Hello Everyone, this comes from a longer story currently in the process of being written but given it was my thirty-fifth birthday yesterday. I decided to edit through this one and give you Rilla's fifteenth birthday as a gift from me to all of you for my own birthday.
Since this is part of a larger story, I did edit out some things and expanded on others to make this more stand alone, though someday soon when this pops up again I hope you will still enjoy this story and will be excited for complete story to come out eventually.
It truly was a bit of a mind trip to right such a young, happy Rilla but I think I pulled it off!
Rilla's fifteenth birthday comes on a cool July day, much like the day she was born according to her parents.
She wakes up to her mother kissing her forehead with a tray, a cool breeze coming in from the window she had left open the previous night. Smell of summer dew and morning waft in as she takes a breath and stretches. Breakfast in bed for birthdays was a thing she enjoyed. Fluffy pancakes and raspberries with cups of hot chocolate in delicate cups. Mother laughing and smiling as they shared their secrets until it was time to dress for the she took the time at pulling her hair away from her face with a half knot. Loose curly baby hairs frame her face and she puts a bit of lilac at her neck and wrists. She skips down the stairs smiling broadly.
Father is already on a call, but he promises to be back for dinner if he can manage it. So she spends the morning tinkering on the piano, playing duets with her siblings until they exhausted all the repertoire they knew.
Not that they were the best players by any means, but Mrs. Meredith had taught most of her and herself over the years. Jem of course only knew the basics theoretically but could pick up things easily without being taught. Walter played emotionally, memorizing pieces because he did not like to sight read, and the twins, were proper students when they had their lessons. Rilla though, had little time or patience for more than a good time. She had a few songs company she could manage easily, and if anyone compared her to Lizzy Bennet when she played or her lack of practice she took that as a compliment.
Father makes it home just before lunch, sweeping through the door, dropping his medical bag at the door and cleaning off his shoes before he found her bathed in morning sunlight taking photographs with Walter. He pulls her into a large hug, kissing her temple, murmuring happy birthday to her as Walter snapped a photo for evidence.
Father was always like a little boy when it came to birthdays, but with him home, she could open some of her cards with everyone present. Ones from the mail at least, which came from Aunt Diana in Avonlea, along with Aunt Dora( who had sent along a lovely piece hank of lace) and Uncle Davy( who had sent along a handful of candy for her).
Of course, there are the regular callers, people popping in to say happy birthday, but also gossiping with Mother and Susan. Though only Mrs. Meredith who came with Una and Bruce are invited to tea by Susan today. They kiss her cheek they wish her a happy birthday and Bruce coyly hands her a little bouquet of wildflowers he picked for her. Which she thanked her profusely as she found a small vase for him after she hugged him.
He was a cute little boy, but now that he has fully grown into a child and is no longer a baby he cried all the time. Though he does get excited when Susan brings out the tea, which comes with a towering plate of scones with cream and jam for them.
They all settle in as Una passes along a small tissue paper wrapped gift, a pretty card of angels and clouds with foiled edging.
See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.
Exodus 23:20
"Girls, don't feel the need to sit with us, go out and have some fun why don't you?" Mother tells her with a smile. Rilla looks at Una and nods her head, they take a few scones, preparing them and Rilla goes to grab a small basket before they skip down to Rainbow Valley, to sit down with a basket of treats.
"How does it feel to be fifteen?" Una asks her, licking sticky honey off her fingers.
"Wonderful," Rilla says dreamily.
"Fifteen, an age of in-between," Una says with a shake of her dark head. Still, in a long braid, most days. Her hair rarely curled, so it stayed straight and inky black tresses.
"My new dress is an inch longer, I know I am getting one because Mother measured my skirts and took my measurements for one" Rilla says happily. "They surely must be allowing me to go to the dance and just haven't told me yet. They can't give me a pretty almost evening type of dress and not let me go? I know you can't dance and don't care, but dancing is in my soul, I want to dance and dance."
"I much rather play piano or find someone to talk to for the event. Dancing can be overrated, though I suppose you shall have your answer soon enough about the dance at the lighthouse, it is only two weeks away at this point."
"It doesn't feel fair for them to drag it out, but if I ask about Father reminds me the answer will be a guaranteed no. Though I do know that Faith complains to Jem about not dancing at it. She says it's not fair," Rilla points out.
"Then they can dance in private as they usually do, much like Nan and Jerry," Una says simply. "Only one or two boys would ever make me reconsider a dance."
"Oh!" Rilla says gleefully. "Tell me who! I do hope Kenneth will be there, though his ankle is bummed still. He was here two weeks ago when we heard about the dance he said he might come to it. Though I am sure there will be plenty of others as well. If not Walter will dance with me, and Jem out of duty."
Una only shakes her head blushing as Walter comes walking up to them.
"I have tried my best Rilla-my-Rilla, without ruining all chances, Father let it to Mother's decision after all. Not that you know that." He adds on and Rilla nods her head gravely taking the knowledge to the grave if needed. "Are you going to the dance Una?" He asks ever so smoothly.
"Most likely, it is something to do out of the house," Una says nodding her head.
