Meant To Be(?)

Chapter 14

Yesterday I went to bed a girl, today I open my eyes today as a woman, on my eighteenth birthday. I can't say it feels all that different than being seventeen but I won't complain. Today I have only one thing on my mind as I recall the conversation I had with my mother the night before.

"Mom please!" I'd begged her. "You always stress yourself out trying to plan a party for my birthday. And it's even worse this year because you had to throw Izzy's party too! You don't have to do all that because I really only want the one thing!"

"Let me guess," My mother said back to me, rolling her eyes. "You want Iziah to give you the tattoo you've been obnoxiously hounding me about since he started at the shop?"

"Yes!" I said excitedly. "Come on Mom I'll be eighteen tomorrow, and you could give me the only gift I want, and you wouldn't have to stress about the costs of a party, and Izzy said he would do it for free so you literally wouldn't have to come out of pocket any money at all. That's like the definition of a win-win!"

My mother looked at me with an Intense expression. I could almost see the gears turning in her head while pondering whether or not she was okay with me getting a tattoo. After an eternity of what felt like a standoff she finally takes a breath and lets out a deep sigh.

"Fine."

I was immediately overjoyed at that moment but as I said before that was yesterday. This morning I wake up to discover up to a text message from Ice and when I open it I discover it to be a video that he had sent me. I pushed play and watched him sing happy birthday to me while playing the melody on his keyboard he keeps. His voice wasn't extraordinary but he could absolutely hold a tone. I watched the video three or four times before finally typing my response.

Me: Thank you so much, Izzy! Mom said that you can give me a tattoo today.

I stretched and got out the bed just as his reply lights up my phone.

Ice: Thats lit! I'm at work already but Marcel said he would let me get off early so Ill be off at like 7:30. Ill take care of you soon as I get home!

I looked at the clock for the first time today. I was shocked to see that it was already one o'clock in the afternoon. I don't usually sleep this late on a Saturday but I was up late trying to wait for my mother to get home. I clearly must've passed out at some point. I quickly typed "Can't wait" and hit send. I slid on my pajama pants and walked over to the guest bedroom where Tre sleeps, to realize that he wasn't in there. It makes sense, He was ten now and mother wasn't about to let him sleep all day even on the weekends. Not that it was even an option on Saturdays because she and Ice both had work, usually leaving me to monitor Tre by myself. My confusion begins to mount as I pivot to make my way down the steps to the kitchen. To my utter shock, I discover see my mother standing in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on a homemade vanilla cake. She probably heard my soft gasp because she looks over at me and smiles brightly.

"Happy birthday baby!"

My face lights up like a Christmas tree. As I said before mom almost always works on my birthday but even on the off chance that she was off, she would always be dead tired. This means that I would almost always have to settle for a birthday text in the morning and watch her fight off sleep demons throughout my party. I could always appreciate her effort in making time for me but sometimes I just wish she would have a chance to get some rest. Not so that she could be more alive at my parties, it just never really feels good seeing her so tired at my expense. To see her not only up, but also energized was a treat in itself.

"Oh my God mom!" I said with a smile. "What are you doing home? And up so early at that!?"

"What does it look like? I baked you a cake!"