The Eighteenth Birthday

Chapter Three

Well, I’ve been grounded from then until today. Great way to act before my birthday. Well at least its a Saturday. Piper is coming over today to celebrate, even though I said we should go somewhere else, considering what happened last week, but she insisted. It might be my birthday, but it’s still all about my girl. Some things never change, no matter what time of year it is.

I got dressed and went downstairs, and nobody was there. I figured they were hiding to try and surprise me, so I ate breakfast. By the time I finished, it had been ten minutes. Still no sign of my family. Not even Callie, the one sibling I can always count on to be on my side of things. She agrees with me that birthday surprises are stupid.

I ran around the house calling out random names. Nobody. I checked my phone. No missed calls or texts. Piper is a forty minutes late now. She’s never late. If anything, she’s usually early. I called her, Callie, the twins, even Mom and Will. No answer. I started to worry. I got in my car and drove around town looking for everyone. Even stopped at Piper’s house. Nothing.

By now I was exhausted, but having an anxiety attack. Where is everybody? I went back into the kitchen and found a note on the counter. It read:

Cole,

Come see me. We need to talk.

-Dad

It’s been two years and I’ve heard nothing from my dad. Not my last birthday, or Christmas even. Why is now any different? I mean I look up to him, and love him to death, but why did he choose now to get in contact with me? Through a note nonetheless. Why not call? Text? My number hasn’t changed. He still has it. I think. I hope. Why wouldn’t he? Whatever. It’s not worth it to waste time on questions. Time to go see my dad.

⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡

I pull up in my dad’s driveway. It looks like he’s not home either. He better be home, or I swear I’m going to break something. I walk up to the door and knock. It opens immediately and I’m yanked inside. I’m left there speechless. I haven’t seen or heard from him in two years. Dad eventually gathers the courage to speak.

“Look, Cole, I’m sorry that this is so sudden, but we really need to talk.”

“Are you kidding me? You haven’t tried to contact me in two years. Why now?” I say involuntarily. He sighs.

“Your mother got a restraining order against me for the whole family. That’s why I haven’t contacted you sooner. Now I have something really important to tell you. So you might want to get comfortable, because this is a long story.”