In The Between

✧･Chapter 37 Birthday Girl #2

Every so often, I'd glance toward the bouquet of flowers Claire brought me, sitting in a vase on the small table near the window, and I'd catch myself smiling.

Eventually, I set my brush down and stretch, rolling the stiffness out of my shoulders before glancing at the clock.

My eyes widen.

"Shit."

I still have to go home and get ready. I quickly clean up what I can, making sure the paint is covered and the brushes are soaking before grabbing my purse and heading for the door. I give Claire's flowers one last glance before leaving, locking the studio behind me.

The drive back to my apartment is short, but I'm already thinking about tonight. Mostly about seeing everyone. About cake. About June and the girls inevitably embarrassing me. And, if I'm being completely honest, about Claire.

She said she'd meet me at six, and I find myself smiling at the thought as I pull into my apartment complex.

Once I'm inside, I practically throw my purse onto the counter and head straight for my bedroom. I open my closet and stare at it for a few seconds, suddenly realizing I have absolutely no idea what I'm supposed to wear.

It's my birthday, I'm allowed to dress up. At least that's what I tell myself.

After changing my mind more times than I care to admit, I finally settle on a black dress that falls just above my knees, fitted through the waist before loosening slightly around my legs.

It's simple, but pretty, with thin straps and a subtle neckline that makes me feel a little more confident than usual.

I pair it with small gold earrings, a bracelet, and black heels that I immediately regret putting on.

I stare down at them.

"Why do I do this?" I murmur to myself but I'm already committed now.

I spend more time on my hair than I normally would, curling the ends before pulling half of it back and leaving the rest loose around my shoulders. I add some makeup too -nothing dramatic, just enough to make me feel like I actually tried.

I grab my purse and check my phone.

5:42.

I smile when I see Claire's last message from earlier still sitting there.

I miss you. I can't wait to see you tonight.

I shake my head, smiling as I lock my apartment and head downstairs. The drive to the restaurant takes less than twenty minutes, but my stomach is fluttering by the time I pull into the parking lot. I don't know if it's because it's my birthday or because I know Claire is going to be there.

Probably both.

I walk through the restaurant doors and barely make it three steps before I hear a familiar voice.

"Aunty Mae!"

I turn just in time for Lucia to come running toward me. I laugh as she throws her arms around my waist, nearly knocking me backward in my heels.

"Whoa, okay! Hi to you too."

"Happy birthday!" She shouts, pulling back to look at me. "You look so pretty!"

"Thank you, sweetheart."

Faye appears a second later and wraps her arms around me too. "Aunty Mae!"

I laugh, hugging both girls at once. "You two seem very excited."

"There's cake," Lucia whispers, as if that explains everything.

"Of course there is."

"Lots!" Faye adds proudly.

I look past them toward the table and finally see everyone else. Helena is standing beside June, both of them smiling at me, while Lucas and August are already arguing over something that apparently requires far too much hand movement.

"There she is," Helena says, walking over.

She pulls me into a hug and kisses my cheek. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you."

June steps forward next, signing happy birthday to me with a huge smile before pulling me into a hug. When she lets me go, she points toward the table.

I follow her gesture and immediately spot the birthday cake sitting in the center.

I laugh. "You guys really did all this?"

"We did," August says proudly. "I personally contributed nothing, but I'm happy to accept compliments."

"You're unbelievable."

"I know."

Everyone laughs, and for a moment I just stand there taking it all in. They're all here, my own little family. The people who have stayed.

My eyes drift toward the entrance and I glance down at my phone.

5:56, just four more minutes. I smile to myself, trying not to look too eager.

Helena notices anyway. "She'll be here."

I look at her innocently. "I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to."

I roll my eyes, but I can't stop the smile from spreading across my face.

I take my seat at the table, letting everyone pull me into the conversation while Lucia and Faye immediately begin arguing over who gets the biggest piece of cake.

I laugh along with them, but every few seconds, my eyes drift toward the entrance.

Six o'clock comes and goes. At first, I don't think much of it.

Claire is probably stuck at work. Her and Helena have told me enough stories about their job to know that leaving at a reasonable hour isn't always as simple as it should be.

Sometimes someone needs something at the last second, sometimes a meeting runs long, and sometimes they get caught up in something and forget that the rest of the world has a clock.

So when 6:07 comes around, I simply take another sip of my drink and keep listening to August's story that I have zero idea what it's even about at this point.

At 6:15, I check my phone, nothing. I glance toward the entrance before looking back at the table.

"She probably got held up," Helena says, almost like she can read my mind.

I smile. "Yeah, probably."

I'm not worried, not really. Claire told me she'd be here, and I trust her. Besides, she has never been the best at getting away from work on time. She'll show up eventually, probably looking exhausted and apologizing even though nobody is actually mad at her.

At 6:22, I check my phone again, and still nothing. I stare at our conversation for a moment before locking my screen.

I miss you. I can't wait to see you tonight.

I smile despite myself, maybe she's planning something. Maybe she's bringing something, or maybe she got caught up with work and her phone is sitting somewhere on her desk while she's trying to finish whatever she's doing.

There are plenty of explanations.

At 6:30, everyone has started eating. The girls are already fighting over which one gets the biggest piece of bread, August is trying to convince Lucas that he ordered the wrong thing, and Helena keeps laughing at both of them.

I join in, but every time the restaurant doors open, my eyes automatically flick toward them - and every time, it isn't Claire.

6:41, I check my phone again... nothing. This time, the disappointment is a little harder to ignore. Not because I'm angry with her, I'm not. I'm just starting to miss her.

At 6:50, Helena reaches across the table and squeezes my arm. "She'll be here."

I give her a small smile. "I know."

And I do, that's what makes it easier. I know Claire is coming, I just wish she'd send me a text. Even a simple running late would be enough.

Seven o'clock comes and I glance at the clock, then at my phone and nothing. I set it back down.

"Maybe we should just start without her," I say, trying to sound casual.

Helena looks at me for a second, like she knows I'm trying harder than I should to pretend I'm okay.

"She'll catch up."

"Yeah." I smile softly.

A few minutes later, the restaurant doors open again and I don't even think before looking, and this time, my entire face changes.

Claire.

Relief hits me so quickly that I almost laugh.

She's still in her work clothes, though. Her dark blouse is tucked into her suit pants, her hair slightly messier than it had been when I saw her earlier, and she looks exhausted. There's something about her expression that makes me immediately wonder how long she's been running around today.

I start to stand, then I notice the person beside her and my body stills.

My father.

There is no mistaking him. I've seen him less than a month ago. I know exactly what he looks like, exactly how he carries himself, exactly what his face looks like when he's trying not to show what he's feeling.

And right now, he's standing beside Claire, at my birthday dinner.

My smile disappears because I don't understand.

For a second, I just stare between them. Claire's eyes find mine. She doesn't smile, she doesn't wave. She simply looks at me, almost nervously, while my father stands beside her with his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket.

My heart begins to pound.

I look at Claire again, trying to understand what I'm seeing.

She came here late and she never texted me, and now she's standing at the entrance of the restaurant with my father.

I slowly lower myself back into my chair.

Nobody says anything and I can't seem to look away from Claire, and then my father takes one small step forward and my breath catches.

What the hell is happening?