🎀💅🏼|| August 9th, 1990 || 💅🏼🎀
I woke up slowly to the sun shining right in my eyes from my window. I stretched and groaned quietly to myself, rubbing my eyes in attempt to wipe the sleep from them. I turned over on my side and glanced at the digital clock that read 10:15am.
I laid in bed for a few minutes, staring up at the ceiling. The only reason I got out of bed was because I could smell food being cooked in the kitchen, accompanied by some loud mumbles of profanities and clattering of dishes. My mom always made me breakfast on my birthday, most of the time it was just some simple berries and pancakes.
As I opened my bedroom door and began walking through the living room to the kitchen, I noticed it was much more than some pancakes and fruit. There was bacon sizzling on a pan, chocolate chip pancakes slathered on another, and an entire bowl of freshly cut strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries- all my favorite. I even noticed my mom was dressed up in a sense. She wasn't wearing her usual faded jeans and baggy t-shirt just to wear around the house when it was just the two of us. She had her hair straightened instead of the natural wavy locks, casual (but nice) blue jeans, and a light pink long sleeve shirt tucked into the jeans. She actually looked nice, and I was confused why.
I shuffled eagerly toward the food, which made her turn around. "Oh! Happy birthday, Amber!" she said as she wiped her hands on a nearby cloth. Pulling me in for a hug, I felt a bit uncomfortable. We hardly ever hugged, but most of the time it was on holidays and my birthday. "I can't believe your 17 years old!" she beamed while pulling away.
I smiled at her, and really smiled when I looked away and to the chocolate chip pancakes. They were about as mouthwatering as a glass of water sitting in the middle of a desert, and I had to contain myself from stuffing my face with it at the very sight. "This all looks so good," I said as I plucked a cut strawberry from the bowl and plopped it in my mouth. "And there's so much," I pointed out.
"Yes, well," she began as she stepped over to the stove, picking up a spatula and absentmindedly flipping a perfectly browned pancake. "Since I'm going in that business trip in two days, I figured you might want some good food to eat instead of Ramen noodles for every meal," she told me.
"Well thank you," I said sincerely as I took a seat at our circular dining table in the dead center of the kitchen.
"You're welcome," she responded. "Look, the trip is all the way in Maine, and I'm going with a co-worker. So don't be surprised if it's a longer trip than usual because I think she wants to hang out for a day or two."
"That's fine with me," I shrugged.
"I bet it is," she chuckled.
**********
After my heavenly breakfast, I got a text from Marshall saying to go over to his trailer for a while. I took a quick shower, got dressed, dried my hair, and brushed my teeth before starting over there.
Walking in, I already saw him on the couch with Nate watching cartoons. Marshall looked bored out of his mind, but the first thing I heard was Nate cracking up at something on the television. When they both saw me, Marshall whispered briefly in Nate's ear.
I closed the door behind me while Marshall began counting to three, then the two of them yelled "Happy Birthday" loudly. I blushed a little and laughed at them.
I took a seat beside Marshall and told them both thank you.
He opened his mouth to say something to me, but Nathan cut him off before he even got the chance to utter a syllable.
