Welcome to the world of fantasy with Freshman Media Communications major, River. Each week they will immerse you in a new world with anecdote that will transport you somewhere you've never been!
Another Birthday
By: River Porter
I woke up and looked at my clock, 8:36 AM. Getting up, I grabbed my phone and went out of my room and into the kitchen to start making breakfast for everyone. I got out eggs, sausage, and the things to make french toast. I hear an alarm ring, my step dads alarm, a classic Indian music ringtone. As I continued to make breakfast, I heard him walk around, trying not to wake my mom, who was exhausted from work. I hear him come downstairs, he comes into the kitchen and sees me.
“Happy Birthday Eclipse!” he said in a happy yet tired voice.
“Thank you Arya,” I responded as he gave me a hug.
“Breakfast smells really good, but you shouldn’t do so much on your birthday,” he told me lovingly.
I looked at him with a plain stare. “One, you don’t know how to cook, two, my mom is too exhausted to cook, and three, I don’t trust Nora and Diya to cook either because they are six, so no more options.”
“Fair enough,” he said, giving a small, warm smile.
I did teach him a few things on how to make french toast so that I can make breakfast quicker. We put them all on plates, set them on the table and got cups of apple or orange juice. Arya went upstairs to get my mom for breakfast, while I got my little sisters.
“Nora, Diya. Wake up, breakfast has been made,” I whispered to them. They both groaned but eventually got up out of bed. When we walked out into the hallway, we saw my mom and Arya coming down the stairs. Nora and Diya went to hug her but my mom looked exhausted. She really needs to work somewhere else. Her boss overworks her and Arya has been very busy finding a job, so I’ve been put in charge of taking care of my sisters. I'm not complaining though, it’s very fun and entertaining. We all sat down to eat breakfast while listening to calming yet slightly energetic music.
“This is the best french toast ever! I will never eat anyone else’s french toast!” Diya said, really happy and overjoyed.
“Same! It’s the best ever!” Nora said with the same reaction. Everyone laughed and finished eating breakfast. Everyone put their plates, cup, and silverware in the sink and my mom and I began to wash them.
“Are you going to do the usual again for your birthday?” My mom asked.
“Yeah. But I at least wanted to spend the morning with you guys,” I responded as my mom gave me a side hug.
“Happy Birthday Eclipse,” my mom told me. I put down the cup I was washing, rinsed the soap off my hands, and gave her a big hug, then continued to wash the cup. Once we finished washing the dishes, I got dressed and grabbed my bag, hugged my family and left the house and walked towards Main Street. I walked into “Flower’s of Strength” to get sunflowers and night gladiolus.
“Happy Birthday Eclipse!” said Kayla, the owner of the shop. “Blake, she's here!” Her son Blake came out with the order of flowers I get every year.
“Happy birthday,” Blake said with a small smile. Blake knows that I don’t like making a big deal out of my birthday.
“Thank you.” I responded and he gave a little nod and went into the back again.
I paid for the flowers and left to go down the street too, “Piece of Bake”, to get a moon and sun cupcake.
“Eclipse! Hello, let me go get the cupcakes.” Daniel said. He quickly ran to the back to get the cupcakes. He came back with a small bag and the two cupcakes. We had a brief conversation about how my mom is doing and then I left. As I walked, I felt the breeze of a cool summer day, a little too hot for my liking but I can’t control the weather. I finally arrived at the cemetery, the guard said a quick hello as he let me in. I walked for about a mile when I got there, to my twin brother's grave.
‘Apollo Madden, July 11th, 2010- July 11th, 2010 Forever stay with Eclipse’
“Hi Apollo. We’re 14 today. I really wish that you were here, I could use a little help with Nora and Diya, and in 8 months, the new baby. Mom is 4 weeks along, Arya is trying to find a job to help pay for medical stuff, Nora and Diya are doing bake sales and arts sales to help pay, and I’m trying to find something to help as well, but things have been hectic everywhere,” I said, trying not to cry. Though I never met him, I would have loved to have the joy of saying “I’m 12 minutes older”, and seeing what he would be like. At school, people jokingly call me ‘The Moon Goddess’ because I was born on a solar eclipse, hence my name. Would he be called ‘The Sun God’?
“Dad’s still not getting better, it’s been 8 months since the accident, and he’s still in the coma. I don’t wanna come see two graves on our birthday or visits yet, I’m not ready. Oh, I’m in a relationship again. It’s Savannah, Emeric’s sister. And yes, my friend Emeric, I’m not going into detail. Maybe I’ll bring her here some day to see you.” I started to run out of things to say, not a lot has been happening.
“I have flowers and cupcakes, I know it’s the same every year but it’s just easier for everyone.” I placed the flowers in the pot and took care of them and took the sun cupcake out of the bag and placed it at the grave.
“Happy Birthday brother,” I said as I ate my moon cupcake. I spent the majority of the day there at the grave, then eventually went home, watched a few episodes of Castle with my mom and step dad while Nora and Diya slept, then got ready and went to bed. It was just another birthday but I can't wait for the next one.
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