Chapter Twenty-Five: Happy Birthday
Thursday October 25, 2007
Claire hummed quietly as she fix something for Nora to eat. She put a small portion of cook vegetables on one of Nora's baby plates. The child squealed and giggled, mumbling something only she understood.
Claire smile at her seven month old daughter. "You just be sure to eat most of those. Then we can talk about dessert. Nora squealed again and Claire could help but chuckle.
Mokuba and Ali walked in, talking about their classes.
"Good morning you two. School today?"
"No." Mokuba replied. "But I have to finished up a project due Monday."
"I have to go in and continue Latin lessons at one."
"Sounds fun."
Mokuba patted Nora on the head, opening the fridge to get two bottles of water. He leaned on the counter next to his niece.
"I was thinking of staying home and eating tonight." Claire voiced. "I know we've gone out for the past two years to celebrate Seto's birthday, but I feel like cooking." She smiled at them. "Any ideas or suggestions?"
"Chocolate Parfait!" Mokuba provided eagerly. This made them all laugh.
Seto looked over at the clock. It was eleven minutes before eight. Every year this day came and every year he disliked it even more. He was five when his mother died and it was hard but Mokuba entered their lives. Then three years later, when he was eight, their father died in a car accident.
Ever since he didn't think it matter. It was always the same. Another year gone, another year older. This year he turned twenty-six. He could hardly believe it. Normally he would sit and work through the night. Afterall, to him this day was just another day. He was married though. A wife who loved him endlessly. A daughter who was growing right before his eyes. Could three years change what was brutally pushed into his mind, body and, soul as a child and early teenager?
Closing his eyes he sighed. Of course it could change him. Yet another question remains; did he want to celebrate a birthday that he never cared about? His twenty-fourth birthday was given attention due to his marriage to Claire earlier that year. The twenty-fifth birthday was honored because another joy entered his life that year. His daughter born in February.
This year though, he just wanted to go back to the normal routine.
Claire was bouncing Nora on her hip when she walked in. She smiled at Seto when she saw that he was up. "Morning." She walked over to his side of the bed. Placing Nora on his stomache, she kissed him on the cheek. "Happy birthday."
Seto smiled relunctantly. Nora giggled at the face he was somewhat making.
"Is something wrong?"
Seto shook his head. If anything was wrong it would be the thought he had before she walked in. Had he really wanted things to go back to normal. For him that meant working all the time. Overtime for most of it. Barely sleeping as his company legacy grew around the world. He was Seto Kaiba. Owner of hundreds of technological items and three Kabia Lands, with another one being blue printed.
He was also husband and father. Two important responsibilities that, for some reason today, felt like they snuck up on him.
Claire looked at him when he didn't answer her. "Seto?"
He blinked glancing up at her. "Yea."
"Did any of what I said process?"
"I'm sorry. Must be birthday blues or something." He whispered. More to himself. Nora wrapped her small hand around his left index finger.
Claire tilted her head. Searching his face. "Is there anything special that you want to do to celebrate? I decided to cook but that's not until later."
"I don't know. I have work, so..." He sat up, holding Nora. "I'm not sure when I'll be getting home."
Claire turned around from her dresser. Shock in her green eyes. "Work?"
Seto stood, nodding. "Yes. There are several meetings today that I have to get through." He spun Nora, then placed her in the playpen near the window. "I guess I should get going." He kissed Claire on the cheek, shutting the door of the bathroom behind him.
Nora babbled incoherently. Claire glance over to her. The child was standing on wabbly legs, looking at her with blue gray eyes.
"Seto's really changing with all this celebration stuff." Ali comment. Her and Mokuba were in the living room.
Mokuba took a bite from his sandwich. "That's what makes me worried. Sometimes I wonder if he wants it to all go back to normal, you know. Him working twenty-four hours seven days, non stop."
"The newspapers aren't helping matter much either." Ali picked the one up from the table. "This one is titled 'Perfect?' It says, 'It's been a little over a year since the harded corporate owner Seto Kaiba married Claire Walters. The daughter of the once provident Thomas Walters, owner of Walters Corp. So far it's been picture perfect, with a daughter to go along with it all. However with a new Kaiba Land going up somewhere in Eastern Europe, and different pasts, will the strains of this thrown together marriage start to break?'" Ali sighed throwing down the paper. "I can't read the rest. Things like that anger me."
"They infuriate me." Mokuba commented. "The bias opinion of one author to it's magazine."
"These type of things could do damage if they were able to."
"They write those things up, so they can do damage."
Seto walked in, fixing his tie. "Have either one of you seen Claire recently?"
They both looked at eachother. "About twenty minutes ago, after she finished feeding Nora." Mokuba replied.
He nodded. "Something's wrong I think. She was in the room when I got up to take a shower." He put his jacket on. "Did she go get anything?"
Mokuba shook his head. "No she hasn't been down since." Mokuba walked to the doorway before his brother walked out the front door. "Seto did you give Claire your thoughts on tonight?"
"I have work." Was all he said before leaving.