Piece of Cake
June 3rd, Kim's Eighteenth Birthday, Middleton
"Kimmie-cub, breakfast is ready," James Possible called up the stairs of the Possible household to his daughter.
"Hey Kim, can we have your birthday bacon?" Tim called. "Or some birthday pancakes?" Jim followed.
Not even a moment of peace on my day of reckoning, Kim thought to herself as she slowly slid out of bed and stretched for her upcoming day of celebration. Today was it, the day everyone waited for, obsessed over, and stressed out about only to reach the inevitable conclusion to an unbearable wait.
Hastily, Kim looked down at her left wrist to see nothing but purple and green veins. She scratched the itching spot then squinted her eyes to stare more intently and her unblemished skin. Some people counted down the hours, minutes, even seconds until that oh so magical name appeared; however, she was not one of those people. She knew what her wrist would say. She knew; she just wanted to get it over with already. Her soul mate was waiting on her; or well, she would be waiting on him after today, she supposed. Ron's birthday was only a little over one month away and then they would both be eighteen and bonded. Kim managed a slight smile as she made her bed and slipped on her bedroom shoes.
"Bubble-butt, better get down here before the boys steal your special birthday breakfast!" Ann Possible reminded Kim as she descended the stairs down to the kitchen.
"Hands off my bacon, tweebs!" Kim reprimanded her two younger brothers as they attempted to steal her food.
"Aww man, whoever gets stuck with you should have a therapist on speed dial," Jim stated. "And learn how to cook their own food, so you don't break their fingers off," Tim added. "Hicka-bicka-boo," one started. "Hoosha," the other twin finished, before they scurried off to their bedroom with stolen pancakes in tow.
Kim plopped down into a chair and loaded her plate up with bacon, pancakes, eggs, the works while sipping her orange juice and trying to avoid her father's obvious staring.
"So, Kimmie-cub, any *cough* changes you'd like to let your mother and I know about?" he inquired tactlessly.
"James, don't start in on her first thing in the morning, if and when she's ready, she'll let us know, right bubble-butt?" Ann Possible questioned.
Kim kept her head down and simply shoveled more food into her mouth, trying to avoid an already awkward topic.
"All I'm saying is that some people get their mark early in the day. I did. There's no need to be shy about it; I just want what's best for our Kimmie." Mister Dr. Possible continued.
"Well, I don't have it yet, so it's no big deal," Kim blurted out ducking her head in embarrassment once more. "Dad, can we lease not talk about it, right now. There's more to turning eighteen than just somebody's name on your wrist." She finished quietly.
"She's right," Anne looked at her husband. "So finish your breakfast and go shower and change, because Nana and the rest of your guests should be here soon for the party." she said chidingly to them both.
…
"You've grown up so much!" Nana Possible shouted at her granddaughter. Kim had just finished getting dressed, when the doorbell had sounded, informing them that Nana had arrived. Ron, Monique, and Felix had already gathered in the living room and Kim's cousins and aunts and uncles were in the kitchen talking to the rest of the Possible family. Kim hugged her grandmother and then led her into the kitchen, to find the tweebs trying to sneak an early taste of her cake. The resounding thump from Nana Possible's incredibly large handbag hitting them could be heard throughout the house, as well as their denials of intended theft. Nana's still got it, Kim though while trying to hide her obvious smirk.
"We were just admiring the cake," Tim argued. "Yea, it was appreciation, Kim-geez!" Jim confirmed.
"And anyways, I bet-"
"We could build a robot-"
"That could make a cake-"
"And we could eat all the cake we wanted" they finished creepily in unison, before scurrying off once more.
Kim simply rolled her eyes, and closely inspected her birthday cake for any ensuring all the more eccentric relatives were occupied in conversation, she traipsed into the living room to greet her friends, scratching her wrist absent mindedly.
Ron was sitting on the couch, with Felix in his wheelchair beside him; talking about some sort of zombie video game they had a mutal love for, so Kim strode over to a moderately bored Monique, who had been privy to their conversation for far too long.
