Page 84 of Rugger: The Huntress

“What if I break it?”

“Then, I’ll patch that motherfucker up so you can try again. And again. And again.”

“And, if you break mine?”

“I won’t.”

It wasn’t the conviction in his voice that made me believe him. It was the sincerity in his eyes. We both allowed our thoughts to lead us into a moment of silence.

“You celebrated a birthday this month.”

He finally spoke, capturing my attention instantly.

“I had a birthday. I didn’t celebrate it.”

November eighteenth was the day I was born. It came around each year without fail and I still didn’t see a reason to make a big deal of it.

“And, why not?”

“Because I choose not to celebrate. It’s meaningless.”

“Ah,” he sounded off, clicking his tongue, “I’d have to disagree.”

“I won’t argue.”

“Me either. From this year forward, we celebrate.”

As the words left his mouth, a small cake was placed on the table in front of us. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see the cake hadn’t been made by the world-renowned chef ofUri. The ridges of my mouth wrinkled as joy overshadowed all the nothingness I understood birthdays to be.

“You ma–”

“Yes, Gazelle. I made it myself. Happy Birthday.”

Hesitantly, I shook my head. The smile was taking its precious time lighting up my face.

“I don’t know what to say,” I confessed, looking up from the chocolate cake with thick chocolate icing and a single candle on top.

“Say nothing, then. I won’t pry.”

Sonnie sat back in his seat with a smirk on his handsome face. My satisfaction brought him joy. Peace. Serenity.

“How’d you know I like chocolate?”

“You’re a serial killer, Gazelle. Find one of us who doesn’t and then I’ll be surprised.”

“You have a point,” I told him.

“Make a wish,” he insisted, nodding toward the burning candle.

I didn’t fight him. I didn’t give into the negative rhetoric that was brewing on the left side of my brain. Instead, I embraced the parts of me that I was beginning to learn and would soon love.The parts of me that allowed myself to be open. To be honest. To be softer.

I closed my eyes and leaned toward the flickering flame. A second prior nothing had come to mind but as soon as Sonnie’s cologne reminded me of his presence, it came to me.

“May the passion that lies between us both be explored in ways that are beneficial to our minds, heart, bodies, and souls.”

I blew at the candle as I opened my eyes. And, there he was, with an outdated camera in his hand. My nerve endings split in two as I waved him off, covering my face in the process.

“This is only the first of many we’ll celebrate. Happy birthday, Gazelle.”

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