Competition

One

Thirty. (It's my birthday today.) Single...  Newly single – (just broke up with my long-term boyfriend last night... this morning). Childless. Successful career... Semi-successful. Happy... Content.

'What are you going to make as your resolution this year?' Lauren asked.

I looked across the breakfast table at my older sister Lauren as she wiped her baby's mouth.

'Well?' Lauren insisted. 'What are you going to do differently this year?'

I rolled my eyes and looked down at my clean filed nails.

Lauren rolled her eyes as well and gave up as she swung her five month old daughter in the air and made silly faces.

'So you slept with him last night,' Lauren said patronisingly. She raised her brows as she settled her daughter down on her lap and jogged her slightly. 'Well that was clever.'

'Uh-huh,' I replied not wanting to go into details with my perfect sister.

'Come on Cilla,' she said. 'What are you doing with yourself huh? You're wasting your life away. You are thirty now.'

'I know how old I am,' I replied frustrated. 'I understand that I'm going to end up fifty with no one. I get that.'

Lauren looked at me in eye and went into lecture mode.

'I don't want to hear it,' I said before she could start telling me about how life wasn't just about work and money and clothes. Family and friends made life worth living. 'Please don't harangue me.'

Lauren rolled her eyes again and turned her attention back to her daughter who was dribbling spit like a footballer dribbled his ball.

'When you want to talk I'm here,' Lauren finished finally as she stood up. 'I'm just going to go up and give her a bath.'

'Okay,' I replied. 'I'll be down here looking after Joel and Sam.'

Lauren left the kitchen with her baby leaving me in the kitchen with a slowly cooling mug of chocolate.

Sam, Lauren's seven year old son, and Joel, Lauren's three year old son, ran down into the kitchen boisterously and sat down at the breakfast table shortly followed by their father Joseph.

'Happy birthday Priscilla,' Joseph smiled.

'Thanks Joseph,' I said a little embarrassed that I was spending my birthday morning at my sister's house with her family. 'How are you?'

'I'm good thanks,' he replied as he poured cereal for the boys. 'How are you? Planning anything for today or this evening?'

'I'm writing during the day then going out to dinner with some friends,' I replied watching as Sam and Joel ate their breakfast. 'I came round to see Lauren.'

'Oh right,' Joseph nodded. 'She said she wanted to see you last night.'

'I won't be staying for very long,' I said not knowing what to say next.

'Well we sure won't keep you,' replied Joseph as he sat down in Lauren's chair and looked at me over his mug of coffee. 'But you should stay till the last moment.'

I smiled as I tried to take another sip of my chocolate. It was still quite hot.

'What you really need is some change,' said Lauren as we took a walk in the local park with the children. 'It would do you some good. Maybe start with the small things then let them grow...'

'It's so nice of you care,' I interrupted. 'But I'm fine as I am.'

'I can remember waking up on my thirtieth birthday...'

'You woke up next to Joseph with your kids around you,' I said stopping and looking at Lauren annoyed. 'You have a life already going great for you. You've always had a perfect great life. I just wasn't as lucky.'

'Don't start this whole pity thing,' Lauren breathed. 'It doesn't do anything for you and it gets on my nerves.'

I rolled my eyes as the children played with each other.

'Be nice Joe,' Lauren shouted as he hit another child in the park. She smiled apologetically at the child's mother who smiled back understandably. 'This way Joe. Come on.'