Lyrical life

Chapter 11

 

Birthday – Katy Perry

 

I met Lucy’s brother in May. School was gearing up for end of year exams and I was staring down my first birthday without my parents so it was quite a distraction when I got home to find Lucy already home from work, sitting in the lounge, laughing with someone I didn’t know.

 

“We’re home.” I announced loudly as Jenny and I got in the front door, we’d noticed Lucys car in the driveway but Jenny didn’t seem interested as she disappeared into the kitchen and stuck her head in the snack cupboard, looking for something she felt like eating, as she usually did.

 

“We’re in the lounge.” Lucy replied to me as I threw my bag on the bottom step of the stairs, already heading for the lounge so I could sprawl in one of the armchairs for a while before I did my homework.

 

“Who’s we?” Jenny demanded, her head suddenly appearing again from the kitchen doorway.

 

“Who do you think?” A man’s voice asked, his laughter of a moment ago, still evident in his muddled accent.

 

“Uncle Andy?” Jenny asked with excitement as she pushed past me in her hurry to get into the lounge. I followed her into the lounge in time to see her throwing herself into the arms of the man standing by the couch.

 

“My god you’ve grown girl.” He laughed “Much more height on you and I’ll not be able to lift you anymore.” He complained as he put her feet on the floor again as she laughed.

 

“I wasn’t expecting you. When did you get in? What did you bring me?”

 

“Jenny Thompson you know better than that!” Lucy chided her, a little embarrassed at her daughter’s demand for gifts. Though they both seemed to ignore her.

 

“I got in about lunchtime so I’ve not even had time to see mum and dad yet, you know I had to come see you first.” The man laughed, his tanned and weathered face radiating his laughter and good humor. “Don’t worry about her expecting things Luce’, you weren’t any different at her age, you always expected gifts when I got back from college too. Who is this lurking in the doorway though?” His eyes met mine and he started towards me as Lucy looked up, visibly squirming at the mention of her past behavior.

 

“Andy, this is Jo. Jo, this is Andrew, my brother.” Lucy introduced us. I wasn’t sure what to expect as he crossed the room in two great strides. He picked me up in a bear hug like he had Jenny, I was sure that he would have swung me around like a child if there had been room.

 

“You’re Jo? I’ve been dying to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you from Luce’ and my parents, none of them told me you were such a gorgeous girl though. I’ll have to be careful or you’ll steal my heart away and I’m sure that Jenny would never forgive you.” He said with a smile on his face. I wasn’t sure what to make of the comment but had to assume that he was joking.

 

“Don’t scare her uncle Andy. Jo, don’t take him seriously, he always says things like that.” Jenny ordered him as he put me down again.

 

“Well it’s true that you’re all a sight for sore eyes to me, especially after being stuck in a work camp with only Chinese men for company for so long. Barely even had time to go to the nearest village for supplies over the last year and it’s been more than a year since I managed a break in Beijing.” I was somewhat self-conscious around him and confused, unsure how much of what he said was true and how much was shameless exaggeration.

 

“Yea right, you’ve probably barely done an hours work in the last six months, I know you.” Lucy sniped good naturedly as he stood with his arm round me still.

 

“How did you fall in with this terrible family of near-do-wells anyway though?” He blatantly ignored Lucy and asked me.

 

“Um, I, ahh, got in some trouble with, um, with my parents and Lucy was nice enough to let me come stay here.” I managed to mumble my reply.

 

“Luce’ why have you been keeping this pretty face all to yourself? You could have sent me just a little picture. You know I’ve been stuck in a work camp full of men, not a pretty face to lighten my life apart from an old picture of my dear niece to look at when the bugs are chirping fit to drive a man to drink. Trouble with your parents you say? Can’t have been anything too serious, you look like you couldn’t make trouble for a mouse. Maybe I’ll just have to hire you and whisk you away from these dull people.” He barely seemed to ever stop talking to take a breath, somehow answering everyone all at once.

 

“Andy, stop teasing her.” Lucy echoed Jenny’s earlier words as she stared at him.

 

“We are not dull.” Jenny stamped her foot as she said it though I could tell she wasn’t really as angry with him as she pretended.

 

“And just who said I was teasing?” He demanded, winking at me as he spoke.

