Away From the Garden

02 | Celebrate

cel·e·brate

/ˈseləˌbrāt/

verb

1. acknowledge (a significant or happy day or event) with a social gathering or enjoyable activity.

"they were celebrating their wedding anniversary at a restaurant"

Similar: (commemorate) (observe)

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TODAY WAS DAPHODIL'S BIRTHDAY. April eighth fell on a Sunday this year. Sundays and Saturdays were the only days in Hawthorne's home where everyone was home for the day. Which meant instead of her mother's lovely singing waking her with a birthday song, she was awoken to the horrible howling of her father and brother.

After the song was sung, Daphodil was hauled out of the comfort of her bed to the kitchen. Mother stood holding her favorite pastry, strawberry shortcake. The smell was enough to forgive the awful screeching she was awakened to. Her father pulled her out of a seat at the dining table before going to his own.

Daphodil's eyes fell on everyone's attire as she went to sit down. It wasn't like normal weekend clothing, which was typically just slacks and fuzzy slippers. Everyone seemed to be dressed up.

Her father wore a fancy black dress shirt and blue business pants. Her brother's outfit had been similar, though the color of his shirt and pants were opposite to her father's. Her mother was dressed in one of the puffy-sleeved floral dresses she always wore, but her hair was ironed and heels were planted on her feet. Her hope of seeing the world had been starting to look up.

Daphodil blew out all eighteen of the candles on the beautifully decorated shortcake with a big, toothy grin.

Once the candle sticks were removed and the slices had been cut, Daphodil began to scarf down the strawberry delight without any caution of choking. The only thing on her mind was the brightly shining world that beamed through the kitchen blinds.

She was the first to earn a comment from her wary parents and annoying older brother. She replied with a simple smile and a shrug before placing her plate in the sink and dashing up the stairs.

She rushed into her bedroom, looking for her best dress. One that was ironed to perfection, slim fitting, and flattering. It had to be gorgeous. Something that would impress the world.

Hanger after hanger was pulled to her body before being placed right back. Daphodil began to doubt if she had what could be considered the perfect dress. She knew she didn't have enough time to make one either. Her hope was running low, and so was her patience. Finally, after pulling wired hangers till her fingers hurt, she found it.

It was a pretty green sundress with yellow and white daffodils on it. It had a little puff to the shoulder-cut sleeves and stopped mid-thigh. It had beautiful hand stitching that went around the top. It was by far her favorite dress. It was the third dress she had learned to sew last year.

Daphodil dashed for the bathroom. The dress was swinging in her arms as she scurried. 

She hung the dress on the towel rack as she began to get ready. She grabbed the yellow-painted toothbrush that she claimed was her own. She made sure to scrub to perfection to get rid of any and all bad breath. Having bad breath just seemed unpresentable in the real world, Daphodil thought to herself.

Once, after having cleaned up, Daphodil started to remove her nightgown. A quiet knock on the door stopped her.

"Daphodil? What are you doing in here?" Her mother's voice spoke as she slowly pulled the door open.

Daphodil stared at her mother profusely before giving her a big grin. "I'm getting ready." She pointed over to the dress hanging in the corner.

Her mother's perplexed expression caused her arm to drop along with the upturned corners of her lips.

"I'm getting ready to see the world," she repeated, playing with the rusted necklace around her neck. "Y'know with you, pa, and Spruce? Isn't that why everyone is all dressed up?" Daphodil asked, her voice getting weaker by the second.

Surely her mother must be toying with her. She probably didn't want to ruin the surprise Daphodil thought of for herself.

Her eyes bounced off of the feet that she had begun staring at and went back to her mother. The look she gave was enough to conclude it wasn't a silly scheme her mother had been pulling to keep the surprise. Her face showed she had no clue at all of what Daphodil thought she was going to spend the day like.

Without exchanging another word, off went Daphodil. Tears and weeps followed to her bedroom.

She slumped into her bed, bawling her eyes into her light yellow floral sheets. Ugly sobs of how miserable she was being restrained in her home follow from her lips as her mother stands at the door.

Jasmine hated how upset she was. It reminded her of herself from time to time.

She walked up to her wailing daughter before taking a seat on the edge of her bed. She stroked her puffy curls that were similar to her own.

Her mother's touch seems to have a positive effect on Daphodil, who now stops blubbering into her pillow. Still, tiny sobs and tears poured.

Jasmine waited till she was sure her daughter was calm before speaking. "Dill, my darling, come with me. I have something to tell you."

Though gloom was still present in her current mood, she sat down to follow her mother out of the room.

Her mother led her to the bedroom she and Daphodil's father shared. She urged Daphodil to sit on the ottoman beside the bed. 

While she sat there, her mother went into her closet. After some ruffling and shuffling, she came with a small box wrapped in a ribbon. She came over, sitting beside her daughter, before placing it in her hands.

Before Daphodil could even think about pulling the thin white material holding the box close, her mother's voice spoke.

"Before I tell you what it is, I need you to promise me you won't tell your father or even utter a word to your brother." Her mother's voice advised her as she stuck out her pinky.

Daphodil pushed the box to the side as she stuck up her own. They linked pinkies, kissing each other's knuckles before releasing. It was something she and her mother had been doing to ensure that a secret would be kept between the two.

"Your father and brother are at work picking up extra hours, which is why I'm giving this to you now; otherwise, you'd be getting it tomorrow," she said as she reached over to grab the box.

She pulled the white ribbon off and removed the lid of the yellow box. Out revealed a silver string with a similar key the size of her pinky and a folded note. Her mother pulled the necklace out before placing it around her daughter's neck.

Daphodil played with the cold silver key that replaced the space on her old chain.

"That key is your way out. It unlocks not only the wooden gate but also the front  door.

Daphodil's eyes widened with excitement. She couldn't even let her mother finish what she had to say before letting out a squeal.

"I'm really going to get to see the world?" She asked, eyeing her mother attentively.

"Yes but-" Again, Jasmine was cut off by the arms that were now wrapped around her.

Daphodil squished her mother in her arms. She couldn't believe that her mother was giving her the key to freeing her from her imprisonment. 138 had been her lucky number in candles!

Though Jasmine was joyful with the happiness that seeped into her daughter, it was going to get deadly. Daphodil's grip on her mother was so tight that she was beginning to see stars. Jasmine pulled with all her might to remove her daughter's mighty grip.

"Sorry," Daphodil muttered, tucking some of her puffy curls behind her ear.

Jasmine shook her head with a smile before returning the same stern expression she had when explaining that the key had to be a secret.

"I have one rule."