Since You Came

Ch. 21

It's August eighteenth. I turn eighteen today.

Yes, I should technically be graduated at this age, but my mom held me back. I was a late birthday. The youngest of the group. Being back a year, I am now 18 before my senior year. I'm already an adult.

It's pretty awesome.

Daniel spent the night last night on our couch in the living room. He wakes up early this morning to strong streamers all across the house. The streamers are mint green, my favorite color.

I wake to the smell of French toast cooking on the stove. My eyes open to Dan sitting beside me on my bed, watching me.

A smile spreads across his lips when he sees me awake. "Happy birthday, baby," he hands me a small box.

"Daniel Lewis," I say, grinning, "you need to stop pampering me. I don't want gifts. I only want you."

He chuckles. "I know. So open the box."

The box holds a small clear, glass rose. The fragile flower gleams in the morning sun.

My breath catches in my throat. "It's so beautiful."

"It's not just for show. It has a deep meaning behind it, one I thought you needed desperately," Dan says, grasping my free hand in his.

"Tell me," I say quietly.

Dan lifts the handcrafted rose from the box gently. "This glass rose is so, so beautiful, you said it yourself. See all the care and detail and hard work that was put into making this masterpiece? But, the thing is, it's fragile. The maker had to be very careful in the process to get it where it is. Even now, it's fragile. We have to be careful with it, and cherish it.

"This rose is much like life. Life is beautiful, throughout the whole process. We put so much care and thought and hard work into making our life a masterpiece, but it's fragile. Life can sometimes get cracks in it, or parts can break off, or it can be destroyed all together. We never know what might happen to something so fragile. All we can do is work hard to make it beautiful, and cherish it," he sighs, placing the rose back into the box. "Maddie, I know how hard Ryan's death has been for you. Even now, eight months later, you still suffer. Part of your life has been broken off. But baby, you gotta look at it this way. Life is so, so beautiful. Even with the cracks and broken pieces. We can't let one damage hold us back. The journey to making your masterpiece isn't over yet. Don't spoil the rest of the process."

Why is he so good at this? I think, speechless. Dan has, most definitely, just made the pain of Ryan so easy to cope with. That pain now lives in that rose, because I know it's fragile. Life is fragile. Ryan's just got broken too soon.

All I can do is sit up, wrap an arm around his neck, and push my lips against his. "Thank you," I whisper, my lips brushing against his with the words.

"Happy birthday, baby," he whispers back. He slowly pulls away from me and smiles. "Well. Your family is waiting. Today is a happy occasion! You're eighteen!"

I laugh. "I'm eighteen!"

He takes my hand and leads me down the stairs.

My family waits in the kitchen, big smiles on their faces.

Jo and Aubrey hug me when I come in. "Happy birthday, Maddie," they say.

I smile. "Thank you!"

Aunt Beth serves us French toast and the family offers me gifts.

As I open the gifts, Aunt Beth tells me all about how amazing bring an adult is. I don't really believe her.

"So, what are we doing today?" I ask.