 

“You always bring me something so what did you get me?” Jenny carried on, speaking at the same time as him. I hated to admit it but I was grateful that she was taking the subject away from me as this whirlwind of a man seemed intent on bewildering me.

 

“Ahh, get on with ye’.” He waved a hand at Jenny. “You’re too old for me to be getting you things anymore and I wouldn’t know what to get you these days anyway.” He shot back at her, dragging me into the room with him as he moved back to the couch. I was again unsure how serious he was, he had the same glittering smile in his eyes that Lucy had when she was teasing, sparkling in his eye, and he seemed to have trouble keeping a straight face as he reached for the mug that he had abandoned on the coffee-table when he came to greet me. He took a huge gulp from it and I was almost certain he was trying to hide his grin behind the mug as he stood there.

 

“Sit down Andy, you make my house look untidy.” Lucy complained.

 

“Darlin’, I’ve been sitting down for days, I really can’t be sitting around all the time just to make you look good. If you think the place needs tidying up then get to it woman, I ain’t stopping you, perhaps you should have done it before.” He added in a quieter voice that I was sure only I was supposed to hear round his mug. I was sure that he knew how Lucy liked to keep things nice so I was surprised by his clear suggestion that the lounge was untidy even without him standing in it.

 

“If you think it’s untidy, lets see you do better then.” Lucy shot back hotly but with the sparkle in her eye that I knew meant she was more playing than serious.

 

“Uncle Andy, I know you got me something. Where is it?” Jenny demanded again.

 

“I told you, I wouldn’t know what to get you so I didn’t worry about it. Come and talk to me anyway beautiful, satisfy my curiosity about you and tell old uncle Andy everythin’” He grinned at me. I was flattered and scared by his attention. There had been “uncles” at the church that had paid attention to the children, but they had never been like this man, mostly they had just been old and kinda condescending. I realized Andrew was waiting for me to respond.

 

“Um, there’s not much to tell.” I mumbled a bit nervously.

 

“Jen’ darlin’, could ye get me another cup of tea? I might have been livin’ in China but they really don’t know how to make a decent cuppa, and mind you aren’t as stingy with the sugar as Lucy was…” He brandished the mug at Jenny who snatched it and stalked back to the kitchen, I suspected that she was a little irritated that I was taking all her uncles attention.

 

“… What do you mean there’s not much to tell?” He demanded, turning back to me. “What have you been up to at school? Got a boyfriend yet? What you looking forward to? Anything! Just talk t’ me for a bit, I need something lively after my boring lil sis has been talking me ear off about the most boring things in her life. The first pretty face I see in months and she has to go on yabberin such boring stuff before I go and see me mum an’ dad who will talk more boring crap at me because they are two more boring old farts. Ya gotta give me somethin’ darlin’.” I could see how amused Lucy was though I didn’t think she would like being called boring and I still couldn’t tell how serious he was about anything. Desperately trying to remember the questions he’d rapid-fired at me I remembered that he’d asked me something about school.

 

“Schools ok I guess, studying all the time at the moment.”

 

“Ahh, yea, I guess that ye’ll be in the same year as Jen’ so you’ll be doing exams soon I guess.”

 

“Yes, GCSE’s in a month or so.” I agreed.

 

“Don’t take ‘em too seriously, they’re not as important as they would have ya’ believe. Have fun too.” He advised.

 

“No, not serious at all, just the rest of my life! I can’t wait for them to be over then at least I can have the summer to relax.”

 

“Relaxin’ somewhere good with a boyfriend I’ll bet.” He smirked at me. “Those boys gotta be battering at the door t’ get a date with you.” He added with a small chuckle to himself. “Poor Luce’l have to be there with a shotgun keeping them away from the pair of ye.” I felt a little uneasy at how familiar he was being and his innuendo.

 

“I can’t see my boyfriend at the moment, I’m waiting for him. We kinda got separated by our families.” I rushed the words out to defend my relationship with Sam, sure he didn’t mean to be upsetting, but it was the first time in a while that someone had directly asked me about a boyfriend and it hurt to talk about not being able to see Sam.

 

“So ye get to spend time with him over the summer?”

 

“No, it’s too far on the bus and I don’t actually know his address so I can’t just ask someone to take me over there. His family wouldn’t let me see him anyway. Even though we wanted to get married after my birthday.” I heard him click his tongue in sympathy I guessed.

