Chapter 5: Birthday Number Eight
1523 Words
Riley woke up to the sound of Ethan yelling.
“Riley! Get up!”
She pulled the blanket over her head.
“Go away.”
“It’s our birthday!”
“I know.”
“You’re supposed to be awake.”
“I’m sleeping.”
Ethan yanked the blanket.
Riley screamed and grabbed it.
“Give it back!”
“No!”
The door opened.
Owen stood there, already dressed.
“You two are loud.”
Riley sat up.
“You’re dressed already?”
Owen nodded.
“Mom said breakfast is ready.”
Ethan grinned.
“Did you get a present?”
Owen looked confused.
“For what?”
“Our birthday.”
Riley stared at him.
“And yours.”
Owen blinked.
“My what?”
“Your birthday.”
He shook his head.
“I don’t know when it is.”
The room went quiet.
Riley looked at Ethan.
Ethan looked at Owen.
It was the first time either of them had thought about it.
Owen had arrived on their seventh birthday.
But nobody knew his exact birthday.
Mrs. Parker had never asked him to celebrate it separately.
She had simply included him in theirs.
Riley climbed out of bed.
“Then your birthday is today.”
Owen frowned.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because we said so.”
Ethan nodded.
“Three birthdays.”
Owen looked at them like they had both lost their minds.
“You can’t just decide that.”
“We just did,” Riley said.
She grabbed his hand.
“Come on.”
The kitchen looked different that morning.
There were balloons tied to the chairs.
A cake sat in the middle of the table.
Three names were written across it.
Riley. Ethan. Owen.
Owen stopped walking.
Mrs. Parker turned from the counter.
“Happy birthday, sweetheart.”
Owen stared at the cake.
“You put my name on it.”
“Of course.”
“But…”
She walked over and fixed the collar of his shirt.
“You’re eight today.”
Owen looked at Mr. Parker.
He had arrived home the previous evening and was already dressed for breakfast.
“Your mother is right,” he said.
Owen swallowed.
“I don’t know my birthday.”
Mr. Parker smiled.
“Then we’ll celebrate today.”
Owen looked back at the cake.
Riley tugged his arm.
“Come sit.”
He sat between the twins.
Mrs. Parker brought out breakfast.
Ethan immediately reached for the pancakes.
Riley slapped his hand.
“Wait.”
“Why?”
“We have to sing.”
Ethan groaned.
Owen laughed.
Mrs. Parker lit the candles.
The three children stared at them.
“Make a wish,” she said.
Riley closed her eyes.
Ethan did the same.
Owen hesitated.
He didn’t know what to wish for.
He had already lost the two people who were supposed to be with him.
He didn’t know if wishes could bring anything back.
So he opened his eyes.
Riley was watching him.
“Did you make one?”
Owen nodded.
“What?”
“I can’t tell you.”
Ethan laughed.
“She’ll keep asking.”
“I know.”
Riley smiled.
“Then I’ll guess.”
She leaned closer.
“You wished for a bicycle.”
Owen shook his head.
“A puppy?”
“No.”
“A football?”
“No.”
She frowned.
“What then?”
Owen looked at the cake.
“A family.”
The smile disappeared from Riley’s face.
Ethan stopped laughing.
Mrs. Parker looked away for a moment.
Then she leaned down and kissed Owen’s forehead.
“You already have one.”
Owen looked at her.
She smiled.
“Now blow out your candles.”
The three children leaned forward together.
They blew.
The candles went out.
Ethan immediately reached for the cake.
Riley pushed his hand away.
“Wait!”
“Why?”
“Mom hasn’t cut it.”
“So?”
“So you’re not supposed to touch it.”
“I already did.”
“You’re disgusting.”
Owen laughed.
Mr. Parker shook his head.
“Nothing has changed.”
Mrs. Parker smiled.
“Actually, it has.”
She looked at Owen.
“Now there are three birthdays to celebrate.”
Owen smiled.
He didn’t know how long he would remember that morning.
But he knew he would remember the feeling.
For the first time since the accident, his birthday wasn’t a day he wanted to forget.
It was the day he learned that sometimes a family could be found.