"Well, you'll have to save me a conversation on the rocks," Walter tells her and Rilla watches Una blush without her brother even noticing.
When dinner was called it was also her favourite, but mostly she was excited to blow out the candles of the white frosted cake that her mother helped Susan make. Completely with delicate piping and icing roses, it was one of the prettiest cakes she had seen. Though one might say she said that every year. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she made her birthday wish before she blew out the candle. Missing all but one of the candles to which her siblings cackled at.
"You know what that means. She'll have a beau by the end of the year," Jem teases her.
"You'll have to work on making yourself pretty for him." Shirley teases her next.
"Oh hush, your sister is the prettiest girl in Glen St Mary," Susan snaps her tea towel at him
Lightly of course.
"I think everyone would like, Beau's included— for Rilla to be a little older," Father says gruffly from his seat.
"I want at least half a dozen, so I think I shall need to start soon," Rilla tells him as she moves and sits on her father's knees like she was still a child. "Whatever will you do then?"
"I suppose I will have to stock up on chloroform," Father grins jokingly. Wrapping his arm around her. Clearly enjoying how his youngest still felt comfortable sitting with him as she did when she was younger until they go to the living room for presents.
When it came to presents sitting out on the living floor, each of her siblings got her something small, Jem a pearl bracelet, and Walter presented her with a new diary to write in. Nan and Di pooled together and get her a lovely bunch of satin and lace ribbons headbands. The best gift is a new dress, a light sage, with pink daisies garlands that were embroidered around the hems and waist, edging of the blouse blocked out with lace insertion that had been dyed a matching green colour. She held it up to her body and twirled around.
"Go try it on," Her mother laughs and Rilla quickly rushes to her father's study and undoes the hooks and buttons to her white dress and pulls the new one over her head. It was a whole inch longer as well!
She comes back out, her long hair tied back and hanging down her back.
"Fits wonderfully, and you'll be able to grow into it," Her mother says double checking the fit at the shoulders and underarms.
Rilla laughs as she spins in it, skirts were far from the twirling of her younger days but they still rose slightly and rippled with her as she moved.
"May I have this dance?" Walter asks bowing to her in the living room.
"You may," Rilla giggles curtsying to his bow and takes his hands and lets him twirl around the living room.
"Are you sure you don't wish to go to Queens?" Walter asks her once more
"Why what in the world would I do there?" Rilla laughs. "I have no use becoming a teacher, I just want to laugh and twirl around youth. Make some handsome man fall in love with me and then we'll get married and what use will teaching be for me then?"
"You do realize there are dances at Queens and parties?" Walter teases her.
"Pish," Rilla says waving him off. "I am fifteen Walter, the world is at my fingertips. I want to wear pretty dresses, and go calling and have tea and go to concerts. Her voice was light with laughter.
Walter merely shakes his head with a smile as an Austrian folk dance begins. A Ländler he told her when he taught her the year before. A homey sort of waltz that is more country in its routes, but fun to dance with Walter when he is home.
"One day you will realize that fifteen is not at all that old Rilla my Rilla," he says with a shake of his dark hair.
They dance through various dances around the living room. Jem joins in for one with the birthday girl as well, if she promises to not step on his feet. For him, it's a Polka, fast and delirious with its turns and hops. She could only laugh as she twirled in her slippers on the hardwood floor where the tables were pushed out of the way.
Shirley chooses a Scottish waltz that is mellow, she was light on her feet and never stomping without meaning. Though when she did she could hear Father groan. 'Did we not just refinish the floors not long ago?'
'Oh the floors will be fine darling,' her mother would tell him. Father watched from his spot by the window. When was the last time her birthday had not been interrupted by a telephone call? Still, her back was already perfectly straight, and her arms always had the perfect amount of tension to them. She goes to him, pulling into a dance next, the gramophone disc is turned over and restarted. Her cheeks are flushed, settling into a calm waltz, something that would not make him worry for his floors.
She wonders if Kenneth would stop by. Aunt Leslie always gets her something pretty, and he had come by for Jem's birthday, and they had sent something for Walter in June and Shirley in April, the Twins were born in September.
She's broken from her thoughts as someone stops the music as Susan is impatiently waiting for them to eat the cake. They all sit finally and someone passes her a piece of cake that had been forgotten about in the dancing.
"Oh, it's strawberry!" Rilla exclaims taking a bit out of a corner piece with a flower on it of course.
"We have one more gift for you," Father says digging into his pocket and pulling out a box when the cake it all finished with.
She opens it gingerly, finding a string of pearls, clearly not real ones, but they still had a beautiful lustre to them. A single strand, with small rhinestones, that broke up the pearls as they sat on the cord.
"Oh, it's beautiful! Thank you so much!" She says wrapping her arms around him. She stands in front of him, holding her long hair out of the way as he fastens it around her neck adjusting it so sat perfectly within the square neckline of her white dress she had put back on after taking off her new one.
"Happy birthday Rilla," her mother says pressing a kiss to the temple of her head.
"Happy Birthday Rilla," Her Father says more gruffly, and the rest of her siblings gather around her
If you enjoyed this, please let me know and give it some love!