Moments with Michael

The forget-me-not

It's the year 1980. You are at your own and your cousins birthday party. You are 20 years old, but still live with your parents.

"Happy birthday!" My best friend exclaims the moment he walks through the door, before embracing me in a big hug.

"Thank you" I tell him, when he lets go of me, a big smile shining on my lips.

He stays by my side as I, together with my older cousin Carina, greets the rest of the guests as they arrive. When finally all grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and Carina's best friend has arrived, we get everyone to sit down at the neatly set table.

It was Carina's idea, that we had the birthday party together, since our birthdays is only 5 days apart. My parents were quick to think it was a good idea, and I was too. I love birthdays, with all the family together and so, but I easily get shy with all the attention, so the thought of sharing it with my cousin was more than appealing to me.

It took a bit of persuasion from my side, to convince my parents to let me invite Michael, given that he's not family, but when Carina insisted on inviting her best friend too, they gave in.

Now, when I sit beside him, blushing while the others are singing Happy Birthday, I couldn't be more happy they did. To see his grinning face kind of makes it all a little better, a little less awkward that everyone is looking at me. And Carina too, of course. That also helps!

When the singing is out of the way, the meal is just fun! Everyone is talking and joking, and Michael of course goes along with my family just great! He have met most of them before, given that we've been friends for the past 7 years, but it still makes me happy that he talks to them so easily. Knowing myself, I know I wouldn't be able to do that if I met the whole, extended Jackson-family!

After the meal is gone and people have moved to the sofas and chairs in the living room, and a few of my younger cousins have started playing Just Dance upstairs, my dad gets the coffee out. Everyone is enjoying themselves and talking to people, and most importantly not noticing me too much. It couldn't be better!

I'm standing beside the chair my mom is sitting in, listening to her and my uncles conversation with half an ear, when I hear a low voice close to my ear:

"Wanna go outside? It's kind of hot in here," Michaels voice says, and he's completely right! So many people, and our house is not that big, it's definitely nothing near cool in here anymore!

"Sure" I answer, following him to the door that leads out to the garden.

I feel the fresh June-air, with a hint of coolness, as it's almost 10 PM. It feels good, wakes me up a bit after the sleep-inducing atmosphere indoors. We follows one of the small, twisted paths in the garden, talking about pretty much everything as we walk between the trees and my mom's beloved rhododendrons.

"Oh, look!" He suddenly says, and before I have a chance to see what he's looking at, he bows down to pick a flower from the ground.

"For you" He tells me with a graceful bow as he hands me the flower. It's a forget-me-not, and he knows very well that it has always been my favorite flower.

"Thank you" I reply, laughing a bit at his silliness.

There's a bench short from where we're standing, and we goes to sit down.

"Do you know why that is your favorite flower, Gry?" Michael asks with curiosity in his voice.

"Hmm... I don't know. We have always had a lot in the garden, and when I was younger I used to pick a lot of them and have them in my room in small vases. And I really like the name, how it's asking to not be forgotten. I think that's one of the reasons too, because it's such a small flower, it's easy not to notice in a world filled with roses and sunflowers and rhododendrons, and since it's plea to not be forgotten haven't really been heard. So then I will do it, I will notice it and not forget it" I answer him. "Okay I'm sorry, that got really deep" I add with a smile.