August 20, 2008
Dear Mom,
It's my birthday! I don't think I need to tell you that, but I'm oddly excited. Sixteen doesn't feel any different than fifteen, but I'm a whole year older. It's kind of exciting when I think about it.
I just woke up, so I haven't had the chance to miss you for my birthday yet. Aunt Kathy must have let me sleep in for my birthday, because I slept until 12:30. It's 1:00 now, and I still haven't been out of my bedroom yet. I'm sure if I'm not downstairs in a half hour, Uncle Jason will be up to get me.
I didn't ask for anything for my birthday. I really don't want any presents. Aunt Kathy kind of forced me to get a cake, so I got cake and ice cream to enjoy later on tonight. Cake and ice cream is just enough for me. To be honest, the only gift I want for my birthday is the chance to talk to you one last time. Mommy, if I knew that my last time talking to you was actually going to be my last, I would've cherished it more. Aunt Kathy says that you're better, and I like to think she's right.
If you were here for my birthday, what would you get me? Would you get me a necklace like you always did? I still have the one you gave me for my fifteenth birthday. I never take it off.
Aunt Kathy told me that you wouldn't want me to be sad for my birthday, so I'm going to go ahead and leave now. I promised her that I'd be smiley and as happy as possible for today, because that's what you'd want. Writing is making me sad. I promise I'll write tomorrow. I love you. …Write soon, if you can.
Until next time,
Love always,
Demi.
I push my desk chair in and fold up my letter. I put my letter in my lockbox and slide on my slippers. It's my birthday. I'm not going to be sad today. I hold onto the black spiral railing as I come down the stairs.
Today is very different from the other days I wake up at my aunt and uncle's. It's usually really quiet, with the smell of food really loud.
Today, the smell of food is still very loud, but so is the stereo. My aunt has music playing.
I round the corner into the kitchen, confused. I know it's my birthday, but no need for the early celebration.
"There's the birthday kid!" Uncle Jason ruffles my hair roughly and pats me on my back. I can't help but smile.
I look at myself in the glass of the sliding door in the kitchen. I look really rough this morning. My t-shirt is black and very wrinkled, and my purple plaid pajama pants are about ten sizes too big.
"Good afternoon. Would you like some birthday brunch?" My aunt gives me a hug too.
"…Sure. I'm starving…" I say truthfully.
"Alrighty. We've got hash browns, pancakes, ham, scrambled eggs, some bacon, sausage, French toast slices and chocolate chip waffles. What sounds good to you?" My uncle grabs a plate to make for me.
I'm genuinely smiling, which makes me feel warm inside. It sounds funny, but it feels really good to be smiling. "I'll take some of everything."
"You got it kid."
I sit and wait for him to bring me my plate of food. Aunt Kathy puts a glass of orange juice beside me. "You feel any older?" She plays with my matted, messy ponytail.
"Yep. When I got out of bed this morning, I broke my hip." I lay on the sarcasm really thick.
"Oh my. You might have a little bit of osteoporosis. I'll take you to see a hip doctor tomorrow. Might need a replacement." My aunt plays back with me.
I laugh softly and nod. "I'm gonna need prune juice here in a minute."
"That's gross, Demi."
I laugh again and tap my foot in tune with the music. My aunt and uncle are very modern people. They like to listen to any kind of music, not just the oldies. And they both hate country music, except for a couple songs. For the most part, they listen to the stuff that's on the radio, which I think is pretty cool.
"Here you go, old lady." Uncle Jason puts my full plate of food in front of me.
"Thanks." I grab a fork and cut into a waffle. My aunt should be a chef or something, because her food is always incredible.
"….And what's a birthday without some presents?" Aunt Kathy opens up the bottom cabinet, beneath the sink and exposes a whole hiding space FULL of gifts. I didn't want any gifts. I don't really need them… and it's not their responsibility to buy me birthday presents.
"…Guys. I said no presents…" I stop eating momentarily and stare. There has to be at least twenty different wrapped presents in there; maybe more. I'm taken aback by how many there are.
"It's your birthday, Demi. Everyone gets presents for their birthday, kiddo." Uncle Jason pats my arm while I watch Aunt Kathy unload all the presents from the cabinet.
"Let's start with this one. This one's from Uncle Jason." Aunt Kathy hands me a small box wrapped in blue and yellow polka-dotted wrapping paper.
I really feel like crying. They aren't my parents. They shouldn't be doing this. How is it so easy for them to treat me like I'm their own daughter? They must've spent thousands of dollars on all these presents…
I tear open the small present from the corner. It's kind of heavy, so it must have a lot of something in it. I rip off the paper carefully and look at what's on the inside. It's a brand new, 16gb iPod Touch.
"I noticed you were listening to that raggedy MP3 player." Uncle Jason takes a seat next to me.
"…Thank you." I turn the box and examine it from the outside. It's beautiful, to be honest. I love it.
"Open mine next!" My aunt is acting like a little kid. She shoves a much larger present in front of me. This present is wrapped with zebra print paper.
I tear open the paper on this one carefully too. This one is incredibly heavy, I probably couldn't pick it up myself. I crumple the paper up and look at the box. It's the same yellow, apple MacBook my aunt picked up yesterday.
"…This is MINE?" I feel my eyes pop out of my head.
"Mhm. You said you liked the yellow one…right?"
"…Holy…. Gosh… This thing was… like…. $800…" I can't get my mouth to shut.
"Do you like it though? I can take it back and get you a new color…" She opens up the box and pulls out the computer. It's shiny yellow with the silver Apple logo on the back. It's so, so, so, SO nice.
"I LOVE it…" I run my hand over the shiny part.
