Ryan felt like a little boy in front of the cake. This brought back
memories of watching television and wishing to have a birthday like this.
Sure he was a bit old for a birthday party, but Sandy and Kirsten thought
it best to try and make up for ones that weren't quite so special before.
After everyone sand happy birthday to you, he blew out all the candles, but not before making a wish. With everything that has happened, he didn't need to wish anything anymore since they seemed to be coming true.
"So what did you wish for?" Seth asked.
"I can't tell you, or it won't come true." Ryan said back.
"You don't really believe in that do you?"
"Actually I do."
Kirsten began cutting the cake for everyone giving Ryan a big piece with the pretty flower on it.
"I told them no flowers, but I guess they didn't listen." Kirsten mentioned.
"It's okay. As long as it tastes good that is all that counts and it does."
"Only the best for my family."
Kirsten gave him a glance after saying that and she and Ryan exchanged a warm moment between them. Dawn even smiled to see that they really did care for her son like that. The decision she made paid off better for the both of them even though it was difficult at the time.
"Alright enough cake for you Ryan. Time for the presents to be opened." Seth yelled.
"We have time for that. Let me finish."
"Can't have you do that. Bring your ass over here."
Ryan had no other choice so he put down his plate and followed Seth to the "gift corner". Marissa and Summer followed shortly after. Ryan had no idea which ones to open up first. Luckily Seth was there to guide him in his decision.
"Unwrap this one. It's from Julie. Wow! I hope it's not a live animal, or something." Seth said.
"Whoa! My mom got you something. Yeah. I would be careful too."
Ryan shook the box and nothing seemed to be moving so he felt safe opening it. It was pretty heavy and was he curious to see what was inside. When he opened it, he saw a new pair of black boots.
"Hey these are actually nice, and she knew my size." Ryan was shocked to find out.
"I helped her with that. I didn't think she would actually get you shoes." Marissa mentioned.
"Alright my gift next. I hope you will like it." Seth said.
"It's not Death Cab for Cutie, the Shins, Bright Eyes, Cavalier and Clay, or the Goonies dvd right?"
"That was so last Christmas. Of course not. Just open it."
Now his curiosity was kicking in. He opened it to find two packages of wife beaters. Ryan couldn't help, but laugh. Seth told him this was just a gag gift and the real one was the one he had to open next. The box was long and somewhat light. Ryan guessed a couple of times, but didn't quite get the right answer. He opened to find a brand new high tech fishing rod.
"This will go perfect when we go fishing next weekend on this exclusive boat reserved for ten people. So I hope you have not made plans for next weekend."
"He I love fish so you better catch some." Marissa added.
"I'm just going to chill inside the boat. Dangling fishes on strings are not for me." Summer said.
Finally making it to the party was Luke. He was late because he forgot to take the day off and had to work because of his absentmindedness. All four greeted him when he joined them.
"Sorry I'm late Ryan. Happy Birthday. Here's you present."
"Thanks man. I'll open it now."
It was another huge box. Ryan figured all the gifts given were expected to be huge since these people had money. When he opened it he had in his hands a brand new acoustic guitar. This was unexpected since Ryan never played an instrument and didn't know where to begin.
"I could teach you Ryan. It's easier than it looks."
"I look forward to learning. Maybe we could even start a band."
"And we'll be your first groupies." Summer added.
Ryan's other gifts included a new cd player, a gift certificate to the trendiest store in South Coast Plaza, a set of weights, and plenty of other things. He was so grateful for each and every gift.
"Okay, I'm going to have to take the birthday boy away. He still has to open my gift and he's coming with me to see it." Marissa took Ryan by the arm.
"Thank you every one again. This was more than I could ask for."
"Bye." They said in unison.
While they were driving to the apartment, Ryan kept asking her what the present was. She kept her lips sealed and told him that she couldn't say. Even if he guessed right she wouldn't let him know. Luckily for him the car ride was quick.
