Chapter 40 #2
We drive east for 45 minutes to a state park.
We have the windows down, allowing the warm breeze to enter the cab.
It’s a partly cloudy, lower humidity day, which is a pleasant change from the usual sauna.
Dad turns right onto a well-maintained dirt road through towering pine trees that cast dots of light on the road and into a clearing.
I can see a pergola covered in balloons and familiar vehicles parked nearby.
We’re in a large open park with the ocean at its edge.
Several other groups are scattered around the grass and picnic tables.
Seb jogs over to open my door as soon as Dad parks. “Welcome to your birthday party, Sunshine!” He pulls me out and into a hug.
Grinning, I grab my bag, and then he takes my hand, walking over to the pergola. Everyone is here, including Steven. They’ve set up 2 picnic tables together, and there are even streamers hanging from the roof. “It looks amazing, guys,” I smile.
“Let’s hit the water,” Seb says excitedly. I quickly lather up with sunscreen, checking that everyone else has some, then walk down the wooden steps to the sand with Nick and Jake.
It’s rockier here than at the beach house, but there are no waves. Jake wanders in up to his waist, and I stand with him. “I can’t believe you and Nick are both here for my birthday.”
“It’s a good year, Sum,” Jake smiles. He lies back to float, and I stay close. Seb comes up behind me and throws me deeper into the water as I screech.
“Hurry,” I yell, spluttering from the water I inhaled.
I look for Jake, but Nick is beside him.
Knowing he’s well taken care of, I swim over to Hurry and try to dunk him.
Unsuccessful, E helps me, and games ensue from there.
Gabby is great at dunking the guys, showing no hesitation as she climbs them like a monkey or takes their legs out from under them.
The adults bring down a bunch of chairs and towels, but everyone ends up in the water except David and Steven.
Someone brought a volleyball, so we play in the waist high water, pretending the chairs are where the net is, and Jake referees from the sand for us.
Olivia is a savage little competitor, demanding to be on E’s shoulders to spike the ball. She’s hilarious.
Once we’re all tired, we dry off and head back up to the grass. Alex lights a charcoal grill, and the guys haul coolers from the back of E’s truck. We chat and play tag until dinner is ready. Everyone is happy, and it’s so relaxing.
Dinner consists of hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled pineapple, rolls, salads, and chips.
I’ve got Nick on my left and Jake on my right, and all is perfect in the world. The food is delicious; most of the guys going back for seconds. When we're full, Seb carries over a cake from Alex’s SUV.
This year it’s a three tier white iced cake, and the top layer has a drip mirror glaze in blues, greens, and purples.
So pretty. “It’s beautiful, E,” I call as Seb sets it in front of me.
Olivia helps Bay add candles before he lights them.
Everyone sings “Happy Birthday” loudly and off key, and I love it.
Grinning, I close my eyes but don’t have any immediate wishes, so I choose a wish for our future.
E hands me a knife to cut slices for everyone, setting the top tier aside for me to take home later. The cake is chocolate and white marble inside with a chocolate ganache centre. So yummy.
Presents are next. Seb brings over a box while Dad and Ray grab gifts from their vehicles. I never even noticed anything in Dad’s truck. Observant today, aren’t I?
Olivia insists on going first. She made me a card and bought me a purple orchid. “Since yours was broken when Nick came home,” she tells me.
I hug her. “That’s very thoughtful, thank you.”
Alex got me a gift certificate for the bookstore at Charleston University and an iceberg rose plant for my garden.
Bay printed off pictures to add to my photo album and got me a Charleston U tee.
Seb got me a charm for my bracelet. E got me a new weeder for the garden, and Nick got me a collapsible baton.
Dad bought me a gift certificate for my favorite online herbal store, and Holly and Jaxon bought me Charleston U shorts.
The final gift is from Jake. I’m extra curious about what he chose for me.
Opening the box, I find a mound of light blue fabric.
Pulling it out, I unfold it to find a custom blanket.
I see Baymax, a hockey stick, the ocean, palm trees, ski hills, an MMA fighter outline, running shoes, two basketballs, two divers, textbooks, sweet peas, lilies, cookies, a security officer, and a nurse hat.
It represents all the people who’ve been in my life that are important.
My eyes get misty as I hug it to me. “Jake,” I whisper.
“I hope you like it. I asked your friends to help choose which pictures to include.”
Pulling him into a hug, I take deep breaths to stop tears from falling. “It’s perfect. I love you,” I whisper in his ear.
“Love you, Sum,” he whispers in return.
Of course, everyone wants to see the blanket, so I pass it to Seb to hold up as Nick squeezes my knee under the tablecloth. Gosh, how I’ve missed those thigh squeezes of support.
There’s one more surprise. As the sun sets, people spread out blankets on the grass and move chairs behind them, and they hang a sheet from the pergola, while Alex brings out a projector and a laptop.
Apparently, Dad knows the park warden and got special permission to stay past dusk, when the park closes, to watch a movie.
The guys even have popcorn, and the movie is Big Hero 6, which makes Jake and me laugh. I sit in a chair beside Jake and the adults while the rest of the guys, Gabby, and Olivia are on the blankets. Nick ends up leaning against my legs, and Olivia falls asleep before the movie's over.
Everyone packs up their vehicles, and I pass out hugs when Seb informs me they are staying overnight at my house, including Jake. Yay! I ask Gabby to join, but she says she has no desire to sleep on a mattress with smelly brothers. Laughing, I can’t blame her.
We get home after midnight. Taking turns in the bathroom, we set up the mattresses in the living room, Jake and I taking the couch. What a wonderful day. I fall asleep as soon as everyone settles in for the night.
Something in the middle of the night has me stirring. Rubbing my eyes, I blink them open to find darkness and Nick awake, his face illuminated by his phone. “Come up, Grumpy.” I sit up and move the blanket to make room for him.
Nick quietly gets up and lies on his back. I crawl half on top of him, bringing the blanket with me. Getting comfortable, I sigh, falling back asleep.