Then
Sunday morning brought a misty sort of rain. The sky teased at a break though while the temperature rose by noon. As church had let out, the puddles through the streets were just settling to a near stillness when a motorcycle came roaming through. It wouldn't have been entirely out of place if it wasn't for the fact that it was pristine and new. Its rider grinned as he hugged the final turn.
From indoors three heads popped up at the bay window of the living room, they too grinning at the roar. Ethan leaped up with a whoop as Anna and Cole gaped at the gleaming black bike before joining him.
After easing off the motorcycle John Kelly looked over as the front door flew open and his son burst through it. Tossing his helmet on the seat, he crossed the lawn and opened his arms for the flying boy.
It was a look that never failed to tug a smile from Cecelia she thought as she leaned on the front door jam. Her two men, one with dark slightly curled hair and the other sunny even in the light rain. Blue and brown eyes beaming at each other, whether it had been days or weeks since the last. In this case it had been six days, and Ethan hadn't thought his father would be back until the next Wednesday.
"You didn't tell me!" He slapped his hands on John's shoulders before he was let down.
"I didn't? Gee almost like it was planned that way." John looked over to where Cecelia stood. "How else was I supposed to meet our latest kids?"
Cecelia laid a hand on Anna and then Cole who had hesitated at the threshold. "Remember Johnnie, we only rent these."
Though Ethan seemed nervous he jerked his head so Anna and Cole would come over. "This is my Dad." He told them.
John's brows rose as Anna thrust out her hand to shake. "You must be Anna Jane." He said, his smile wide as he got a good look. He then offered his free hand to Cole. "And Michael?"
"Just Cole." He said, and shook John's hand timidly.
"Well Just Cole, Happy Birthday. This one is full of stories about you two, I'm glad we've finally met."
"Are you staying for a while Dad? I'm going to Alder Grove til tomorrow."
"And just how did you think you three were getting there?"
Three pairs of eyes widened in delight from John to the motorcycle as Cecelia started down the steps. "Now, hold on."
"Easy Cees what do you take me for?" John shook his head with a sigh and held out a hand. "Toss me the keys would you?"
"To my car?
"Or ours."
Though she cast her eyes to the heavens, Cecelia told the children to get their things and went inside to get John the keys to the car she rarely drove. The sedan more than suited her and Ethan's needs, but the GTO bought before his birth had been her and John's.
Cole and Anna raced to their bags, and after a courtesy check for forgotten items, would have raced back if it wasn't for Ethan dragging his feet in getting his.
"What's the deal?" Cole asked.
"You have a weird face on." Anna added.
"So what? This is weird."
"Going to my house?" Cole fought shuffling his feet.
"No." Ethan walked over and waited for Cole to meet his eyes. "No." He said again firmly and wagged a finger between him and Anna. "We've both been excited about that." Seeing that neither of them were going to budge Ethan absently kicked his nightstand. "It's just, no one's met my Dad before."
For a beat Cole merely stood with his eyebrows raised while Anna furrowed hers. "But you have like fourteen friends."
"Not that many. Yeah guys have hung out here before but not when Dad's staying. I don't like them to. I never know if they just want to meet him, not hang out with me."
Cole considered this a minute and then nodded. "That makes sense."
"No it doesn't." Anna swatted at Cole before pointing at Ethan. "Fine, you have the right idea for some of your friends, and I'm sure you know which. But you need to lighten up. And you really need to lighten up if you think either of us cares about it."
"I know you don't, I'm just saying it's weird."
"Then unweird it." Anna shrugged but put her hands on Ethan's shoulders. "If Cole can unweird having us at his perfectly nice house that other kids have probably beat him up for having, and I can unweird you two seeing my circus people, then you can unweird that your Dad is a rockstar and you live in a rich people house. Cool it."
Ethan nodded and relented enough to smile. "You're right, you're much weirder."
"By a lot." Cole agreed and laughed as the three of them dashed to the stairs.
Before they could barrel towards the car, Cecelia's sharp command to freeze was obliged. She walked to them slowly, and met each eye before continuing. "I expect your manners to remain intact despite the celebrating, and you each to go to sleep at the usual school night hour. There will be no arguments is that right?" At the three echoed yes ma'ams she nodded and managed to wrap her arms around all three. "Cole you have the happiest of birthdays and I'm sure I'll see you and Anna Jane back here soon."