 

“Tsk. Don’t take it so hard, if you like him I’m sure he’s a great guy and you’ll find each other again. Sounds like ye had something a bit special with him. Ye can’t be old enough to be getting married though.” He said as he pulled me closer in a hug again. “When is ye’ birthday then?” he added as though it were an afterthought though I was pretty sure that Lucy would have told him that it was coming up.

 

“Twenty fifth.”

 

“Few days time then! I’ll have to find something suitable for a gift then, I won’t be heading off again till the beginning’ of July. So I should get to celebrate your birthday and Jen’s. before I go. If ye can stand having’ an old git like me around anyway. Got anything’ good planned for your birthday? Nice party with all your friends?”

 

“No. The bible only mentioned birthdays as a pagan thing so I’ve never really celebrated them and I don’t have that many friends. So I’ve not got anything planned, it’s just another day really.”

 

“Aww, that’s a shame, part of the fun of growing’ up is to do stupid stuff with all your friends round and have someone remember.” He actually stopped talking as he picked up his drink and gulped from it. “Bible’s a bit of a weird book anyway, actually records peoples birthdays and stuff and it never actually says it’s wrong. Anyways, dad will be here soon so I’ll stop before we get into a deep conversation about it.”

 

Andy kept us all talking and laughing until his dad arrived when he began his tales all over again, insisting that Bob make himself comfortable and join him in drinking more tea. I was glad to be able to escape towards my room with the idea of putting my bag away and having a look at what homework I’d got to do. I didn’t want to do the homework but I knew if I left it too late I’d forget about it and end up having to rush to get it in.

 

As I got to the top of the stairs, I saw that the door to my room wasn’t quite shut and my anxiety rocketed as I felt betrayed. Lucy and I had talked about it and she’d been horrified that Mummy used to clean my room for me every day and go through my stuff to make sure I wasn’t hiding anything I shouldn’t have. Lucy had insisted that a girl needs her privacy as much as anyone else so she’d said I didn’t need to leave my door open to prove it was clean, it was entirely up to me how I kept it. She’d even bought a series of boxes that she kept on the edge of the stairs so if she came across anything that we needed to take up she could put it in there rather than going in our rooms without permission.

 

I knew that she wouldn’t have gone in there without a good reason but my first reaction was to feel betrayed that she knew how much it meant to me and had gone in anyway. I pushed the door open slowly, expecting to see the room cleaned and impersonal like mummy had tried to keep everything, perfect, like a hotel room. To my relief, everything was exactly where I had left it, papers on the desk, a stray sock hanging over the edge of the washing hamper where I’d been lazy and thrown it the day before. Nothing seemed to have changed. I thought maybe she’d found a pile of washing of mine and been in to put it on the bed though I wasn’t sure I’d left any anywhere, my eyes flicked to the bed.

 

On the bed was a big paper bag that I didn’t recognise. Nervously I tried to open it. I carefully picked it up and realised it had my name written on one side in a blocky but clear penmanship. Under my name in the same blocky writing was a series of squiggles and lines which I assumed must be my name in Chinese. Carefully I peeled open the tape holding the top closed and looked inside. Two carefully wrapped bundles filled the bag, a light one on top and the bulk of the weight in the bottom, something that was clearly a box of some kind though it was wrapped tightly. I pulled the top packet out of the bag as I sat down on the bed and the square of sticky tape instantly ripped through the top layer of tissue paper letting the bundle come undone and spill a carefully folded, corner of something green and silky into my view. Curiosity getting the better of me, I ripped the rest of the tissue paper off and pulled out the thing inside. I held it up so I could see what it was properly, expecting it to be a pair of pyjamas or something, it unfurled into a beautiful dark green dress that was covered in a fainter pattern of leaves and flowers and edged with gold coloured trim. The lower half of it pooled almost like liquid where I couldn’t hold it high enough for its length, I was instantly in love with it but knew it couldn’t possibly be for me. I sighed and stood up sadly, picking up the bag I went downstairs again, to confront Andy.

 

“You put this in the wrong room I think Andy.” I called before I was even in the lounge. “I think you meant these for Jenny.” I entered the room, holding the dress up for them all to see.