"Hey birthday girl! You're looking pretty fabulous today- did you hit up Club Banana without me?" Monique questioned with a playful glare.
Kim smiled and hugged her sassy friend, "I might have gone to last weekend's blowout sale while you were at your cousin's wedding. Don't hate me." Kim followed the statement with her signature puppydog pout.
"Hiya K.P.," Ron said wrapping her in a hug, before releasing her and handing over a brightly wrapped present.
"Ron, you didn't have to-
"Naw it's alright K.P. I know you said no presents, but I'm pretty sure Monique may have cheated and gotten you something and then I asked Felix and he said he put together something small for you, so I didn't want to be the only one-
"Breathe Ron. Thank you, I really appreciate it," Kim interrupted the blonde headed boy's misguided rambling.
"You know it girl, ain't no party without presents," Monique interjected handing her a gift bag containing what appeared to be clothes, from Kim's quick glance.
"You would know," Ron responded. "For your birthday there were three tables full of presents, and those were just the ones from your friends," he stated.
"You did register at Club Banana, three months in advance," Kim agreed.
"December is a busy month," Monique defended. "I just wanted people to have time to buy gifts, should they choose to get any for me," she argued.
"I actually put my present on the table in the kitchen, because your mom said that's where all the relatives had started to pile things up for you," Felix interjected with a genuine smile and a head tilt toward the kitchen.
"Thanks Felix, where's Zita? I thought you said a few weeks ago that you were bringing her," Kim questioned, referring to Felix's girlfriend and Ron's sort of ex-girlfriend.
"She erm…actually got a call from the Database Center a couple days after I spoke to you, so we decided it would be best to um…see other people," he finished with a shrug.
So that's why he hasn't been himself lately, Kim thought with a sense of understanding.
"Wow man, I'm really sorry," Ron said softly.
"No, it's okay. I mean, I guess we were just meant to be with other people. And I've only talked to her once since then, but she seems really happy so far. Her mark hasn't showed up but his has and it seems like they really are a pair, so I'm happy for her," Felix replied honestly.
Kim stood beside the couch, her own awkwardness that Felix always seemed to induce mixing with the obvious tension from his previous statement.
"I'm sure things will work out Felix, you deserve to be happy and I know your soul mate will be someone great," Kim tried to reassure him.
She looked towards Monique, who was strangely quiet on the subject. Something's up with her.
After a pause in the conversation, Ron picked up the game controller and challenged Felix to a rematch, leaving Kim and Monique to themselves. Monique hadn't said much since Felix's confession, and had avoided all topics leading back to his breakup. Kim couldn't help but think back to Monique's birthday in December; since then her friend had avoided questions of her soul mate mark and Kim had not tried to pressure her into sharing the information. Though I might make another attempt, after today.
"Hello! Hellllooooo! Kim, girl you okay?" Monique said with raised eyebrows. Kim looked back to her, no longer lost in thought and nodded that she was, in fact, listening.
"Your mom just called from the kitchen to tell you that everyone's ready to cut the cake."
Bewildered, Kim glanced around the now empty living room and gave Monique a sheepish smile in response. "I guess I just zoned out there for a bit," she reasoned.
Both girls headed into the kitchen to be met with Kim's family as well as the boys, surrounding the family's kitchen table and looking longingly at her chocolate cake.
"There's the birthday girl!" Nana Possible exclaimed. James flicked the long handled lighter and lit the two candles, the first shaped like a one and the other rendered in the form of an eight.
"Alright everyone, start singing on three," Ann said to the room of waiting guests, while Kim struggled to hide a blush.
"One, two-
Duh Duh Duh Nuh
"Wade, now is really not a good time," Kim whispered to her Kimmunicator.
"Sorry Kim, but Global Justice just received an anonymous call about the truckload of stolen lasers from Upperton. It's Drakken; I don't know what he's planning, but with the cutting capacity of those lasers, this really can't wait," Wade elaborated.
"Do you have a ride for us?" Kim responded.
"E.T.A. three minutes," he replied helpfully, "Oh and happy birthday Kim!"