Hello, my lovely readers. It's time for Tyler's birthday. The next one will be Matt's because I don't give the poor guy much time in the story. Without further ado…
Chapter 18: Tyler's Birthday
There were dark clouds hanging in the sky around three p. m. when Carol Lockwood opened the door with an overly cheerful smile on her face. It looked more strained than the smile on my mother's face as she stared back. "Hello, Esther, how are you today? Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?"
My mother smiled back at Carol, her hand tightening on my shoulder before replying. "I would love to but I'm in a bit of a hurry today. Mikael is off on another business trip and there are some concerns at home that must be taken care of." Looking down at me and my siblings, she smiled genuinely, "Have fun with Tyler, children."
"Yes, Mother," I replied, hugging her before she hurried back to the car leaving us on the front stoop and I wondered if she would ever return for us.
"Come in, kids. Tyler is so excited that you're all here," Tyler's mother told us while she stepped aside so that we could enter. I came walking into the dining room in front of my siblings to see Tyler sitting stiffly at the table with his father. When we entered, Tyler looked over at me and his expression brightened. He started to get up to run over to us when his mother stopped me, "Tyler, do not run."
Sighing, Tyler shoved his hands into the pockets of his little suit pants and approached us. "Hey, Klaus," he held out his hand to me and I shook it. This was very formal. Kol and Bekah did not seem to understand. Instead of taking Tyler's hand Bekah wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug. "Happy, birthday, Ty," she greeted him with a wide smile, showing all her baby teeth.
Kol punched Tyler on the shoulder. "Hey, mate. Did we have to dress in these?" He waved at his suit and then Tyler's.
"My Mom said we had to," Tyler told my brother while staring at his mother with a frown.
Elijah smiled down at us, "I rather like to dress up."
Finn groaned, "Of course you do. Cause you're Lijah."
I began to chuckle as Tyler stood beside me. "We're going to get stuck with my Dad today." I turned my head to look at the Mayor, who was having a drink of something that did not look like coffee.
The doorbell rang again and more children came flooding into the room. Katherine came strolling into the room with a wide smile on her face like it was her birthday. I folded my arms over my chest and glared at her. She didn't seem to notice my rage as she came over to slide her arm through Elijah's.
Jenna, Rose, Alaric, Mason and Sage came in. I was surprised when Sage went over to stand beside Katherine, who pulled out a tube of lipstick and handed it to Sage. Sage whipped out a compact and began to spread the stuff on her lips. My face twisted as I watched her put it on, "Why?" I asked myself aloud.
Finn stood beside me, "She thinks it makes her prettier. Sometimes I wish she could see herself the way I see her." I looked up at my older brother, who was staring at Sage with this look I had no words for at the time. He was in love at the age of twelve. I wondered if they would grow up and have little Fages.
The next thing I knew a little blonde girl came barreling into the room and nearly knocked me over. "Nik!" She shouted at me, wrapping her arms around my waist.
"Girls. Puke." Tyler said with a smile as he looked at Caroline.
"Happy birthday, Ty," Caroline replied with a big grin.
Bonnie, Elena, Jeremy and Matt came in next. "Matt, Jer," Tyler called to the boys. "You're here. I thought I would be stuck with just girls and the Mikaelsons."
"Tyler!" Carol yelled at Tyler, who rolled his eyes, "Richard, come greet the children."
The not so honorable mayor Lockwood got up slowly. "Hey there, kids. Are you all having a good time today?" He stared down at us with a wide grin, "Ah, Katherine, you're growing up quickly."
Katherine's eyes widened when she realized that her shirt might be little lower cut than was appropriate for a children's party. Elijah frowned at the mayor as Carol's smile tightened. "How about we go get the cake. Katherine, dear, would you like to join me in the kitchen?"
Tyler and I went to go spy on Carol and Kat. When they went into the kitchen Carol poured herself a drink out of a wine bottle. My eyebrows rose as I watched her down the glass and then pour another. Katherine looked uncomfortable. Tyler's Mother then poured a little bit of wine into a glass and handed it to Katherine.