 

All eyes were turned to me as I stood in the doorway, Jenny’s eyes nearly popping out of her head as she saw the dress. Andy curled up laughing.

 

“Nope. That’s the right one for you. I was hoping you wouldn’t find them till I left though. Jen’s is on her bed.” He laughed. I don’t think that Jenny would have moved any faster if she’d been sat on a rocket, she was out of her seat and stumbling up the stairs before he’d even finished speaking. She came stumbling back down again moments later with a bag similar to the one that had been on my bed. Her name on it in the same script and the Chinese characters underneath reminding me that I had seen my name on the bag so assuming it wasn’t for me was foolish.

 

Jenny was tearing the tissue paper apart to get to the dress that was in her bag, letting the material flow out in a cascade of red and gold patterned blue.

 

“God, Andy, I know you said you were getting them dresses they could wear for an occasion but those must have cost a fortune. Is that real silk?” I wasn’t sure if Lucy was angry, shocked or amused at her brother as she felt the material of Jennys dress. Jenny held it up against her and I moved round to see it better, knowing it would look amazing on her, I was a little jealous of how she had a knack for making herself look good in anything without trying.

 

“I thought they wouldn’t find them till I’d gone.” Andy admitted again, completely ignoring his sisters comment about the cost “Damn, that’s gona look fine though if I do say so myself.”

 

“Ooohh, those heels you bought the other week would go really well with this mum.” Jenny enthused as she tried to see what the dress would look like on her while trying to keep it up with one hand and smooth it with the other though it kept trying to fall.

 

“Why don’t you wear them on Saturday when we all go out for a meal?” Bob suggested, “Mum and I are taking everyone out to celebrate Andy coming to see us.”

 

“Oooh, Saturday is also…” Jenny started but was cut off by Lucy who talked across her.

 

“That’s a great idea dad, we’ll look forward to it. Wasn’t there something else in the bag though? Andy, you are spoiling these girls.” Lucy said, casting a quick warning glance at her daughter that I completely missed. Jenny abandoned the dress and dived back into the paper bag, pulling out the box and tearing the paper off it in her hurry to see what was inside.

 

The object inside was well wrapped in tissue paper, packing foam and more layers of tissue paper. As a gleaming metal and glossy black wooden corner emerged from the protective packing I couldn’t wait any longer and started tearing at the packaged box in my own bag, wondering if I had something similar. The box that I revealed was almost identical to Jennys, the surfaces were polished so much that I could see myself in them as I examined the beautiful box. Two doors on the front had panels of stone in them that had been carved so that it was almost translucent and shaped like it was a plant. Carefully trying not to get fingerprints on the glossy surface I opened the doors to reveal the three small draws inside, each of which was lined with a soft material to protect whatever I put in it. Beneath the doors was another drawer which I peeked into last, a pretty tune I didn’t recognize started playing the moment I opened it.

 

“My god! Andy!” Lucy yelped as Jenny showed her box to her. He let out his breath as though he’d been holding it, smiling like he’d just been made the happiest man in the world.

 

“Ah, what’s a little spoiling for my favorite nieces? It’s only money, I can always earn more.” He chuckled, apparently knowing what Lucy meant without her actually telling him off. “Besides a guy I work with, his family makes them traditionally so they didn’t cost me as much as buying them in a shop.”

 

“Is it real stone in the panels or acrylic?” Lucy asked.

 

“Real genuine Chinese jade.”

 

“Thanks uncle Andy, they’re amazing. So pretty.” Jenny threw herself into his arms again, hugging him tightly as she thanked him.

 

“You’re welcome darlin’. I don’t get to spoil you often so it’s the very least I could do.” He answered as he hugged her just as tight.

 

“Come on then, you’ve had your fun, time I dragged you back to your mother.” Bob added as he climbed to his feet. “Let’s leave these girls to admire their things and plan how they are going to look. Are you going to bring Jason with you on Saturday?” He added to Jenny as he put his arm round her and hugged her while she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

 

“You don’t mind if I bring him?” She checked.

 

“Of course I mind but Pat will never let me hear the end of it if I say you can’t.” He joked.

 

“I’ll ask him then.” She grinned. I felt quite shy as I gave Andy my thanks for the gifts not sure if I should hug him or not. He solved the problem and surprised me by pulling me in for a quick hug, telling me that it was his pleasure.

