THE WAY I LOVED YOU | C.F

twenty five

"happy birthday to you! happy birthday to youuu! happy birthday dear charli, happy birthday to you!"

the door was slammed open, multiple voices joined together to sing, and susannah stood middle and center holding a birthday cake. the same exact birthday cake she has made for charli's birthday every single year since she turned one.

charli woke the second the singing began, conrad may have taken a few extra minutes to finally open his eyes and realize his surroundings.

she looked between the people standing in the room who clearly woke up earlier than they hoped just to be in this room right now, for her.

"you guys didn't have to." she smiled and moved the blanket off of her body and stood from the bed making conrad squirm around a bit now that her presence was gone.

"we do it every year silly girl. of course we did." susannah set the cake on the dresser and walked over to charli, wrapping her arms around her frail body before pulling away so eleanor could take her spot.

"happy 18th birthday baby. my little girls all grown up." her mother moved a peace of her hair behind her ear and softly kissed her cheek before backing to stand next to susannah.

"happy birthday char!" jeremiah yelled and ran towards her, wrapping his arms tightly around her as steven and belly ran over saying their happy birthdays and turning it into a group hug.

"happy birthday gorgeous." laurel walked around the pile of a hug and softly kissed charli's other cheek before everyone finally got off of her and allowed her to sit on the end of the bed.

"we're having a lobster dinner tonight. you all are more than welcome to invite anyone you please over but you all are staying away from the alcohol due to previous nights events." susannah glared between each of the kids and then moved her eyes down to her sleeping son on the bed.

"looks like connie had a tiring night if you know what i mean." steven nudged jeremiah's arm with his elbow and laughed only to receive a flare from charli and even bigger ones from the moms.

"conrad wake up baby." susannah walked over to his side of the bed and stood with her arms crossed.

the sound of his mothers voice made him pull the pillow from beside him over his face so he could drown out the noise.

"conrad." she pulled the pillow from his face and everyone surrounding them laughed.

he rolled over onto his stomach and susannah sighed, walking back to the group and leaving her son to sleep.

"he's cute yet so insanely difficult." charli giggled and crawled across the bed over to his sleeping body and leaned down to his ear.

"it's my birthday and everyone in this house currently has their eyes on us so i suggest you wake up and show me some love." she whispered softly causing him to roll on to his back and open his eyes.

it took him a few seconds to process what was going on and he sat up, rubbing his eyes and stretching his arms out once he did.

"oh shit. happy birthday baby." he smiled and leaned in to kiss her, pulling away the second he truly realized the company that surrounded them.

"that was a joke." he slowly leaned away from her and stood up from the bed only causing charli to let out into a laugh which thankfully, everyone copied.

"i think it's time for us all to head downstairs. meet us down whenever you're ready and we can eat and open gifts." susannah grabbed the cake from the dresser and was the first to leave the bedroom.

eleanor and susannah both sent smiles and more happy birthdays before walking out after their friend.

"happy birthday char." belly walked over and pulled her into a hug. "you're legal now." she giggled softly and pulled away.