"Here, Katherine. You might need this to get through the day. I do apologize for Richard because he says things sometimes… But, dear, you must understand that you're getting to an age at which men will notice you. You have to learn to cover up when you're around certain men… like my husband… It's just the way it is. My mother had to explain these things to me when I was your age." Carol informed Kat as Tyler and I looked at each other.
Neither Tyler nor I were really sure why Ty's father seemed to like to look at Kat's chest. It seemed weird. I wasn't really sure why any guy cared. I mean my Mother had those same lumps on her front. What was special about them?
Tyler sighed, "This party is lame," he moaned.
"Yeah, it is," Kol told Tyler as he came to look over our shoulders. "Where's the cake?"
Pulling Kol back from the door and pressing my hand over his mouth, I whispered to him, "Shush. They'll hear you."
"Okay," Kat was saying to Carol. "So, I dress however I want to around my friends and cover up around other people?"
Carol smiled at Katherine, "It's all about taste, dear. You don't want to get a reputation. You're barely a teenager."
Katherine's eyebrows rose, "What do you mean 'a reputation?'"
"Have you ever noticed the way that Matt Donavon's mother acts around men?"
Katherine nodded slowly, "Yes."
Carol nodded and then sipped her drink. "That is how you want to not act. Watch your mother, dear. Miranda understands how to act with class and decorum. And for God's sake do not act like Elizabeth Forbes. I love her dearly but that's another reputation you don't want."
Feeling the desire to walk into the room and defend Caroline's mother, I simply turned around and walked away. "Let's go play." We wandered off to Tyler's father's office. Finding it unlocked, we decided to go inside.
"Boring," Kol announced as he looked around the room; then he spotted something on the table. Picking up a piece of glass he looked at it, "What's this for?"
"My Dad said it's some kind of trophy or something. I think he uses it as paperweight. Or at least that's what my Mom says," Tyler told us with a shrug, looking around the room.
Kol sat the paperweight on the edge of the desk and then went around and pulled a drawer out. He found a letter opener and began to wield it like a sword. "I'm the captain of this ship," he announced climbing on top of the table and beginning to kick papers off.
"Kol, get off the desk!" I demanded watching my brother continue to knock the papers off. That was when someone walked into the room and I looked at the large shadow above me.
"Get down. Now!" The Mayor told my brother, who climbed on the chair and then hopped down. Kol came over to hide behind me. I stood there feeling worried about what Tyler's father would do to us.
"Please, leave. I need to talk to Tyler alone," the mayor told us.
I looked at Tyler, who looked terrified but was trying not to show it. Forcing my feet to move toward the door, I yanked Kol out behind me. The minute the door was closed I heard the sound of something breaking and then a shout of pain. Running as quickly as I could I came skidding into the kitchen.
"Kat," I yelled, staring at Katherine, who was indulging in another little glass of wine. "Kat, we need your help. Please!" Katherine put the glass down and then we went into the dining room. "Lijah, Finn, Mason, Ric, we need you for a moment." I told them.
Carol looked up. "Is there something wrong?"
"No," I told her with a big, fake grin. "We just need help with a big present for Tyler. Rose, Jenna, Sage."
When the oldest kids were assembled I thought of a plan quickly. "We have to get the Mayor out of his office," I told them.
"Why?" Jenna asked.
I shook my head. "Just trust me," Thinking harder, I really wished Damon were here but we weren't speaking. I was now the leading member of the club. It was my duty to take care of its members. But he was great with this kind thing.
"Kat, knock on the door and say you need to talk to him and get him away from there. Here," I reached up and unbuttoned her blouse two more buttons. Katherine was about to smack me when Elijah grabbed her wrist.
"Jenna and Rose, you guys need to go back and keep Mrs. Lockwood occupied. No matter what happens. Lijah, Finn, Mason and Ric… well, you'll know when it happens…" I trailed off and we headed back down the hall. I ran ahead with Katherine.
Katherine glared at me before she heard a loud shout of pain. Then her expression twisted as she looked at the door. Knocking on it hard, she leaned against the doorframe. "I'm nearly fourteen," she muttered to herself. "I rule my school. I am hot. I can do this."
