"Happy birthday, Shadow."
Shadow sighed and plopped onto the couch, trying to get Laura's voice out of his head. Laura was dead, no use moping about it.
"Happy birthday, Shadow." Mr. Nancy sat on the couch beside Shadow and stared at the blank TV screen. "Not much of a party, is it?"
"Not really." Shadow shrugged and glanced at Nancy. "Then again, I wasn't expecting much."
"Humph."
"You think I should?" He turned and looked at the man full on. "What, you gods going to throw me a birthday party?"
Nancy shrugged, his gap toothed smile pasted on his wrinkled face. "D'you want one?"
Shadow imitated Nancy's shrug.
"Come on." Nancy stood up and led Shadow out into the yard and into Shadow's first birthday party in years.