"Okay you are finally going to see what I got you. Just don't' go too crazy trying to open it."
"I'll do my best. I can't promise though."
Ryan waited downstairs while she went into her room to get it. When she came back downstairs, she was holding three boxes, all of different sizes.
"I just needed one. You didn't have to get three things."
"You deserve more than three, but I couldn't spoil you too much."
Ryan smiled and started to open the largest box first. In it had two different shirts and a sweater. The color of the shirts was a light blue and a navy blue color. The sweater was a dark brick red color. When Marissa thought about which colors to choose, she wanted ones that Ryan didn't have in that closet of his.
"I've never owned red before. This would be a first."
"But you like it right?"
"No, it's good. I'm just happy it's not pink, or purple."
"I definitely would not get that. Go on to the next one."
"Okay."
Ryan opened the medium sized one next. In it contained a bottle of Intuition cologne. Marissa wondered whether he would like the smell, or not. When she asked him he said as long as it made her want to be near him, he liked it. She laughed and he truthfully told her that he enjoyed the smell.
"I just hope your not trying to tell me that I stink." Ryan joked.
"No. Not at all. This last one was the first thing I decided to buy, but thought that I needed to add to it."
"Just wait to your birthday. I've already got things in mind."
The last box was a small tiny box. When he opened it, he found the watch that he was looking at last Christmas.
"Don't worry. It was paid for."
"Marissa you didn't have to. This was too much money. I feel so bad now."
"I didn't break the bank for it so to speak, but you are worth every penny and I knew you would like it."
"I'm still speechless. Just wow."
"I'm just glad that you still like it. It has been a while since you looked at it."
"No, I do. Very much."
"So now could you just help me clean up all the wrapping paper? My dad hates a dirty apartment."
"Sure. It's the least I can do."
The telephone rang...
"I'll get it." Marissa ran to the phone.
Ryan finished putting all the paper into the wastebasket. Marissa came back to tell him that it was Seth and that he wanted him to come home right away for some reason he wouldn't say over the phone. They kissed each other goodbye and Ryan left to go back to the Cohen house.
After everyone sand happy birthday to you, he blew out all the candles, but not before making a wish. With everything that has happened, he didn't need to wish anything anymore since they seemed to be coming true.
"So what did you wish for?" Seth asked.
"I can't tell you, or it won't come true." Ryan said back.
"You don't really believe in that do you?"
"Actually I do."
Kirsten began cutting the cake for everyone giving Ryan a big piece with the pretty flower on it.
"I told them no flowers, but I guess they didn't listen." Kirsten mentioned.
"It's okay. As long as it tastes good that is all that counts and it does."
"Only the best for my family."
Kirsten gave him a glance after saying that and she and Ryan exchanged a warm moment between them. Dawn even smiled to see that they really did care for her son like that. The decision she made paid off better for the both of them even though it was difficult at the time.
"Alright enough cake for you Ryan. Time for the presents to be opened." Seth yelled.
"We have time for that. Let me finish."
"Can't have you do that. Bring your ass over here."
Ryan had no other choice so he put down his plate and followed Seth to the "gift corner". Marissa and Summer followed shortly after. Ryan had no idea which ones to open up first. Luckily Seth was there to guide him in his decision.
"Unwrap this one. It's from Julie. Wow! I hope it's not a live animal, or something." Seth said.
"Whoa! My mom got you something. Yeah. I would be careful too."
Ryan shook the box and nothing seemed to be moving so he felt safe opening it. It was pretty heavy and was he curious to see what was inside. When he opened it, he saw a new pair of black boots.
"Hey these are actually nice, and she knew my size." Ryan was shocked to find out.
"I helped her with that. I didn't think she would actually get you shoes." Marissa mentioned.
"Alright my gift next. I hope you will like it." Seth said.
"It's not Death Cab for Cutie, the Shins, Bright Eyes, Cavalier and Clay, or the Goonies dvd right?"
