Shattered Pieces (Wattys 2024)

Chapter 4 Birthday

                                                                           Sapphires POV

Today is my 18th birthday! I am so excited! My best friends are coming over before the Pack BBQ. Then we are going to have a girls' sleepover. (No boys allowed haha) I head downstairs for breakfast and see my family in the kitchen.

"Happy Birthday to you..." They start to sing when they see me.

"Thanks guys." I smile and blush at them.

"Here open my present first!" Dean tells me, he hands me a small box. I carefully open it to reveal a beautiful little wood-grained colour wolf charm made out of walnut on a silver bracelet.

"Wow it's beautiful, thanks, buddy!" I give him a big hug, he starts to squirm in my hug while I kiss both of his cheeks, laughing at him.

They all have little boxes of charms for me to open. The charm from Dad is a purple-coloured shaped heart with a warrior symbol engraved on it. He knows my favorite colour is purple.

Mum's is a Blue Mahoe coloured heart shape with S on one side and a Z on the other. "What does the Z stand for mum?"

"That was an accident, it is supposed to be S on both sides." But I saw a flash of guilt cross over her face, then a smile to dismiss it. I drop it for now, but I know it means more than she is letting on. I exchange a look with Dad, he just shrugs his shoulders.

Ava's one is a redwood-coloured wolf. Evelyn is a birchwood-coloured wolf. "There is also an African Blackwood wolf, we all helped make that one," Dad tells me.

I have a huge smile plastered on my face, unable to wipe it off. They know that I appreciate handmade presents more than bought ones.

"I love them." I look at them all with a massive smile, traitorous tears are forming, I won't let them fall. "No matter where I am, I will always have a piece of you guys with me, thank you." My tears trickle down now, my cheeks are wet.

Dad runs over to me and engulfs me in a big bear hug, kissing my forehead. "Happy Birthday Sapphire. I love you heaps." I see tears forming in his eyes.

"Thank you, Dad." I choke on my words, kissing his cheek. "Love you too."

My siblings come over and embrace me at the same time. "Can't breathe." I manage to splutter out.

"Sorry." they laugh pulling away.

Mum comes over and hugs me. "Love you, Sapphire."

I see a strange look cross her face before it is quickly replaced with a tender expression.

"Love you too Mum," I hug her back, wishing I knew what that look was for.

"Warrior Dan helped us make them all. The chain is stretchable so when you shift it will stretch and not break." Dad mentions while placing the charms on the bracelet and then putting it on my left wrist.

There is a knock on the door and Dad goes and opens it. "Mum" Dad manages to say before he is pulled into a hug by Nana.

"Where is the birthday girl?" she shouts down the hallway.

I walk to the hallway and I am instantly pulled into Nana's strong arms. "Happy birthday sweetheart. I can't believe you have grown up so fast."

I wrap my arms around Nana. "Thanks, Nana." I plant big sloppy kisses on her cheeks before she does it to me.

"I have something for you," she hands me a small box. I very carefully open it with shaky hands. Inside the box is a necklace with the words Sapphire written in Nana's favorite font Pristina.