Page 86 of The Last Dance

23

Happy Birthday To Me

Ambri

He invited me for cake on my birthday in a place we used to love to come and watch people. On a day that has turned into some kind of weird non-birthday over the last few years. I was kind of hoping the walk here would wear down some of the giddiness I’m feeling over seeing him again. I don’t even know why I feel like this. I’mnotsixteen. I’mnoton a date,andI’ve seen him a million times over the years. Yet this time feels different.

Maybe he wants to talk about the website? Then again, heisbringing cake, but thenagain, it’s my birthday today so cake makes sense. See… continue the thought process, solve the problem. Or create an entirely new one.

He’s standing near the steps when I see him, a giant smile on his face as I approach, wearing a ridiculous bright blue birthday hat on his head. I laugh, shaking my head as I approach him.

‘Happy birthday.’ He reaches down to the paper bag on the step near him. ’Don’t even think you’re getting away without wearing one.’ He pulls another hat from the bag, taking the couple steps down to me and securing it on my head. ‘I might have even bought your favorite kind of cakes.’

‘Cakes, as in plural?’ I ask with a smile I can no longer contain. He did not buy the same cakes I used to when I’d drag him down here for cake, did he?

‘As in carrotandchocolate. I even got milk.’

He hates milk. I bite my lip. We’ve done this before. More than once. Never on my birthday though.

‘You are absolutely crazy.’

He nods. ‘Probably.’

‘Well, what are we waiting for?’ I ask with a laugh, sitting on the step by the cake boxes, him sitting down next to me.

‘This one first.’ He opens the chocolate-cake box, the number two piped in icing on top, handing it to me. ‘And the seven.’ He pops open the box on the carrot cake with the number seven on top.

‘You didn’t have to do this, you know.’

‘I know I didn’thaveto.’ He hands me a fork and a bottle of milk. ‘Iwantedto. I’ve missed a couple of your birthdays and I completely ruined another, so trust me when I say this is the least I could do.’

I smile, nudging him with my shoulder.

‘You first.’ He nods at the chocolate cake.

I take a bite, closing my eyes as I do. ‘Still.So. Freaking. Good.’

‘Still the dream wedding cake?’

I glance over at him. ‘Um…’ I won’t overthink this. He’s referring to the conversation we once had about this. I nod. ‘I’m not in a very weddingy place right now but maybe someday?’ I grab a bite of the carrot cake still in his lap. ‘And this one is still yours.’

‘Someday…’ He nods. ‘You know, when I finally catch that rainbow.’ He winks.

‘Right.’ I laugh, remembering when I said exactly that so long ago. ‘How you coming along on that venture? Funnyandthinksyou’refunny…’ I shake my head with a giggle. ‘Plus, you kind of forgot the rest of your requirement list. She’s gotta be tall, blonde, successful, and picture perfect.’

‘Uh, I think you’ve added a few things.’ He laughs. ‘You know…’ he leans back on the step behind him ‘… I’m not so sold on the tall blondes anymore.’

‘Allyour girlfriends are tall and blonde.’ I take another bite of cake.

‘Exactly, none of them have worked out either. Maybe it’s time for a change?’

‘Huh.’ I lean back with him, staring out at the busy sidewalk. ‘Did you have someone in mind? Maybethatgirl? PoodleDoodles over there.’ I nod over at a woman sitting on the ground, with six poodles on a leash attached to her waist all surrounding her like they’re having some kind of weird seance.

Henry laughs out loud. ‘No. Definitely not her.’

‘WednesdayAdams?’ I look towards a girl with her skin painted white, her hair long and black as night; she’s dressed all in black except her black and white shoes.

‘Is that a mime?’

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