 

The first thing I did after they had gone was take photos of my gifts and send them to Bekky so I could enthuse over them with her by text. I intended to do my homework as I talked to her but I didn’t get to it, getting too caught up in trying to find the perfect place to put the box in my room and playing with the drawer that made the music work.

 

For most of the day at school the next day we were supposed to spend the lessons revising and studying for the exams that were coming up but Jenny, Bekky and I spent most of the time talking and laughing instead as we distracted each other. We gave up the pretense of studying around lunchtime and Bekky tried to convince me that it would be ok just to bunk off for the rest of the day and go home. I knew that I’d be just as bad at studying at home and thought that we shouldn’t really just leave school without permission so I talked them both into staying. They had just agreed and were starting a discussion about what we were going to do over the weekend when Jenny and I got a text at almost the same instant.

 

When we compared the messages, it was obviously a bulk message that Andy had sent telling us both to keep Saturday free because he was taking us out for the day though he didn’t give any details, just warning us that he would be at our home early to get us so we better be up and ready.

 

“What the fuck is that about?” Bekky demanded, reading the message from my phone as I held it out to Jenny.

 

“No idea, he’s up to something.” Jenny said, narrowing her eyes.

 

“Well there goes anything interesting to do on Saturday then.” Bekky grumbled.

 

“We’re supposed to be having a meal with family that night, what can he possibly be up to?” Jenny grumbled as she tapped away on her phone, presumably replying to her uncle. Jennys phone rumbled to indicate a message and she looked at it quickly, making an annoyed sound as she read the message.

 

“He won’t tell me what he’s up to, he’s so annoying!” She huffed. Bekky thought it was funny that Andy wouldn’t tell us anything, alternately laughing at Jennys irritation and complaining that she didn’t know what was happening either or couldn’t come with us.

 

When we got home and Jenny interrogated Lucy about the plan for Saturday, she insisted that she didn’t know anything about it either. Part of me felt a little disappointed that she professed to know nothing about her brothers plan and that she seemed to have forgotten that it was my birthday.

 

Saturday morning Lucy woke me up earlier than I would have had to wake up for school. She banged on my door heavily warning me to get up and hurry downstairs or I’d have to go without breakfast when her brother arrived. Jenny, who is never at her best in the mornings, slunk down the stairs into the kitchen almost half an hour after I was there. I was already dressed and ready to go, having decided that as I didn’t know what was happening for the day it would be easy to wear jeans and a hoody I’d found in a charity shop and liked. Jenny still wore her bath robe and looked like she had only just managed to crawl out of bed. By the time Andy arrived Lucy had managed to chase her sluggish daughter into being ready.

 

The huge range rover that Andy had outside was almost brand-new and smelt like bubble-gum when I got in. The leather seats gleamed and the floors seemed spotless as though they had only just been cleaned. Even Daddy’s car hadn’t been that well looked after though he had always fussed about it and insisted that keeping it clean was part of keeping a clean life. I thought that Jenny would sit in the back with me but she took the front passenger seat automatically buckling herself in as Andy settled himself in the drivers seat and started the car.

 

Andy drove as though he were late for something, from where I was sat I could see that he speeded where he thought he could away with it, braking harshly when he came up to speed cameras and people who were obeying the speed limit and he couldn’t overtake them. Jenny didn’t seem to notice how he was driving as she fiddled with the stereo, trying to find a music channel she liked, I clung to the handle above the door as though my life depended on it as Andy zoomed into gaps in the traffic on the motorway.

 

The journey was long and boring, Jenny seemed to fall asleep and Andy didn’t say much as he concentrated on driving, not that I would have been able to hear him much over the blare of the music Jenny had put on. We’d been travelling about an hour when my phone buzzed with a message from Bekky wishing me a happy birthday. The fact that she had remembered made me smile as everyone else seemed to have forgotten or not bothered to wish me a happy birthday. I was trying not to be too bothered by it but they had all said they needed to make a fuss of me about it before I was feeling a little let down. I said as much to Bekky in my reply but didn’t get another reply from her, making me think that she must have found something to do that day or that she had fallen asleep again.