"That was so last Christmas. Of course not. Just open it."
Now his curiosity was kicking in. He opened it to find two packages of wife beaters. Ryan couldn't help, but laugh. Seth told him this was just a gag gift and the real one was the one he had to open next. The box was long and somewhat light. Ryan guessed a couple of times, but didn't quite get the right answer. He opened to find a brand new high tech fishing rod.
"This will go perfect when we go fishing next weekend on this exclusive boat reserved for ten people. So I hope you have not made plans for next weekend."
"He I love fish so you better catch some." Marissa added.
"I'm just going to chill inside the boat. Dangling fishes on strings are not for me." Summer said.
Finally making it to the party was Luke. He was late because he forgot to take the day off and had to work because of his absentmindedness. All four greeted him when he joined them.
"Sorry I'm late Ryan. Happy Birthday. Here's you present."
"Thanks man. I'll open it now."
It was another huge box. Ryan figured all the gifts given were expected to be huge since these people had money. When he opened it he had in his hands a brand new acoustic guitar. This was unexpected since Ryan never played an instrument and didn't know where to begin.
"I could teach you Ryan. It's easier than it looks."
"I look forward to learning. Maybe we could even start a band."
"And we'll be your first groupies." Summer added.
Ryan's other gifts included a new cd player, a gift certificate to the trendiest store in South Coast Plaza, a set of weights, and plenty of other things. He was so grateful for each and every gift.
"Okay, I'm going to have to take the birthday boy away. He still has to open my gift and he's coming with me to see it." Marissa took Ryan by the arm.
"Thank you every one again. This was more than I could ask for."
"Bye." They said in unison.
While they were driving to the apartment, Ryan kept asking her what the present was. She kept her lips sealed and told him that she couldn't say. Even if he guessed right she wouldn't let him know. Luckily for him the car ride was quick.
"Okay you are finally going to see what I got you. Just don't' go too crazy trying to open it."
"I'll do my best. I can't promise though."
Ryan waited downstairs while she went into her room to get it. When she came back downstairs, she was holding three boxes, all of different sizes.
"I just needed one. You didn't have to get three things."
"You deserve more than three, but I couldn't spoil you too much."
Ryan smiled and started to open the largest box first. In it had two different shirts and a sweater. The color of the shirts was a light blue and a navy blue color. The sweater was a dark brick red color. When Marissa thought about which colors to choose, she wanted ones that Ryan didn't have in that closet of his.
"I've never owned red before. This would be a first."
"But you like it right?"
"No, it's good. I'm just happy it's not pink, or purple."
"I definitely would not get that. Go on to the next one."
"Okay."
Ryan opened the medium sized one next. In it contained a bottle of Intuition cologne. Marissa wondered whether he would like the smell, or not. When she asked him he said as long as it made her want to be near him, he liked it. She laughed and he truthfully told her that he enjoyed the smell.
"I just hope your not trying to tell me that I stink." Ryan joked.
"No. Not at all. This last one was the first thing I decided to buy, but thought that I needed to add to it."
"Just wait to your birthday. I've already got things in mind."
The last box was a small tiny box. When he opened it, he found the watch that he was looking at last Christmas.
"Don't worry. It was paid for."
"Marissa you didn't have to. This was too much money. I feel so bad now."
"I didn't break the bank for it so to speak, but you are worth every penny and I knew you would like it."
"I'm still speechless. Just wow."
"I'm just glad that you still like it. It has been a while since you looked at it."
"No, I do. Very much."
"So now could you just help me clean up all the wrapping paper? My dad hates a dirty apartment."
"Sure. It's the least I can do."
The telephone rang...
"I'll get it." Marissa ran to the phone.
Ryan finished putting all the paper into the wastebasket. Marissa came back to tell him that it was Seth and that he wanted him to come home right away for some reason he wouldn't say over the phone. They kissed each other goodbye and Ryan left to go back to the Cohen house.