Then with Ethan and Anna huddled in the door less backseat and Cole enjoying birthday privileges up front, they road to the trailer park where the Masen's lived. John answered questions about his band and laughed at his second hearing of how the three met. He told Anna how he had met Phillip a few times over the years and was never sure if the old man actually remembered the time previous. He had also met Cole's parents when they first moved to Forks.
"Does your dad still work at the pump stop?" John asked Cole.
"Yeah but they're both off today. They don't work on my birthday and if it was a school day they would have me stay home." Cole smiled to himself. Even having the weekend with his best friends and seeing how their families lived, he was happy to be going home.
And gradually as the rain stopping, Ethan relaxed, a look of relief washing over the initial nerves.
When they pulled in to Alder Grove, Cole pointed out where to go and smiled when he saw the five foot long banner across the make shift porch. It read Happy 10th Birthday, and all at once he realized how much he'd missed his parents. His own father came through the door and from the open window they heard his whistle as Patrick Masen took in the car.
He was tall and lanky. His hair, freed from its usual ball cap, seemed to shine bronze even in the dim clouded light. His eyes were the same green as Cole's.
"That's some birthday present you got there." Patrick said as he leaned through the window and mock knuckle punched Cole's chin, an old habit. "Guess you don't need any of the ones inside."
"In your dreams Masen." John said mildly. "Though I might consider trading you for these kids here and add to my collection." He winked at Ethan as they piled out.
"No deal." Patrick wrapped an arm around Cole's shoulders and leaned down to whisper something in his ear that made Cole's smile widen. As he rose to high five Ethan he said "Anna Jane, Nora wants a word with you in there. I'm told its woman's business and we men folk are to stay out of your hair."
"Then see that you do." Anna hmphed, but once again stuck her hand out at John. "It was really nice to meet you Mister K."
He made her blush by turning the tiny hand for a kiss and saying "Anytime Miz Anna Jane." He snickered as she stomped on Ethan's foot before rushing into the house. "She's going to keep you boys in line, that's for sure." He reached out a hand to Patrick. "Good to see you again Pat. How's the Mrs? I already know your boy is a winner."
Now Cole blushed as Patrick beamed at him. "He's alright even if he keeps up this growing business. Nora's great, thanks for asking. She's made friends with your Mrs. now that the kids have become glued at the hip." He answered Ethan's eyeroll with a headlock. "This one here has been an interesting influence."
"Not a bad one I hope." Johns deepened voice had Ethan straightening, a useful trick.
"I'm sure they get into the usual mischief we're familiar with." At a short scream from inside Patrick merely jerked his head. "And whatever that one comes up with. But no, he's kept Cole from being too serious, and this house loud, it's what Nora and I like to see."
"I'm glad." John said genuinely, leaning on his car. "Glad that Ethan has your house to go to and even Anna's. I can tell Cecelia enjoyed having them. I think this is going to be a good weekend set up to have when everyone can manage it." A guilt so long present he barely felt it registered on John's face. "I'm going to try and be around for it more." The wicked grin came back. "So long as my influence isn't a concern."
Patrick laughed and shook his head. "I think putting all our backgrounds together we should just aim for keeping these three alive."
"Deal." Pushing away from the car John crouched down to Ethan's level. "I'm going to get going now, but I'll be in town a beat. I'll pick you up Monday after school ok?" He hugged Ethan to him and pointed at Cole. "You have a great birthday."
"Thank you sir." Cole said and shrugged when Patrick laughed and dropped a hand on his head.
"Tell Nora I said hello, I'm sure I'll be catching her next time."
They all admired the GTO as it roared away, Patrick sighing as he placed a hand on each boy's shoulder.
"You won't find anything as nice as that in there, besides your mother." He added as the door opened.
"You all gonna stand out here gawking or get inside?" Nora Masen called out. She'd bundled her long dark red curls up on top of her head, and dressed in shorts and a tank top despite the chill the rain had left behind. Her smile was sassy and revealed a dimple high on one cheek.
"I was told to distract the boy lot." Patrick insisted as he steered the boys inside and aimed a half smile her way.
"And you've done enough of that. Give me that ten year old."