 

We’d been in the car almost two hours when Andy pulled off the motorway and I noticed the first clue I had about where we were going. A plain brown and white sign indicated that the turn he was taking led towards a theme park I’d seen advertised on tv. At first I didn’t think much of it as we zoomed along a series of smaller roads but when I noticed that he was taking another turn that was directed as being the way towards the park I began to get suspicious and took more notice of the signs. We passed a third and fourth before I let myself be convinced that’s where we were going.

 

The squeal of joy I couldn’t help but let out as I realised that it must be where we were heading woke Jenny up with a start as she demanded to know what was happening and why I’d squealed.

 

“He’s taking us to Alton Woods!” I yelled in her ear in my excitement as I bounced up and down in my seat. Andy chuckled to himself as he concentrated on his driving. When I’d seen the advert on the tv Jenny and Bekky had been shocked that I’d never been to a theme park before and had sworn they would take me one day.

 

Mummy and Daddy had always been dead set against them though I had never understood why, as far as I could recall there was nothing that would apply to them in the bible. Now though I was going to experience one on my birthday. I forgot my gloom over everyone forgetting about my birthday and began to think that maybe Andy had planned this with Jenny as an experience though she insisted that she’d known nothing about it.

 

By the time we got to the gate, we were the first in line as it opened and I had calmed myself down a bit, I was able to stop acting like an excited child. It turned out that Andy hadn’t planned it so much as I thought and spent over two hundred pounds at the gate just for the three of us to have passes to the entire site with all the added extras. I felt so guilty about how much he spent, I offered to pay him back out of the meagre savings I had but he wouldn’t hear of it insisting that it was his treat. I made up my mind that I would at least pay for his lunch for him as a way of paying him back.

 

Things became a blur as we went on ride after ride, Andy encouraging us and joining in as we screamed our way round rollercoasters, ghost trains and water flumes that soaked us all. The day was every bit as much of a whirlwind as Andy had seemed when I fist met him in the lounge, he barely seemed to stop talking, making Jen and I laugh all the time. At each ride he made sure that we all got pictures and he was always checking that we didn’t need more drink or food. His energy didn’t seem to flag at all, always looking for the next ride and trying others again to compare them for a favorite. In the end, we never actually stopped for a proper lunch so I missed my chance to pay for his food.

 

The experience of the rollercoaster was so new to me, I didn’t know what I could compare it to. I knew I loved it though, the calm of waiting while everyone got on the ride and was secured by the operator to make sure they were secure, the anticipation as it started to move and climb the tracks, then the heart stopping moment it plunged over the edge and raced away with us and everything whooshed past us in an adrenaline filled blur as we were thrown around in our seats. Logically I knew the rides were safe but they felt scarily unsafe and thrillingly fast.

 

I swear we must have been on each ride at least three times by the time we got to midafternoon and Andy said we only had time for one more ride before we had to head home again. We all agreed that the one that made us weightless for a few seconds was the one we would ride and Andy managed to get us the front seats on it so we could see everything as we were dragged over the highest point of it and sent plunging down into the dark hole in the ground, our hair flying around our faces and our screams echoing across the entire park as we all screamed our hardest.

 

I was tired and the drive home was as boring as it had been on the way. For a while I marveled that Andy seemed unaffected by the day and wove in and out of traffic the same way he had earlier. This time Jenny voluntarily sat in the back, curling her legs up on the seat and leaning against the door as she flicked through the stack of pictures she had accumulated. The next thing I knew I was woken up by Andy jerking the car to a stop outside home.

 

I panicked when I saw that we now had to hurry to get ready to go and meet everyone for the family dinner that Jennys grandparents had arranged. Lucy was already dressed for the evening and teased us both about being able to sit and relax while we hurried around trying to get ready, I didn’t even get to show her the pictures we had from the day out as I tried to get showered and dressed in time. Over the months since new years, I’d gotten a bit more used to the idea of wearing makeup though I still tried to keep it to a minimum because it was expensive. I took my time applying it to my satisfaction though I still had to get Jenny to help me with the eyeliner as I hadn’t got the hang of not putting it in my eye by accident, something about having a pencil that close to my eye just felt so wrong. I slipped the dress Andy had bought me on, feeling its light touch as it pulled over my skin. It felt like nothing else I’d ever worn, so soft and feather light as it settled against me.

