"Do you want something to eat Molly?" Irene's voice filters in from behind her, she turns to find the manger/best friend holding a tray of crackers a topped with cheese. Molly shakes her no while mouthing the words no thanks. Irene shrugs for some unknown reason and makes her way from her towards her husband.
"Hope and freedom is in sights." Molly is startled by Carey's sudden appearance right in front of her having been looking in the opposite direction the moment prior.
"And what does that mean?" She thought she knew, she hoped she knew, but wanted to confirm it first before jumping to conclusions.
"I just talked to Jack and he and Clu are getting the cake ready right now. So any minute now." She had known correctly.
"Wait a second I thought you wanted me to try to have fun, so why would you hurry the cake up?"
"Well I can't help to notice how dead bored and not to mention rejected you look, consider this my gift for you. Plus to be honest I am growing tired of it all as well but I can't leave without you." Molly reaches up and sets her hand of his shoulder squeezing it with appreciation; she watches the smile on his face grow.
"Okay everyone it's time for some cake!" Clu yells from the kitchen door, holding the door open for Jack who is walking out with the cake on the tray. Molly can't help but to think to herself; damn that's a lot of candles! Once Jack has set the fire hazard onto the coffee table that had magically been cleared of plastic cups, plates, and napkins in a matter of seconds the dreaded singing begins. Some were on-tone, some sounded as if they had found a new form of torture, but yet they all sang.
"Come on blow out the candles!" Came the cheering after the completion of the classic standard. Molly hates this part, always had even as a child, and the more candles to blow out the more embarrassing it became. There was no way of it, no way refuse, so taking a deep breath she blows and manages to get half of them out, after taking a moment to catch her breath she finishes turning the cake off. Everyone around her cheers, for the reason why she'll never quite understand.
"What did you wish for?"
"Mr. B she can't say or it won't come true." Fiona responds to Ned's question on the behalf of her mother. Molly was glad of that, because she had forgotten to make a wish, actually she didn't forget to, just didn't see the point of it. Wishes never seem to come true anymore. A knife appears and Irene takes the honor of cutting the cake into rather small slices to insure that every guest would be able to have a piece. The first piece is presented to Molly; she takes it with a smile along with a plastic fork held out by Jack. Taking a few steps back to escape from the center of attention she starts to eat, watching the rest trying to decide who takes what piece; no that's too big, I rather have a corner if I could, can I have more frosting than that? It was a simple yellow cake, Molly's favorite, with light blue frosting. She eats it quickly seeing the light of escape in sight, and watches Carey standing by the cake doing the same. She would have been surprised on neither of them choked. She looks up to see Carey mouth the words follow me. He is heading towards the kitchen door and Molly does as she was asked to do.
"Yes?" Molly questions them once they have left the living room for the kitchen.
"Hey I thought you were the one dying to leave, but if you rather not you can just go back out there."
"What am I just suppose to leave without saying anything?" It sounded simple and easy, a bit too simple.
"Why not? They are so many people out there it'll take hell at least an hour before anyone takes note of our absences." He did have a point.
"But what about when they do notice, what's your great plan next?"
"I don't know I'll think of something don't sweat it. Now since it's your birthday what would you like to do?" Molly thinks for a moment, she knew going upstairs to have a nice relaxing bubble bath was not in the cards.
"Wanna go for a drive?" She finally asks him, as he smiles in agreement and they quietly escape through the backdoor. It was decided to take his car; because her purse with had her keys attached were sitting by the living room front door. She takes a seat in the passenger seat with the start of the engine is presented with the sounds of some techno artist. Carey quickly turns it off muttering an apology.
"How can you listen to that stuff?" She had asked several times before, and still never received an answer more than I like it. He puts the car into drive and begins his way down her street heading towards the exit of the subdivision, away from all the cookie cutter houses and families. Neither of them talks for several passing moments, she staring at the passing scenery, he focusing on the road and cars ahead of him. With some people Molly hated the silence, almost feeling obligated to something no matter how boring or useless of a subject, but with Carey she didn't. It was always a comfortable type of quiet where breaking it felt like committing a sin.
"I saw that you didn't eat much, so what do you say we get something for dinner? My treat of course." Carey asks while pulling into a malls parking lot with four restaurants located in the general area.
"Sure sounds great."
"Any request as to which one?" She tells him that Applebee's sounds the most appealing, without further ado he parks right in front of the door, the evening crowd having died down already. They enter, Carey provides the hostess the information and immedially they are brought to their table. Molly glances at the wine listing, considering perhaps allowing herself a rare treat, but decides against it. Instead orders a coke when the waiter asks for that part of their order.
"You should have gotten something with alcohol Molly, after all it is your birthday. You should enjoy it to the fullest."
"I had thought about it."
"So why didn't you?" She only shrugs in answer and he ends the conversation on the topic. The rest of the evening goes nicely, the food was excellent, the atmosphere was quiet absent from anybody who had too much too drink and screaming kids dying to go home. Molly and Carey talked about everything under the sun, she had talked to him hundreds of times before, but tonight it was different. It was as she was seeing him through new eyes. It was a nice sight.
"Are you sure you don't want me to pay?" She asks him when the waiter lays the black book with the check on the end on the table, where he reaches for it the moment after.
"What kind of a gentlemen would I be if I allowed the birthday girl to pay for something on her day? Plus don't forget your don't have your purse." She laughs with embarrassment.
"I do suppose you have a point there." Once the bill has been settled, the two of them head outdoors, and without thinking of what is she doing Molly takes a hold of his hand and pulls him in the opposite direction away from his car. Again the silence blankets them as they walk down the sidewalk with no destination in thought. Molly didn't mind and for some reason she knew Carey didn't either. She knew she shouldn't be doing this, but what exactly what she was doing she had no idea. Eventually they make it full circle around the mall still no words having been said, but the grip on their hands had become tighter. The sound of her cell phone breaks the moment. She lets go of his hand and pulls it out from her pocket looking at the caller ID.
"Well that took long enough." She mutters to herself seeing House appearing on the screen, she pushes the talk bottom, but before she can say hello she watches in amazement as Carey yanks it from her hand discounting the call, and tossing the phone at the grass next to their feet.
"Carey! What was tha-" Molly was unable to finish the sentence, having his lips touch hers with such a passion she could hardly even recall before this point, it felt wrong, it felt right, it felt uneasy, it felt like the greatness feeling in the world. Eventually she pulls herself away, to stare at him in unbelieved silence.
"Happy birthday Molly." Was all he said, as reaching out for her hand, which she gladly accepted. Perhaps this won't such a bad birthday after all, she thinks.