A Starling's Awakening

Birthdays

Bret and I share a birthday. Okay, so not exactly, but we do share a birth month. My birthday is the first of April. Maybe that explains why I've always felt like a bad prank that had been played on my parents.

Bret's birthday is the twenty-third. I like to joke that I was a cougar going after a younger guy. I still didn't understand what he saw in me, and I wasn't sure if I ever would.

Bret and I went out, the morning of my birthday. It happened to fall on a Saturday. We went for a walk in a local arboretum. There was a sign at the entrance announcing a wedding that would be held there the next day.

As we were walking, we came upon a pair of fifty year old Giant Sequoias. They had been brought in from northern California when the arboretum was initially planted. Their trunks were about twenty feet apart.

"Bret, can we get married here?"

"Want to reserve the event hall?"

"No, right here. Between these two trees."

"Um, okay, if they will let us."

When we returned to the main gate, we walked into the information center.

"Excuse me," Bret asked, "do you allow weddings on the grounds? My fiancée wants us to get married between the Sequoias."

"Yes we do. The price is two hundred and fifty dollars. Would you like to make your reservation today?"

"We haven't even set a date yet. Do you have a calendar?" We looked, and set the date for Saturday, May sixth. Bret whipped out his debit card, and paid for it.

As soon as we were on the road home, I placed a call.

"Raina! We set a date! We set a wedding date!"

"Hold on a second. Let me put it on speaker – Okay, say that again?"

"Bret and I set our wedding date! Saturday, May sixth! We reserved a place at the arboretum!" We could hear murmuring, but we couldn't make it out.

Raina asked, "Are you going to be home soon?"

Bret informed her, "We are heading that way now. Should be there in about half an hour."

When we got home, there were familiar cars in the driveway. Robert and Helen's wagon, and Charles and Audrey's sedan.

Walking in the door, I was already feeling emotional when I saw it. They had decorated for my birthday. It was a surprise party of sorts.

"Happy Birthday!" They all said in near unison. I began to sob, and hugged Bret. He walked me to the couch, I sat on his lap and straight up bawled. I was overwhelmed with a joy I had never come close to experiencing before.

Once I regained control, I looked around. The entire family was gathered around me, and they all seemed concerned. Ruby held out a box of facial tissues. I blew my nose. Raina grabbed my hand.

"Come on, birthday girl. Let's get you cleaned up."

She led me back to our room, and I took off my coat. She carried it out to the coat closet while I took my hiking boots off. I changed my clothes, and went into the bathroom to wash my face. Once I was ready, I returned to the living room.

"I'm sorry, everyone. I didn't intend to make such a fool of myself." Helen hugged me.

"It's been quite a big day for you. Not every woman gets to set her wedding date and reserve her wedding venue on her eighteenth birthday."

"It's not just that. I've never had a birthday party before. It's not something those in my old society do."

"Get used to it, kiddo. This family is big on celebrating birthdays."

Dinner was grilled salmon, rice pilaf, steamed veggies, and mashed potatoes. Helen made a mild white gravy to go along with the potatoes. My cake had two candles – one shaped like a number one, the other in the figure of an eight. They were lit, the family sang Happy Birthday, and I blew them out.

My old designer purse had seen better days. I needed a new one, but hadn't said anything. One of Barney's clients does leather crafting. The family had employed him to make a purse for me. It was hand-tooled leather. The half-circle shaped flap, which covers the top, featured a row of tiny chrome hearts along the edge. It was made to last, and would probably outlive me. It wasn't huge, not much bigger than what I had, but it would hold everything I needed it to, with room to spare.

That night, Raina and I were getting ready for bed.

She asked, "Have you started practicing?"

"Practicing what?"

"Signing your name."

"Raina, I already know how to sign my own name."

"Your maiden name, yeah. But what about your married name? Well, Mrs. Elise Whitaker?" She grinned at me.

"I will soon enough."

My diary entry was short and to the point – "Dear Diary. Five weeks from today I will become Mrs. Elise Whitaker. Today was my 18th birthday. Bret and I set our wedding date, and reserved our wedding venue. Raina can be such a brat."