 

As I was doing up the simple toggles at the side, I had a shock, they ended at my hip, leaving a huge gap from my hip to the bottom of the dress. I felt like I was only half dressed and was sure that anyone looking at me would be able to see my pants. I didn’t know what to do so I just yelled.

 

“Noooo!” Lucy and Jenny both came running, guessing that something must be wrong.

 

“What’s the problem?” Lucy asked as she stopped in the doorway and looked in.

 

“I can’t wear this, everyone’s going to see everything.”

 

“It looks amazing.” Jenny commented, peering round her mum.

 

“It’s not modest though.” I wailed, thinking of the kinds of dresses Mummy had bought for me that wouldn’t have looked entirely out of place in a museum.

 

“It looks lovely sweetie, what’s wrong with it?” Lucy tried to reassure me.

 

“Look at the split, if I bend over people are going to see my pants.”

 

“It’s not that bad.” Jenny laughed “It will cover everything, no one will see anything they don’t need to.”

 

“Isn’t it supposed to close up more though? Mummy would just die if she saw anyone wearing this. I can’t wear it.”

 

“It’s fine sweetie.” Lucy reassured me again as the doorbell rang. “That’s probably Jason.” She added over her shoulder to Jenny, “Go and let him will you. Jo, can I come into your room?” She asked Jenny before she asked me, keeping her promise that she wouldn’t enter without permission though it seemed a little silly to ask then. Jenny hurried down the stairs and I could hear her excitedly talking to Jason as he appreciated her dress and she told him about mine while Lucy tried to reassure me about the split in my dress.

 

I fussed and complained about it, at first trying to find a way to close up the gap so I didn’t feel quite so exposed and then deciding that it was better to just get changed all together and wear something different. Lucy suggested that I wear shorts underneath, but I wasn’t totally happy with the fact that I would still be showing a lot of leg. In the end she put her foot down and reminded me how short on time we were as we were already running late because of me. Although not entirely comfortable with how I would look, I borrowed a shawl from her that I could put over my lap when I was sat down so no one would notice the split and she dragged us out to the car in a hurry.

 

The restaurant that Lucys parents had chosen wasn’t exactly the poshest place in the world but it was definitely not the kind of place I had ever been before, being more upmarket and expensive than Daddy would have chosen. We were met at the door by a man who introduced himself as a host and took us to a table where other people were already sat. As we approached, I recognized Brad, Henry and Bekky facing us, Bob, Pat and Andy all sitting with their backs to us. Henry saw us coming and stood up to greet us causing a rush of greetings and hugs all round. Bekky seemed stunned as she looked at me as though she’d not seen me before and everyone commented on how good my dress looked, making me very self-conscious and nervous.

 

A smartly dressed waiter appeared as if by magic with an armful of menus which he distributed when everyone was settled again. Everyone discussed what was on the menu, what they liked the sound of and what kind of drinks they wanted.

 

“I am so out of my depth.” Bekky hissed at me from behind her menu so the others couldn’t hear her or read her face.

 

“I know what you mean” I replied “How come you are here anyway? I thought it was a family thing.”

 

“Lucy thought you would want one of your friends here too.” Bekky smiled, her eyes flicking to where Jason and Jenny were sat close, their heads together as they looked at the same menu. The waiter appeared at the table again and took drink orders before disappearing, the tails on his jacket flapping behind him as he glided along as though he was moved by magic, his careful pace moving him fast enough but never letting him seem as though he was hurrying.

 

I meant to ask Bekky if she knew what was happening when I was distracted by Brad phoning someone. We were all amused when Henry told us that Brad was just checking on Stefani and the dog sitter. None of us could help but laugh when he asked the sitter to put the dog on the phone so he could talk to her as though she were a baby and he was a nervous mother. The waiter returned with our drinks and carefully memorized everyone’s orders for their starters.

 

I expected all the adults to talk more amongst themselves than to me as my parents had whenever we went to any kind of function or celebration. Everyone seemed to pay attention to all of us though, wanting to know how things were going in school, how our day had been, what we had enjoyed most at the theme park and a million other questions that made me feel as though they were honestly interested, not just going through the motions. Even when food arrived, Andy didn’t let the conversation flag. In some kind of magic, his food disappeared but he never seemed talk with anything in his mouth to stop talking and laughing with everyone, he never once seemed to be talking with his mouth full though. Bekky sat beside me making comments about people in the restaurant and making me laugh, her banter with Andy seemed hilarious as they traded mild insults and snarky comments with good humor though as far as I could tell she hadn’t met him before.

