Chapter 33: Tomorrows and Streamers

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{Eddie's POV}

{Cabin Kitchen}

{11:32pm}

After I put Dani to bed I returned to my party, sitting behind my cardboard barrier.

I flexed my newly unwrapped hand and greeted everyone as I sat down.

"Is she okay?" Dustin asked from my left.

I nodded, "Yep, she just cooked for eight people with a concussion. So.. she might be a little tired."

Dustin nodded in agreement. "Do you think she'll be okay for tomorrow?" He questioned again.

"Tomorrow? What's tomorrow?" I asked, he looked stunned, but shook his head.

"Nothing, nothing, go ahead." He stammered out.

I nodded back as him and closed my eyes.

"Now.. Where were we?" I said, lowering my voice, getting back into the dungeon master headspace.


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{12:09am}

It was late when the campaign was complete.

After cleaning up, everyone huddled in the living room with hand shakes and congratulating one another on another successful campaign.

"Alright, you guys get home safe, alright?" I said as they started walking out the front door.

They nodded and once I saw them drive off safely, I shut the door, locking it behind me.

I huffed and started cleaning up the soda cans and various other pieces of trash the guys left behind.

When that was finished I turned off the lights to the living room, kitchen and gently creaked the master bedroom door open.

My gaze met Dani, she was sleeping so peacefully.

I smiled and started getting undressed and ready for bed.

When I was about to crawl into bed and join Dani, I heard a knock at the door.

What? Seriously?

I didn't care enough to put clothes back on, so I just walked through the dark cabin, flipped on the living room lamp and made my way to the front door.

When I opened it my eyes met Robin and Steve.

Steve had a bundle of balloons and Robin had grocery bags.

"Guys? What the hell are you doing here?" I hissed.

"Wow, with all the times i've seen you in boxers, I'm starting to feel like Dani." Robin said and Steve let out a small laugh.

"Look guys, you know that I love hanging out with you, but why are you here at midnight? " I asked.

Robin looked at me, puzzled as all hell. "You? You don't know?" 

I looked back at her, more confused than her. "Know? Know what?"

Steve scoffed, "Dude, it's her birthday. " He said, his hands on his hips, jolting the balloons around while he does.

"Birthday?" I said, is that what's been on Dani's mind? Why she kept spacing out?

Why Dustin looked at me weird when I asked what tomorrow was?

Robin gently pushed passed me and so did Steve.

"Yes Eddie, birthday. That's why she's sad her dad's not here." Robin spoke again as she quietly set more bags on the living room coffee table.

I looked inside the bags and there were streamers, cupcakes, and really anything you need to plan a party.

"She's bummed her dad's not here, she can't go to school, and she can't go home because some psycho jock is waiting for her." Robin added.

"So, we're taking the party to her. " Steve said, setting down the balloons.

I gave them a half smile and a simple nod, "Alright, what can I do to help?" I asked as they started walking all around the cabin.

"First, we need as many lights on as you can, without waking Ms. Birthday." Steve spoke as he started tying balloons around the front legs of the coffee table.

"And, if you could be so kind, putting out this display of Dani's favorite horror movies." Robin added as she handed me a heavy and worn tote bag.

"I.. Alright." I said as I turned on the kitchen light, the extra living room lamp and started stacking the movies in front of the dusty, almost prehistoric TV.

Robin walked to the kitchen and placed the cupcakes in the fridge to keep them good.

Steve started hanging streamers in every doorway, over the fireplace and around the kitchen.

"All of this? For Dani?" I asked as I stood next to Steve, handing his tape when he needed it.

A smile creeping on my face.

"Duh!  Of course  it's all for Dani, why wouldn't we?" Robin quipped as she fixed the horror movies I had already stacked.

"Yeah man, as her boyfriend you should know that Dani.. she's.." Steve trailed off.

"..she's something special." He finished, grabbing two strips of tape off of my fingers.

Robin met us in the doorway with a blissful smile.

"Stevie is right, she's saved our ass for a lot of things," She added.

"She took a black eye for Dustin!" She exclaimed.

Steve and I shushed her, Dani was still sleeping.

Robin immediately got quiet, covering her mouth with her hand.

We listened for a moment for movement from our bedroom.

Nothing.

"You get my point" She loudly whispered to me, and I just nodded in agreement.

Though echos of Steve's comment replayed in my head.

"..she's..she's something special."

Over and over again it played as they had their own conversation.

Was there something I didn't know about them?

I was snapped out of it by Robin handing me a piece of paper.

My hands immediately met hers as she passed it off to me.

"This is her birthday card, I think you should be the first to sign it." She said as she held a pen in her hand, giving that to me as well.

"Yeah, write it up, Romeo. " Steve said as he took the tape from my already full hands.

I fixated my gaze at him, confused.

Steve and I were never really friends, but this just seemed, different.

I didn't say anything, just turned heel and walked to the couch.

I started to blank as the tracks for my trains of thought started to cross.

Taking a deep breath, I just put pen to paper, winging it and hoping it's something good.

It felt like I was writing forever, until I felt myself sign the card with my full name to finish off my portion of it.

I sat there staring at the paper, taking a minute to process it.

After a while, I nodded. "Yeah.. You'll do." I quipped as I set the paper and pen back on the table.

I walked back into the kitchen, turning my attention to the doorway outside our bedroom.

Royal blue and deep black streamers hung, slightly uneven but still hung.

I smiled as I looked around, balloons tied to every chair at the kitchen table.

All for you, princess.


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