Ebony

Thirteen Years Later

"Happy Birthday to you,Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday dear Kaceyyyy, Happy Birthday to youuuuuu!"

I smiled ear to ear as my family finished singing and I got to blow out my birthday candles. It was rainy and cold outside, but the atmosphere inside my home was anything but. It was such a special day, and I'm not saying this to be shallow. It's just that everyone I loved was here, even my brother had taken time out of his busy college schedule to come celebrate with me. Every one was in a good mood, and as the cake and ice cream was distributed and laughs were shared, I couldn't help but think about how lucky I was to have been adopted by such amazing people. I glanced at my mother,with her grey streaked hair and kind face.

She sat across from my father, whom she married when they were just fifteen, and I could tell from the looks in their eyes that they were still madly in love.

That's the kind of love, I thought, that I want one day.

I was pulled from my thoughts when I realized my  brother, Logan , was speaking to me. "What was that?" I asked.

" What did you wish for?" he repeated. "Oh,she can't tell you," my father laughed,"it's supposed to be a secret."

Logan just rolled his eyes and flipped his shaggy blonde hair, a habit that drove my mom insane. My parents stood up and my brother and I followed them into the living room, where a mound of presents towered in the middle of the floor. I sat on foot stool while my parents took the little love seat and Logan took to standing in the doorway.

"Here, open this one first," my mom said as she handed me a yellow and pink wrapped box. I took it eagerly and carefully tore through the paper. Inside was a pair of neon green vans that nearly blinded me with awesomeness. I squealed with joy and quickly hugged my mothers neck, and the presents kept coming.

After about thirty minutes of ripping open decorative boxes, I was surrounded by a ton of shoes,clothes,and books. Thanking my family over and over again, I felt a little spoiled. But it was Christmas Day, and everyone had received a gift.

As I helped my father  pick up the shredded paper   and take it outside, he stopped abruptly and gestured towards  the garage.  Sneaking quietly into his "Man-Cave" I waited patiently as he rummaged through a ton of boxes.

"Ah-ha!" he muttered to himself as he pulled out a small black jewelry box. He handed it to me and I rubbed the dust off the label carved on top of it.

A small cresent moon took half of a blazing sun, and a tiny angelic figure at the top of the sun appeared to be arguing with a horned demon at the base.

"Kinda creepy,huh?" my dad whispered as we both stared at the little box.  "W-what is it?" I asked, scared that I already knew the answer.  My father's eyes became a little darker as he thought back to the night he found me on his doorstep.

"It was the only thing you had with you, just this box and the blanket you were  wrapped in.Oh and this," he said while pulling a silver key out of his pocket. The key looked old,extremely old, and it hung from  a long silver chain.

Taking the key, I was going to open the box right then but my father layed his large callused hand over mine and looked me in the eye.

"Wait until you're alone,Kacey. Your mother nor I have opened that box because it's yours. I just want you to remember that no matter what, we love you,and you will always be our little girl." planting a gentle kiss on my forehead he turned and walked back inside, leaving me with haunting thoughts,the key, and the little black box.