Chapter 16
16
“Daddy, you have to wake up. It’s my birthday today!”
“No.” I wiped my eyes, playing along with him thinking I’d just woke up, but truth be told, I’d been up for a couple of hours already. We had guests coming this afternoon and I had to put the final touches on his room. “It can’t be. Isn’t that next month?”
“What? No, it’s today. Did you really forget?” He dropped to the bed and his bottom lip jutted out. Tears were sure to follow which wasn’t part of my teasing plan.
“Of course it’s today. Happy birthday, Sweet Bee! Daddy has so many surprises for you.” One by one was the plan for today. A gift at breakfast, one at lunch, then all the rest as soon as our guests arrived.
We’d been living together for nearly a month and, while there were a few bugs to work out, nothing major had come about. Considering countless weekends were spent together beforehand, we’d ironed out most of the challenges already.
“Let’s get up and get ready. Prezzie number one awaits you on the dining table.”
“Can I wear my dungarees today, Daddy, with my headband? I want to be a bee.”
“A bee for your twenty-first birthday? Sounds about right to me.” My sweet little bee would be adorably Trevor for his party. Little did he know the extra fridge in the garage held the party food and his birthday cake so as long as he kept busy, the surprises wouldn’t be found.
I dressed my birthday bee in his favorite outfit and added a new shirt beneath the overalls.
“Daddy’s Birthday Bee.” Trevor read it upside down. It took a minute to sink in, then he cheered. “Yay! I’m Daddy’s Birthday Bee. Thank you, Daddy.” His lips landed on mine with a loud smack.
“You are very welcome. Let Daddy get dressed then we’ll have breakfast.” Which I had made and warmed in the oven, waiting for me to put the finishing touches on. “Let’s go.”
He danced down the hall in front of me and straight to the table where number one sat.
“Go ahead, birthday boy.”
Trevor ripped into the bag with even more vigor, if that was possible, than he usually did.
“Bumble bee and ladybug rainboots and a matching umbrella. Thank you, Daddy.” he puckered up. “Kiss me.”
“Birthday boy is a sassy boy.”
He giggled but won his desired kiss.
“You are very welcome. Now on a rainy day you can still check on the garden.”
“You think of everything, Daddy.” This time, he cleaned up his own paper mess before I could.
“Now, take a seat and Daddy will serve the birthday boy.” My attempt at making bumble bee birthday pancakes, colorful sprinkles in the mix and all, was passable. “Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Little Bee. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, my love. Make a wish and blow out the candle.”
He took a moment, closed his eyes and filled his cheeks with air, then blew.
“Yay! Look at the bees. You made bee pancakes. Best. Daddy. Ever!”
If he was this excited over pancakes, he’d likely pass out later when the bigger surprises were revealed. All the gifts tied in with the big room reveal at the end. Hell, even the cake was garden themed.
I was gonna be one tired Daddy tonight, though. But Trevor was more than worth it.
“What would you like to do today, Birthday Bee?”
Our guests were due to arrive at two. My plan was to have him racing around the garden while I snuck them inside. I was excited to meet Lila’s girlfriend. From what Trevor told me, he’d never seen his mother happier. He’d met her when she picked up her daughter from the afterschool program.
“I want to play outside.”
Zero surprise there. I was glad I had Chuck come back and install shade sails over the sandbox area to protect my Little Bee’s delicate skin from the sun.
“Play away, Birthday Bee. Daddy has some house stuff to take care of.”
“Okay, Daddy.”
Off he went while I tidied up the last few things for today’s festivities. For dinner, Chuck, Adam and I decided grilling was easiest and while I supplied the meat they each brought a side dish. Lila made Trevor’s favorite deviled eggs. With all of this, lunch would be kept simple.
As soon as I stepped outside to check on him he jumped off the swing and ran over to me.
“Daddy, take my picture.” He threw his arms in the air and posed while I snapped away. “Thank you.” And he was off again. But his question reminded me to make sure and take lots of pictures to fill our home.
“Daddy?” He hollered as he ran inside shortly after. “Where are you?”
“In the office.”
“I want to color and watch TV.”
“Have at it. Daddy has a couple of bills to pay, then I’ll be out.”
He ran over, hopped into my lap and threw his arms around my neck. “I love you, Daddy. You’re the best birthday present ever.”
With the simplest of words, he’d reduced his Daddy to tears.
“Happy tears, Daddy?”
“The happiest, my love.”
Trevor pressed his lips to the tip of my nose, climbed off and skipped down the hall leaving me stunned in his wake.
I was somebody’s best gift. Something I’d never been before.
It was so hard to keep the room from him. I couldn’t wait to see his face alight with the joy of having his own space and all the fantastic toys it was filled with. He’d talked about Brandon’s room for weeks after our first visit. Now he’d have his own to share and show off.
I finished up what I had to do and found him coloring away. He’d taken to leaving many of the pictures in the books, only removing favorites to replace the old ones on the fridge. I bought magnet clips so each could now hold countless works of art, so all were still on display; you merely needed to flip through them.
“How’s it going, Birthday Bee?”
“Really good, Daddy. But I’ll probably go back outside after lunch.”
“Sounds like a well thought out plan. Are you ready to eat?”
“After I finish this picture. Is that okay?”
“It’s your day, my love. Of course it’s okay.”
I made a couple different sandwiches and used some of the cookie cutters to cut them into various shapes. Trevor would get a kick out of these. With Daddy’s version of art complete, I set the plates on the table alongside gift number two.
“Daddy these are so cute. Little bunnies and flowers. Can you do this again sometime?”
“Absolutely, my love. Now, open your gift.”
“Ha-ha, you got the matching raincoat. Can I wear this to work when it rains?”
“Completely up to you, Sweet Bee.” He folded it over the chair and sat down.
“Don’t tell Mom, but I don’t remember having this much fun on my birthday like, ever.”
I mimed zipping my lips. “I’ll take your secret to the grave.”
His little bunny sandwich hopped around the plate, taking a bite out of each flower and chip. When it was down to only the bunny, he said his goodbyes. “You’ve been a good bunny but it’s time to say goodbye.” Trevor sighed and shoved the entire thing in his mouth at once. Guess it was easier to part that way.
“Bye, Daddy,” he waved as he passed by me. “I’m going outside.”
If I pitched a tent in the backyard he’d likely sleep out there as much as he loved the outdoors.
He hadn’t so much as shut the door before the texts of our guest arrivals came.
“Welcome, thank you all for coming.” One by one I greeted our guests and slipped their sides into the fridge. “Let me show you the room and introduce you to each other.”
They followed me back and as soon as I opened the door a round of oohs and aahs filled the space.
“Jayger, this is amazing.” Lila was the first to speak up. “You’ll never get him out of here.”
“Hi, I’m Amity and this is my daughter Pressley.”
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” Lila blushed. “I was mesmerized by the room. Yes, this is Amity and Pressley.”
“It’s wonderful to finally meet you. This is Adam and his partner Brandon, and this is our friend and contractor who did this amazing work though, all the painting was done by his partnerTae.”
“Wow, there are no words. Tae, you hand-painted this entire mural?” Lila was enamored. “My son will be overjoyed with what you’ve done.”
“Thank you, I um, I did the dresser, too.” All eyes darted to it.
“Oh Daddy, can Tae paint something for me?” Brandon asked.
“We can see if he has time, sweet boy.”
Knowing Adam, plans would be made before they headed home today.
Just then, I heard the back door shut.
“Okay, he’s coming. I’ll be right back.”