Ethan stepped right up and opened his arms wide. Nora swatted the top of his head, before it turned into a caress of his cheek. "You're gonna cause us so much trouble Ethan Kelly."
"That's what they all say." He smirked at Anna, perched on the yellow kitchen counter.
Nora squeezed Cole's face before placing a smacking kiss on the center of his forehead. "Ten. You're ten now." She told him as she leaned a cheek on his hair.
"I know right? Thanks for my sign."
"My sweet boy." Nora whispered, and then straightening clapped her hands together. "Ok, you all had lunch at Holm House right? I'm sure it was something healthy and protein filled."
"We ought to ruin all that with the big birthday dinner." Patrick stopped at a glare from Nora. "To bad there isn't one of course." He walked up to the counter and offered Anna his back. As she hopped right on, he pointed at Cole. "You've waited all weekend for presents, I think that needs to be first up to bat."
Cole jumped after Nora, making Patrick laugh. With one hand keeping Anna secure, the other grabbed Ethan's collar and dragged him towards the living room. "C'mon moochers."
The room held a three seater couch, a small dresser which doubled as an entertainment center, and a recliner older than Patrick and Nora.. Automatically Cole took a seat in the middle of the couch, so Patrick dropped Anna down next to him and Ethan went for the other side. Patrick grabbed the disposable camera and gestured to the small mound of presents left on the coffee table.
"Have at it."
At his mother's request Cole opened all of his cards from various relatives first, then the package his grandparents had sent. The clothes inside would last him through the summer and fall, making Patrick get up and slap hands with Nora. He was surprised to see one from Cecelia and John, then another from Phillip.
Phillip written a quick one act play that had only three characters. The plot description had Cole grinning. "It's about us." He held out the tiny notebook to the others.
Anna shook her head. "He sells these sometimes when he tours. What a sap. We'll have to act it out for him."
"Ahh so that's how he's going to get you lot to start lessons with him." Nora smirked. "Good luck with that."
"Well I like it." Cole tucked the book to his side and reached for the one from Cecelia and John. He felt guilty tearing the paper and ribbon but guilt was soon forgotten as he starred at a pirate captain's hat, and three wooden swords. He pulled out the one with the jewel green hilt with a C carved in.
"Holy smokes!" Anna exclaimed when she saw the others. She lifted the grey and traced a finger over the A.
"Who whittles?" Patrick asked Ethan.
"Dad. Mom would have painted the hilts. And that design there." He pointed to the heart that was beneath each of their initials.
The three of them held their swords to each other looking at the hearts. "What is it?" Anna asked.
"It's a Celtic heart." Nora smiled as she looked at it. "Very fitting. It means eternity. I guess you three will just have to stay friends forever."
"Cheesy." Ethan said but his smile had a tint of blush in it. "My dad's Irish so I guess he knows stuff about that."
"So is Mom, Dad a little too." Cole said and looked to Anna.
"Beats me, I only know the one side. But I'll be glad to learn some Irish if you two learn some French."
"You guys are the real deal now if you have a sigil." Patrick shrugged at Nora as he got up to gather trash. "What? I know things."
"OUR'S NEXT." Anna burst and then let out a soft cough.
"I guess we would like the one from us opened next." Ethan tugged on Anna's braid, but just as excitedly pushed the box towards Cole.
He felt silly knowing he was going to keep the brown paper they had doodled all over in lieu of a commercial wrapping paper. He'd keep the card, the very first birthday one he'd received from friends. And the silliness grew as he looked inside the box and knew if he wasn't careful he could cry.
"It's just a Polaroid kind nothing crazy but we found it outside the old Miller place when they had their yard sale." Anna folded her hands in her lap to keep from jumping up. "We did chores around their house to earn it. Ethan said he'll never do yard work again."
"Ugh." He shook his head. "They kept that place like a haunted house. Least it meant enough to do to get that in one day."
"You going to show us Cole?" Patrick said, already clicking the Kodak he held to get the reactions. He took another when Cole gulped and held his new camera out. "Wow. Guess we don't have to worry about taking all the memory shots Nor."
"Nope, we're retired. You two did a great job." She said to Ethan and Anna and walked over to get a better look. "This is going to be a nice start to you learning Cole."
"Yeah. It's pretty great." He managed and bumped his left elbow into Anna, and right into Ethan.
