"We have to tell her Frankie.' Mike remarks to his wife and when she opens her mouth he knows its to protest or give a complex reason not to. 'She's gonna learn the truth eventually. When she gets home from school we're telling her. Period." He tosses the mail in hand on the counter and heads to his chair to wait. When he had said we're in reality hr meant Frankie would. After all none of his was his fault he just went along with it; which eight times out ten in this house that worked the best.
And while he knew Sue needed the truth he finds himself ever so sad for what she was about to lose. Having this honor was a rare badge that she loved to brag about. Much as he loves his daughter to death he had to say Sue is just average and this one thing made her a tad above average.
"Hi dad!" Sue walks in the house smiling at Mike.
"Frankie get in here!" It had to be now no matter what emotional response he finds himself experiencing.
"What's going on guys? Is someone sick? Am I sick? Is someone dying? Oh God dad you can have my liver!" Sue rushes towards her dad and wraps herself around his waist. He quickly pats her back before pulling her off.
"No one is sick or dying especially not me. Your mom has something to tell you." He decides not to react to the flip bird Frankie gives.
"Yeah mom?"
"We'll remember how fun and exciting your sixteenth birthday was?"
"It was alright. Hooiser Mart discount cupcakes watching The Sound Of Music with you guys and Brad. And us performing songs. Yeah I guess it was exciting!"
"Good! That's great to hear. Do you want to do it again?" Sue gives her mom a look.
"Have the same celebration for my seventeenth birthday? I was thinking of goi…"
"No I meant celebrating your sixteenth again because that's what you're turning. I'll even join you in Brad during The Hills Are Alive!"
"No mom I'm sixteen now. I can't turn it twice!" Sue gives a laugh. Waiting for either parent or both to join in. Her laughter quickly fades as their faces get more grim.
"See there was this preschool I wanted you in. Best and I mean the best in the Orson. Hell the best in Indiana! But all the four year old spots were taken. Luckily there was one spot left in the three year old group so I fudged your birthday. And you immediately started telling everyone you were three. I guess you just thought everyone got to be three twice? We couldn't tell you the truth in case you said anything…." Sue falls on the couch and begins to shake her head.
"This is a joke. Right dad?"
"Sorry its true."
"So my birthday is February 29th, 1997 and not February 29th, 1996?"
"Well…"
"What?! I'm not a leap day baby am I?!" Just as Mike feared, she begins to cry.
"I wrote February 28th, 1997 but ink smudged and Axl spilled milk on the paper and the eight turned into a nine."
"I can't believe this."
"And when you were ready for signing up for kindergarten we wanted you to be with your little friends so we kept the date. You seemed so happy being a leap day baby we didn't want to upset you. Your dad made me tell!"
"Look Sue its on your birth certificate when your born and pretty soon its gonna be essentially important on documents the birth date is correct. Plus now this means you get to be my little girl a bit longer." Mike reaches over and pats her knee.
"I'm fifteen now?' They nod. "Not sixteen?' Again they not. "So it wasn't because you guys are lazy you won't get my drivers license or sign me up for drivers ed?"
"Well partially lazy. Just look this will be a fun story to tell one day!"
"Yeah hilarious. If you'll excuse me?" Sue doesn't wait for a response just sulks off.
"Thanks a lot Mike!"
"It had to be done Frankie it had to be done."