Page 108 of Home With You

"I like to think I operate on more like a 15-year-old's level. Maybe 17, although that's pushing it."

I get up and take the donut bag to the kitchen. "You have a job. An apartment. I'd say that makes you at least 20." I set the bag down. "What's your real age? You never told me."

"Twenty-five. How about you?"

"Guess." I lean against the counter, my arms crossed.

"Twenty?"

I laugh. "I really look that young? Guess again."

"Twenty-two."

"Three. But I haven't been twenty-three very long. I'm still getting used to it," I kid.

"When was your birthday?"

"The day we met." I go around him to toss my coffee cup out.

"Your birthday was the day we met? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why would I tell you? I didn't even know you back then. I just said hi to you on my way to the bathroom."

"What did you do for your birthday?"

"Same thing I aways do. Walked the streets and waited for people to toss out their leftover food."

He grabs my hand, stopping me as I try to go past him. "You're telling me you spent your birthday searching through trash?"

"I prefer to say shopping for leftovers. Sounds better."

"Raine, that's not a birthday. What about Gladys? Did she know it was your birthday?"

"No. I told her it was in March so she wouldn't feel like she had to do anything for it." I glance at the clock and see it's almost six. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for work?"

"In a minute. First we have to figure out this birthday thing."

"What birthday thing? It's over."

"It's not over. You didn't celebrate. It didn't count. You need a re-do."

"A re-do?"

"Yeah, like when you do something again because it wasn't done right the first time."

"I know what a re-do is but I don't know why I need a re-do for my birthday."

"Because it sucked. That wasn't a birthday. It was just another day. We'll re-do it tonight. We'll go out for a nice dinner. Have some drinks. Dessert. And if you want, we'll go to a movie."

"On a Monday night? What about work? You said you're way behind."

"I'm always behind. That'll never change. And I hate my job. I can barely stand being there during the day so bringing work home at night is the last thing I want to do."

"But don't you have to?"

He smiles. "Stop trying to change the subject. We're going out tonight." He leans down and gives me a kiss. "Happy Birthday!"

"It's not my birthday," I say as he walks off. He goes in the bathroom and I hear the shower turn on.

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