"For Christmas we'll have to find him an album." Ethan told Anna.
"Or make one." She agreed. "You didn't hear that." She pat Cole on the knee.
"I guess that's the end of that. No topping a gift from the best buds." Patrick told Nora.
"We should probably just send them to bed then."
"BUT YOU HAVE TO SHOW HIM!" Anna slapped her hands over her mouth at Nora's hiss.
"You know what they got him?" Ethan whined. "Miss Nora! You said you weren't telling us."
"Well I couldn't wait any longer and that one can keep a secret usually. You on the other hand."
"I didn't tell him what you got him for Christmas I just said my mom and I saw you at the comic book store."
"C'mon now, we might as well try and redeem ourselves as gift givers. Masen." She said to Patrick who walked over to Cole and threw him over his shoulder. "That's the way. Ethan, make sure there's no peeking."
Ethan walked behind Patrick with Anna next to him. When Nora led them back outside Ethan nearly swore but caught himself, and pushed Cole's head back against Patrick before he could look around.
"Now?" Patrick asked, and at Nora's signal dropped Cole down in front of one of the two trees that stood on their square of lawn in the park.
Cole look around, and then took a step back as he saw it.
Four yards up was a wooden platform in the tree with what looked like a tent slung over it for a makeshift roof. Nailed to the bottom of the platform and flapping in the breeze was a pirate flag.
"A treehouse." Cole whispered and grabbed Patrick's arm that had wrapped around his shoulder.
"Not quite, but it's in progress. There was only so much your mother and I could get done in a few days. But it's yours."
"You'd think we'd have noticed that earlier." Ethan marveled at it and ducked a swat from Anna.
"None of you can go climbing up there unless someone is here though. You can be in there on your own but oof." She laughed as Cole ran into her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She ran her hands over his cap of hair. "I guess it's a hit."
"Thank you thank you THANK YOU." Cole murmured and then bounced in his sneakers. "Can we go up now?"
For the rest of the afternoon they played in the new fort and endured every picture Cole wanted to take. Then chaos reigned inside as they built their own mini pizzas for dinner. Even without the new camera, Cole felt the entire weekend and day imprint on his life forever.
And as the weekend closed with the three of them huddled in his tiny room, he still couldn't wind down. Anna and Ethan were arguing over the bottom bunk, though he knew Ethan would make Anna take it. He put in an argument of his own a time or two or laughed at the insults hurled, but continued to make circles of tape to hang up a few of the new pictures he took that day. Ones of the fort, his parents, the three of them with their swords.
"This has been my best birthday." He told them when they resorted to wrestling. He saw Ethan poke his head up and Anna loosen her grip. "Thank you guys."
Anna wiggled under Ethan's restraining arm and got up to climb to the middle of the top bunk. "Don't you thank us. You're the one that let us kidnap you."
"Nobody thanks anyone." Ethan huffed as he pulled himself up to the foot of the bed. "But this has been the best weekend. I can't wait to do it again for my birthday. What are you two going to get me?" He grinned as Cole threw a pillow at him, missing, it thumped on the floor.
Anna leapt down to grab a book and the other two joined her on the bottom bunk as she began to read from where they had left off the previous night. That's where Nora found them two hours later. Ethan with his head pillowed on his arm, Anna sliding down with the book flopped towards Cole whose leg was dangling off the edge.
She didn't have the heart to move them, but she stayed there a few moments longer. Grateful for what she saw as the year's best gift.
Now
Hayley looked up, the room now lit only by lamps and the glowing smile Cole had often through his storytelling. She reached for the Polaroid he'd taken from the album and offered her. The three friends stood in an action pose, brandishing their swords. Cole proudly with his captain hat.
"We each have them still. Hanging up now, but when the necessary argument arises we get them out." He chuckled and took in her face. "That weekend was just the beginning for that tradition. Once we knew how close we were it became a once a month thing. Throughout the rest of the month we bounced around how we pleased. But there was rarely ever a weekend we didn't see each other."
"And that weekend was when you knew?"
"No." His eyes softened, his lips twitched to the right. "We knew we were good friends sure, but what we are today we didn't know that until eighth grade. There was a lockdown at the school. The first one in years. We learned a lot about us that day."
Hayley put down the picture, and picked her notebook back up.