I wanted to scream at her to get over herself when the door opened and the Mayor stood in the doorway. I couldn't see him because I was standing behind the door. But I could hear him. Peeking around the corner, I noticed he had rolled his sleeves up and was leaning toward Kat.
"Hi, Mayor. I need to talk to you. Like right now," Katherine told him, fluttering her eyelashes and smiling widely.
The mayor smiled down at Katherine in a way that made me a little sick in my stomach. "Sure, Katherine. Let's go upstairs." He walked into the hallway and then placed his hand on her lower back as they walked down the hall. I scooted around the door with Mason, Ric, Lijah and Finn.
We found Tyler was sitting on the floor. There were broken pieces of furniture all over the room and Tyler's suit was a mess. His left eye was puffing up and he had wrapped an arm around his middle. "Ty," Mason came to sit beside his nephew and put an arm around the boy.
"I'm sorry, Tyler. I should have stayed," I told him, feeling my eyes fill with tears, "I'm so sorry."
Tyler shook his head, wiping his own tears away, "He would have hurt you, too. I'll be okay. I always am after awhile."
Remembering Kat, I panicked, "We have to get Kat before he hits her, too," I told my brothers. Looking down at Tyler and Mason, I frowned, "Will you be okay?"
Mason nodded, "We'll be okay. Go get Kat."
We hurried up the stairs attempting to make as little noise as possible. When we got upstairs, we heard muffled voices inside one of the rooms. "Mr. Mayor, I should get downstairs," Katherine was saying.
"What's your rush?" The Mayor was saying as I placed my hand on the doorknob and eased it open as quietly as possible, "You, Kat, you should learn to not tease men."
"I'm not teasing anyone," Katherine's voice came out shrilly and my jaw dropped when I pulled the door open wide enough to see the Mayor shoving Katherine on top of a bed. "Stop it," Katherine yelled as the man climbed on top of her. Elijah jerked the door open farther and strode into the room. I had never seen my brother so pissed as when he grabbed a lamp and hit the Mayor over the head with it. Hard.
The Mayor's body slumped on top of Katherine's and it took both my brothers to shove him off of her. "You killed the Mayor," I gasped looking at the man's lifeless body.
Elijah glared at the Mayor. "If I did, then the world would be a better place," he told me as Finn helped Katherine up, who crying. She got off the bed and then kicked the Mayor viciously.
"Bastard!" Katherine yelled, kicking him again.
"We need to get out of here," I told them. "One of us needs to call Lexi and Anna to fix this." I felt myself breathing hard. We ran down the stairs and found Mason and Tyler in a bathroom downstairs. "He won't hurt you again," I told Tyler, who nodded but looked doubtful.
Finn called Lexi and Anna. Then he went outside to wait for them. "We're going to go to the park," I informed the group. "We're going to get the cake and we're going to the park and we're going to have a real party. And you're going to get dirty, Tyler, and your mother will not be angry because Lexi will fix her." Going outside to find the babysitters,. I sighed in relief.
Finn had explained to them what had happened and what they would find in the bedroom upstairs. "Can you make sure Mrs. Lockwood does not care if Tyler gets his suit dirty?" I asked them.
Anna nodded, looking shocked and worried, "Yes, we can do that." The two vampires hurried upstairs while my brother and I hurried back to the bathroom.
"We're going to the park now," I told Tyler, letting him wrap an arm around my shoulders. We walked toward the door while Mason went after the cake and Finn went after the others.
We walked out of the house with Tyler limping slightly but I kept him steady. Caroline came to stand on my other side. "You'll be okay, Ty. We're your family. And we'll protect you," I smiled at Caroline, who was trying so hard to cheer Tyler up.
When we got to the park, we found a spot and sat down. After Bonnie lit the cake with her awesome magic powers Tyler blew his candles out. We had some cake and found games to play that wouldn't involve Tyler feeling more pain. "Thanks, guys," he whispered to us.
It was one of the harder birthdays that we had to get through as we would learn life was full of horrific moments but we had each other.
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Love,
LL