Objective: Cody's birthday

Winter would end soon. Cody looked outside his window to watch the slush fall fearlessly from the sky. It was that awkward period in the season, when the temperature was getting a little warmer, but not yet spring. However the weather seemed to see it fit to let those globs of mush come down and weigh the world down in wetness.

"Achoo!" On top of the horrid weather, Cody had caught a cold. Both Nina and Abiba had been very right to warn him of the frigid cold. Strange though, Cody hadn't been sick in years.

There was a hard knock at the door. Cody dragged himself from his bed, in his dark green bathrobe to the threshold to open it. A very surprised Cody met a very wet Abiba. "A-Abiba?"

Abiba slipped into the metal home without saying a word in greeting, closing the door behind her as to not escort the chilled wind into the room as well. Cody was a little dizzy to begin with, but to follow the movements of a fast woman smaller than himself did not help. Abiba was very wet indeed, having only shrouded her body in a thick brown cloth. She smiled at Cody to dumbfounded to return the smile.

"What's the matter? Too tired to grin?" she jeered. Cody didn't find this very funny at all. "Alright, fine- I'll go…"

"Not in this weather!" said Cody, before letting out a cough.

Abiba's eyebrow went up. "Oh so now you're worried about the weather?" she grinned. "Ok, I'll stay." She went into her jacket and managed to dig out a small box with a bow on it. "Happy Birthday, Cody!" Abiba reached up and gave Cody a peck of a kiss on Cody's cheek.

This caught Cody completely off guard. His hear stopped for a moment as he just stared into space with his jaw agape. "Well, c'mon, Cody," said Abiba, smiling shyly, "Open your present!"

Cody, snapping out of his trance, opened the small box. There was a small pressed flower gently set on a piece of white tissue paper. "But this…"

"Is the flower you gave me at Flora's wedding. You gave it to me on our walk and I wanted you to have it. See? Look I've pressed it in a book and now it's perfect forever," said Abiba.

Cody rubbed the back of his neck; though he worked with metals he loved organic things. "Thank you, Abiba, it's really nice."

"I knew it!" Cody glanced at her in surprise. "Most guys- well, maybe not Gustafa- well anyway most guys wouldn't like that kind of thing. Too mushy," Abiba went over to the cabinets opening up doors and searching through what Cody had. "Now I'll make you a birthday dinner!"

Cody was happy for Abiba's kindness and they enjoyed a simple, but delicious stir fry. The evening was chilly but wonderful. Though Cody had started the day sickly, he felt better and better the longer Abiba stayed around. The snow outside began to lighten up. Abiba was getting ready to leave when she turned to Cody.

"Ok- so I need to ask you something Cody."

"Hmm?"

"You see, I know that you're really shy and all that," she began, "But I was wondering if you'd…"

Cody was perhaps was too sick to really understand what Abiba was saying and thus, in this moment jumped to every other conclusion he first thought of. Does she want to go out on a date?

"Would you come with me to the city…"

And elope?

"As an escort to my friend's wedding?"

Oh.

"See I'm the maid of honor and I need an escort. I'll actually be in town for a week or so and that's why I think that you might not be comfortable with this so…"

"I'll go." said Cody.

Abiba's eyes lit up. "Oh you will?!" She jumped up and hugged Cody as far as her arms could reach around his massive body. Abiba gave Cody another kiss on the cheek. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She set herself down again. "Alright, we'll leave on New Years Eve. Is that alright?"

Cody vaguely nodded his head with his hand on his cheek. He knew Abiba said a few more things before she left but Cody hadn't really listened. When he waved goodbye, shut the door and laid down on his bed all he could think was, Best. Birthday. Ever.

Author's Note: Hi everyone! Sorry it took me forever to update. I plan on concluding this story in perhaps 4 or 5 more chapters. Thanks for your patience and I plan on posting again soon.