Page 63 of Rumi: The Hawthornes

“You guys are too much.” I laughed as Pop handed me the bouquet.

“You made a plan and you worked toward it and it’s payin’ off,” Pop said, bending down to kiss my head. “I’d say that’s worth celebratin’.”

“Thanks, Pop.”

“It’s fire time,” Bird announced, getting up from the table. “I’ll start it.”

“Guess I’m bringin’ my dinner outside,” Pop joked.

He didn’t sound like he thought it was funny, though.

“You told me not to wait,” Nana replied defensively.

“It’s fine,” Pop said, going to the stove.

I followed Bird out of the house, shoving him when he made a face. All we needed was for him to piss Pop off and ruin the entire night. It didn’t even occur to me that a few months before I wouldn’t have even believed that Bird could do something that would make our grandfather angry enough to ruin my celebration.

“Stop being an ass,” I ordered under my breath.

“He’s been in such a bad mood lately,” Bird replied after I’d shut the door. “What’s up his ass?”

“I have no idea,” I replied, pulling the lid off the little fire pit. “But why would you try and make it worse?”

My phone continued to buzz. Pulling it out of my pocket, I turned it off without opening it.

“I don’t get it,” Bird grumbled. “You think it’s just ’cause he’s gettin’ old?”

“I honestly have no idea.”

“Got the s’mores stuff,” Nana announced as she came outside.

“Cakeands’mores?” I dropped into a lawn chair. “I’m getting spoiled.”

“You deserve to be spoiled,” she replied, running her hand over my hair. “You’ve been workin’ so hard for this.”

“Thanks, Nana.”

“You know,” she said as she pulled out the little sticks we used and passed them to me and Bird. “I’ve always been sorry that we couldn’t send you to college.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked, pulling the marshmallows from her lap. I’d choked down dinner and the idea of actually eating a s’more made my stomach twist, but I wasn’t about to ruin her celebration for me.

“Well, I just wish that we could’ve paid for you to go to school.” She shot me a sad smile. “Always felt bad about that.”

“Are you kidding?” I asked, reaching out to playfully push her shoulder. “No one can afford to pay for their kids’ college.”

“Some people do,” she countered.

“Yeah,” Bird said with a scoff. “Rich people.”

Nana just shrugged.

“I never thought you’d pay for school,” I told her, tossing the bag of marshmallows to Bird. “It never even occurred to me that it was an option unless you won the lottery or something.”

“If we won the lottery, why would we still go to college?” Bird pointed out, his mouth crammed full of marshmallows.

“You’re going to choke.”

“I’m not wrong, though,” he said with a shrug.

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