And sometimes, if you were lucky enough, they would choose you too.
By afternoon, the Parker house was louder than usual.
Riley had spent the entire morning opening presents. Ethan had already broken one of his toys. Owen had been given more clothes than he knew what to do with, and Mr. Parker had promised to take all three of them out after lunch.
“Where are we going?” Riley asked.
Mr. Parker picked up his car keys.
“That’s a surprise.”
“I don’t like surprises.”
“You loved surprises yesterday.”
“That was yesterday.”
Ethan laughed.
Owen stood near the staircase, watching them.
“Are you coming?” Riley asked.
Owen pointed at himself.
“Me?”
“No, the wall behind you.”
He smiled.
“I’ll come.”
Mrs. Parker handed each of them a small bag.
“Take these with you.”
Owen looked inside.
“What’s this?”
“Snacks.”
Ethan peered into his own bag.
“Mine has more.”
Mrs. Parker took it from him.
“Then give some to Owen.”
“But—”
“Ethan.”
He sighed and handed over two biscuits.
“Fine.”
Owen took them.
“Thanks.”
“Don’t eat them all.”
Riley laughed.
“You’re acting like his mother.”
Ethan looked offended.
“I’m just saying.”
Mr. Parker opened the door.
“Come on, you three.”
They rushed outside.
Owen paused at the doorway.
He looked back at the house.
Riley noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
She walked back to him.
“You’re coming, right?”
He nodded.
“Yeah.”
“Then hurry.”
She grabbed his hand.
This time, Owen didn’t hesitate.
He followed.
The surprise turned out to be an amusement park.
Riley screamed the moment she saw the rides.
Ethan ran ahead.
Owen stayed beside Mr. and Mrs. Parker, looking around.
“Have you been here before?” Mr. Parker asked.
Owen shook his head.
Riley came running back.
“Come on!”
“Where?”
“The big ride.”
Owen looked at the enormous roller coaster.
“No.”
Riley stared at him.
“Why?”
“I don’t want to.”
Ethan folded his arms.
“Are you scared?”
Owen frowned.
“No.”
“Then come.”
Owen looked at the ride again.
“I don’t like it.”
Riley laughed.
“That’s because you’ve never tried it.”
Mrs. Parker stepped in.
“Don’t force him.”
Riley sighed.
“Fine.”
She took Ethan’s hand.
“Let’s go.”
Owen watched them disappear into the crowd.
Mr. Parker stood beside him.
“You don’t have to do everything they do.”
Owen nodded.
“I know.”
“But?”
Owen looked toward the ride.
“They always do things together.”
Mr. Parker smiled.
“You’re allowed to join them.”
Owen looked at him.
“Even when I don’t want to?”
“Especially then.”
Owen thought about it.
Then he smiled.
“I’ll try the smaller one.”
Mr. Parker laughed.
“That’s my boy.”
Owen followed him.
By the time Riley and Ethan returned, Owen was waiting for them.
Riley’s eyes widened.
“You went on a ride?”
Owen nodded.
“Did you scream?”
“No.”
Ethan looked disappointed.
“You definitely screamed.”
“I didn’t.”
Riley laughed.
“You should have.”
Owen shook his head.
“You screamed.”
“I did not!”
“You did.”
Ethan started laughing.
Riley looked at Owen.
“You’re learning.”
Owen smiled.
“Maybe.”
And that was how the rest of the afternoon went.
Three children running from one ride to another.
Three ice creams melting faster than they could eat them.
Three sets of tired feet dragging across the parking lot on the way home.
That night, Riley fell asleep before they reached the house.
Ethan wasn’t far behind.
Owen sat quietly in the back seat, looking at the two of them.
He remembered the wish he’d made that morning.
A family.
He looked at Riley sleeping against the window.
Then Ethan.
Then toward the front, where Mr. and Mrs. Parker were talking softly.
Maybe wishes didn’t always arrive the way you expected.
Sometimes they arrived in a car.
Sometimes they argued with you over cake.
Sometimes they stole your biscuits.
And sometimes, they simply reached for your hand and told you to hurry.
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