Let It Ride (Hell's Tribe MC Series) [Book 3]

Chapter 8: Eighteen Candles

She's a long one todayyyyyy. Hope you all enjoy!

Song for this Chapter: I Just Died in Your Arms By: Cutting Crew

~Val~

August 4th, 1989

I had been waiting for this day and what it would mean for what felt forever. I had been dreaming about the day it would finally happen, dying for it to come, and finally it was here.

I was Eighteen.

And while I was sure all kids my age couldn't wait for their birthdays to come this year, it meant way more to me than anyone would ever understand.

It meant that I could finally be whoever the hell I wanted to be and my parents couldn't stop me. It meant I could vote, I could get married—hell, I could even enlist in the military if I wanted to. Above all, it meant I was no longer a kid and I was free to make my own decisions without being forced back to my parents until I could live on my own, and knowing that was the best feeling in the world.

It also meant I would be losing my virginity tonight when I met up with Mick. While imagined I would be terrified when this day finally came, I could not wait for my birthday to be over and for my parents to go to bed so I could sneak out and finally be with him for real.

I nearly screamed when the clock hit midnight, but I managed to contain myself with the biggest smile on my face. I could not bring myself to sleep—I was way too excited for the sun to come up that the anticipation had me running on adrenaline until the early hours of the morning.

I hadn't realized I'd even fallen asleep until I heard my bedroom door open and my parent's voices began singing happy birthday.

I shot up out of my bed, surprised that they had one— even remembered, and two—were singing in celebration of my birth when things were still pretty tense and awkward since I moved back home. It wasn't as bad as before, but it certainly wasn't much better either. We barely spoke, tended to avoid each other at all costs, and kept any interaction to the bare minimum.

Still, here they were standing over my bed, singing over a hideous homemade birthday cake in my mother's hands as I awkwardly sat up, dying for this painfully weird moment to end.

"Happy Birthday to you," they both finished in unison.

I smiled, leaning in to blow out the candles on top of the yellow and purple disaster my mother must have spent hours on.

"Happy birthday, Valerie," my mother said, holding one hand up to her nose. She sniffled and wiped away at her eyes as a stray tear fell from her cheek. "I just can't believe my baby girl is all grown up already."

I almost couldn't believe it either, but only because it felt like I had lived double that with them as parents.

"It's crazy, isn't it?" my father said, wrapping an arm around my mother's shoulder.

I smiled awkwardly and nodded my head. "Thanks, mom, the cake looks great."

Her face lit up at the compliment and I could see the joy it gave her, even though in reality, that cake looked like absolute shit.

"Get yourself cleaned up and I'll cut you a piece for breakfast," she suggested happily.

I nodded. "Sure, sounds good."

My mother walked happily out my bedroom door and downstairs to the kitchen, while my father lingered for a few moments longer. Just when he approached the door and I thought he might follow after her, he turned back and shot me a look.