 

Five courses of food amazing food appeared and disappeared, each with a different glass of wine which I wasn’t sure if I should drink or not, feeling deliciously naughty as I sipped it and hoped no one had noticed I’d been given wine too. Eventually the waiter brought coffee for those that wanted it, disappearing again as silently as always before he then materialized, heading our way again with a covered dish. As he got to the table everyone turned to me and started singing happy birthday so loudly that people at other tables were turning round to see what was happening. I was embarrassed and happy at the same time, trying to hide my face with my hands and see what was happening as the waiter pulled the cover off with a flourish and sparks flew as it revealed a cake with 16 recently lit sparklers on top.

 

Although I was given gifts from everyone, including one signed that it was from Stefani, I didn’t open them till we got home as I didn’t want to leave a mess everywhere. Bekki and I sat on the couch while Jason and Jenny were sat in one of the armchairs together, not paying us much attention as I opened the gifts carefully. There was a “pamper hamper” with makeup and other girly stuff like perfume, bath salts, skin care creams and other stuff that I could use to pamper myself when I wanted to from Bob and Pat, a cute lamp shaped like a sausage dog from Stefani, a personalized mug from Jason, a voucher for a clothes shop I liked from Jenny, a fancy pen, a clutch bag that matched my dress and a beautiful jade bangle from Andy. Lucy had given me a handmade voucher I could exchange with her for decorating my room how I wanted it and Henry and Brad had given me a fortune in vouchers for a DIY shop where I could get all the things I needed for the room makeover.

 

I sat back after opening them all, feeling a little overwhelmed and emotional. I was a bit jealous of Jenny and Jason as they sat so close together, talking quietly. I guessed that he was probably staying over for the night as he’d put his bike round the back of the house when he arrived rather than locking it to the lamppost outside the front as he did when he wasn’t stopping. They were kissing and talking softly, their faces so close together it was hard to tell if there was any room between them.

 

“Oi.” Bekky nudged me. “Lucy said I can stay over so what you wanna do tomorrow?” She asked, distracting me and bringing my attention away from the pair in the armchair.

 

“Dunno, probably not much, might just have a chill day.”

 

“Sounds good. You really have the figure for that dress you know, it looks amazing on you.”

 

“Please, I’m nowhere near as pretty as Jenny.”

 

“Psh, you’re more like the star of the show.” She huffed at my lack of faith in my own looks. “you were the most pretty one there.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, pull the other one.” I deflected her comment.

 

“Seriously, you look gorgeous in that dress. You’ve not worn anything like that before, it really shows you off to your best and that colour really suits you.”

 

“I don’t think it really worked though, Jenny was so tall in those high heels, I couldn’t even stand up in them. I had to wear my school shoes.”

 

“We’ll go looking for shoes to go with it another time, you probably need ones with wider heels than the ones Jenny has, they clearly hurt her, she took them off halfway through the evening.” Bekky snickered. “She was just showing off for Jason anyway.”

 

“It’s been such a day.” I sighed, knowing that I was never going to win an argument about my looks with Bekky.

 

“It’s still early, you can’t be tired yet.”

 

“I am though, I was up at half six this morning.” I complained. After we tidied up the paper from my presents, Bekky helped me haul everything up to my room and we got ready for bed. I was just getting into bed when she stopped me and held out one last present to me.

 

“You never opened mine. Happy birthday.” She said a little shyly as I took the little packet from her. Inside was a tangle of chain that had things clipped to it. At first it didn’t make any sense to me but as I held it up I that it was a bracelet with charms hung on it.

 

“Thanks.” I said beaming at her.

 

“I know it’s a bit of a mess, I made it though, and each of the things represents something you’ve done recently, see, this one’s, Halloween…” She said pointing to a little skull, proceeding through them all and explaining which each one meant though I could guess at some of them. She ended on the one that held a tiny green stone which she said was emerald and was my birthstone. She never mentioned the letter J or the half heart that was on the chain because their meanings were just too obvious.