lead taking a seat on the quilt, the basket and cake between them. Trey pulled out— pop tarts. Maybelle glanced up at him eyebrows raised.
“With how many of these you and freaking Williams eat I thought you would want nothing more.”
Maybelle shrugged, “Touché.” And accepted a packet of pop tarts.
“I didn’t realize you were such a romantic, Turner.” Maybelle broke a chunk of her snack off and put it into her mouth as she studied Trey pouring them both glasses of cider with a tight grin on his face.
“Well, then you are not very observant. I am very romantic and sentimental.” Trey countered. Maybelle continued to watch her cheery boyfriend, instantly recallingmanydifferent accounts when Trey was romantic… For shit's sake he stayed by her sleeping form for a whole year without any hope that she would wake.
“Let me rephrase, I didn't realize you were so corny.” This earned her a side long glance.
“You like corny.” He said through an arrogant smirk as he handed her a glass.
And that she did. She actually loved corny, especially Trey’s corniness. Maybelle took a sip of her bubbly cider and Trey moved onto the cake. He pulled a lighter from the bottom of the basket, lit the candle then held up the cake for her, “Alright, make a wish.”
Maybelle studied him and the darling blue, iced cake.
A wish. What more could she ask for?
With Trey, Chelsea and all her friends she had literally everything except— one thing. Maybelle inhaled then blew out the candle.
Trey plucked two forks from the basket, still absolutely beaming, “What did you wish for?”
Maybelle looked away, adjusting her dress, “Nothing, I have all I need.” She fibbed and Trey snorted.
“Yeah, ok. So, what did you actually wish for?” Wow this man knew her too well. Maybelle refused to make eye contact even as he handed her a fork.
“I have everything I could ever want, except my— my memories.” She mumbled the last part diffidently.
Trey’s movements had completely halted from what she could make out at the corner of her eye and the whole world seemed to slow. Even the timing between waves crashing seemed to drag on. After a few beats Maybelle finally peered over at him.
Trey was watching her with the intensity she always witnessed in him when he was trying to solve a problem, usually her problem. It was the way he’d looked at her the time he caught her with the bruise on her hip and that bookcase toppled over, or when she had snuck out of the apartment the first time she visited. He looked at her like if he thought long enough, he could come up with a solution that would keep her safe fromanything and everything. Sadly, this was not one of those things. Nothing could save her from the harsh reality that was her life.
“I didn’t realize you ever cared for or wanted your memories back. You seemed so content just moving on.” Trey said as one of his hands moved to grasp the top of her knee.
“Eh—I didn’t before. Especially because of the family I lost, seeing how much their deaths affected you all, I didn’t want to know what that felt like. But there has always been a part of me that has felt like a stranger in my own skin. The other day I noticed I have a scar on my thigh right here.” She said hiking her skirt up to show off a quarter’s length, pale pink scar.
As if it was instinct, Trey’s hand immediately moved so his thumb could sweep across the mark, “I had no idea where I got that. Luckily, I wrote about it in the journal. Some stupid girl had acrylics on in a basketball game I played in. She went to swipe the ball from me but instead took a chunk out of my skin with her fake nail.”