"And this next one is from the both of us." Uncle Jason hands me another small one, wrapped in the same paper as my iPod was.
I feel a little bit better now, because all of the expensive gifts must really be out of the way. They bought me an iPod and a MacBook. What else could they possibly buy me?
I carefully open up my next gift. And I almost fall completely out of my chair when I see what it is.
"….Guys I really said… no… presents. Oh my god…." I pull off the top of the box it's in and hold it in my hand. It TRULY is beautiful. My VERY OWN, pristine white and silver iPhone.
"Demi, will you just shut up and say thank you? I told you we don't mind it." My aunt shakes her head and rubs my back.
I can't accept this. I just… can't. This is all $2,000, and it's only three presents. I have a ton more to open. I can't accept these…
"But… it's an IPHONE…"
"I know what it is. And you needed a new phone. That ugly flip phone you have is horrible. And it's already activated and everything. I ported your number over too."
"…Thank you so much Aunt Kathy and Uncle Jason…. I don't know what else to even… say…"
"Just tell us you love it." Uncle Jason is grabbing more presents.
"I do. I really do. I love it. I love them all." I nod really fast to get them to believe me.
"The rest of everything is from the both of us." He puts all of the remaining presents on the table.
I feel better opening up the rest of them, because they're all little things. Nothing that was REALLY expsensive.
When I'm finally done opening up everything they gave me, I have: an iPod, a MacBook, an iPhone, three iPhone cases, two iPod cases, a sleeve to carry my laptop in, a charm bracelet, a 64 pack of colored pencils, a big stack of paper and a new sketchpad, a brand new Coach purse (that made me almost pee whenever I opened it), a couple new bottles of perfume, a few iTunes and App Store gift cards, the new Twilight book that just came out a couple months ago and a few bags of Hershey kisses.
"I'll go pick up your cake and ice cream a little later. What do you want to order for dinner?" Aunt Kathy asks as she helps me pack up all my new gifts to make it easier for me to carry them upstairs to my room.
"Umm….. Chinese food." I really am being happy and smiley today, and the best part is that I'm not faking it.
"Chinese food is cool. And we can order a couple movies to watch. Sound good?"
"Mhm." I nod. I feel like it's only fair for me to help clean up, so I start to wash my plate in the sink.
"Kath, what about the other present? That's outside?" My Uncle Jason tries to whisper, but I heard him say it.
I can't take anymore presents. I really can't. I hope it's like… a little piece of shit present. That way I won't feel so crappy taking from them. I really hope it isn't a car. Uncle Jason said that it's outside, so it probably is a car. I can't take a car from them. I'll convince them to take it back.
After she and my uncle have a silent discussion about what to do with "the present that's outside", my aunt leaves the kitchen and I assume, she goes outside.
I finish washing the dishes and dry my hands on the brown plush towel that's hanging on the stove.
Well, neither one of them are telling me to go outside, so maybe it isn't a car. I hope it isn't. Don't get me wrong; a car would be very, very nice. But I could never take such a thing from my aunt and my uncle. I'm not even their daughter.
"Demi? Are you lonesome living here at all?" My uncle asks, putting away the dishes I just washed.
"…Not really. I mean… a little. I get sad sometimes, because I miss my sisters but it's never really lonely. I do wish I had company sometimes though… Why?" I answer him very honestly.
"I was just wondering."
"Where'd Aunt Kathy go?" I already know, but I ask anyway, in hopes that maybe he'll slip to me what the present outside is.
"She went to go grab something off the porch. She'll be back in."
Okay, so if she's grabbing it off the porch, it can't be a car.
Just before the anticipation kills me, my aunt walks back into the kitchen. And she isn't alone.
I feel my heart go up into my throat and once again, my eyes pop out of my head. Oh my goodness…
"Oh my god!" I exclaim, just before clamping my hands over my mouth in surprise.
In my aunt's arms, she has a light brown puppy with big, round eyes and droopy little ears. Around its neck, there's a yellow ribbon. It's SO cute. Oh my goodness.
"IS IT MINE?! WHAT IS IT?!" I'm so freaking excited right now, it's unreal. I hold my arms out for my aunt to give it to me.
She's laughing at my reaction. "Yes, it's yours. It's your new brother. Take care of him." She dumps the puppy in my arms, and I can see now that he's a wiener dog. He has a long, slim body and big droopy ears. He's perfect.
"I love it… what's his name?" I hold him up and let him lick my cheek. He's so cute. His little cries in my ear are making me laugh though.
"You name him whatever you want to name him. Demi, you have to take care of him. He's YOUR dog. You hear me?"
"I hear you Aunt Kathy… I hear you. I will. I'll take care of him and stuff. I promise." I pet his head and play with his droopy ears. He makes me miss all the dogs I had back at home. I'm glad I have at least one. I love puppies.
"How much bigger is he gonna get?" I ask. I put him down on the floor and examine his size. His long body is no bigger than the size of a hot dog and his head is the size of a baseball and his ears drag on the ground. He's the color of sand, but the tips of his ears look like they were spray painted dark brown. He's perfect.
"He isn't going to get much bigger than that. I made sure I got the teacup version of him. You figure out what you're going to name him?"
"….He looks like…" I have to think. A name is a very serious thing, you know. He's stuck with his name for as long as he lives. It has to be a good name. "His name is Jorge. Spelled J-O-R-G-E. Pronounced like Hore-hay. Okay?"
"Jorge… where the hell did you come up with Jorge?"
"I dunno. He just looks like a Jorge." I smirk a little bit.
This is shaping up to be a pretty good birthday.
Maybe I'm turning into a spoiled little bitch, but I'll try to stay humble.
I definitely have to tell mom about all the presents I got.