We'll Always Have Summer | Stefan Salvatore

Chapter Eight

1993 — Mystic Falls, Virginia

   Grayson and Miranda Gilbert's house was brightly lit, with loud laughter coming from the inside. They were celebrating their daughters first birthday, something that they were excited to experience. The couple had invited friends and family, just a simple close together that would be memorised through photographs.

   Florence held the birthday present in her arms, a wide blue box with a red ribbon tying it together. Inside, the teddy bear and a hand written letter from her that immortalised her love for her niece. The youngest Gilbert, although not the youngest because of Elena, was excited to hand the present to the one year-old girl. 

   "Hi!" she called as she walked through the front door. 

   "Florence!" Miranda greeted, immediately going in for a hug. "I'm so happy you came. When did you get back from the cabin?"

   "This morning," she answered with a smile. "Bob dropped me off first. Oh!" She pushed the box towards her sister-in-law and grinned wider. "I brought a birthday present for Elena!"

   "Oh, she will love this so much," Miranda cooed, giving her a smile. "She's just taking a nap upstairs. You can go see her if you want."

   "I will," she nodded. "But, where's Grayson?"

   "Out back," Miranda sighed, walking towards the living room. Florence followed behind her, hands in the back of her pocket. "He bought a new barbecue yesterday, so he's excited to test it out. Your father and basically every other man is out there with him, having a couple of beers and making stupid jokes." Miranda rolled her eyes and turned to face the youngest Gilbert. "Want to say hello to him?"

  "I'll do it later," Florence answered through her teeth, making a face. "First, I'll go see Elena." Before her sister-in-law could say anything, she hurried up the stairs. She had memorised her brother's house to the point where she could walk around in the dark. Why? There was no other reason but that Miranda had told her that whenever her parents fought too much, she was welcomed in their home. 

   Elena's room was the first door to the left. Quietly and slowly, Florence opened the door. The bedroom was painted a soft grey colour with a hand painted bear and stars by the window. Miranda had been the one that decorated it, since Grayson had no sense of decoration or art. The crib was painted white, its bedding a soft yellow that reminded the young Gilbert girl of a bumblebee. On top of that crib, little Elena was standing with her small hands holding on tightly to the railing.

   "Elena!" Florence cooed, slowly walking to her with a wide grin.

   Elena lifted her hands into the air as a smile formed on her toothless mouth. She fell back, then clapped her hands together as her aunt came closer. 

   "You were supposed to be napping," Florence said as she picked up the baby from her crib. "Obviously, you're too exited to nap, right? I mean, you only turn one once in your life." She sat on the rocking chair by the window, the baby on her lap. "I think your mom is throwing this party because she wants to remember what her first birthday was like." She stopped talking and faced the wall, almost as if she were talking to a camera. "I'm talking to a baby who can't answer back. What is wrong with me?"

   Elena cooed on her lap, clapping her hands then grabbing the drawstrings of her hooded sweatshirt. She gurgled, bubbles made of saliva coming from her mouth as she pulled on the strings.

   "But, you're the cutest baby I've ever seen!" Florence cooed once again, gently touching her small nose. She let out a soft laugh, then a sigh, then leaned back on the chair as she rocked back and forth. "Listen, Elena, don't let Grayson control your life, okay? My dad's controlling mine. He's probably already sent in an application to Whitmore for me, filled out a scholarship for their swimming program. You do what you want to do, even if your dad wants you to do something else." She stopped talking and furrowed her brows. "I should be telling you this when you're older, because you can't understand what the hell I'm saying."