It's surprising what human beings can accomplish when death is staring them right in the face. When things began plummeting, few knew how to react. Most were confused, seeking guidance from the very foundations and institutions that, once meant to h...
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I take my time walking back to the house, listening to the sounds of crunching leaves beneath my feet. Declan opens the door right when I am about to reach for the handle and I jump back.
He looks frantically from left to right for a moment, before taking in my surprised face and replacing his worried expression with a brilliant smile.
"There you are!" he exhales. "You're ruining the surprise for yourself birthday girl, get in here now." He envelops me in a big hug before shoving me through the door.
I laugh as I push him off playfully and am met with streamers and the sound of music playing in the background.
"Surprise!" yell Remy and Auntie Clara in unison, before immediately enclosing me in their arms. Declan joins the group hug again and they all wish me a happy birthday.
"Guys. I love you all, but I can't breathe," I say, struggling to raise my head towards the ceiling and inhale deeply.
They finally release and guide me towards the kitchen table where my favorite coffee flavored dessert sits, outlined by numerous ladyfinger cookies and lit with several small silver candles.
"Make a wish, darling," says Auntie Clara with a loving smile. I take a minute to look at these beautiful souls around me and blow out the candles, thankful for the love and family that I have.
Before I can stop him, Declan scoops a little bit of the cream with his index finger and plops a dollop on my nose and forehead.
"Wow, you've never looked better," he states, laughing. I glare at him playfully and lick some of the cream that has dripped onto my chin. I wash my face in the kitchen sink, drying off with a dishtowel.
"Okay, time to find the coin," says Auntie Clara as she places a tray of freshly baked chocolate croissants from my favorite-and only-bakery in Haven.
It's tradition that on a wolf's twenty-second birthday, a coin is hidden or baked into some dish and whoever finds the coin receives good luck from the Moon Goddess all year long.
Personally, I think it's just something invented to keep people in high spirits under the looming shadow of the ascending. And, it's definitely rigged to favor the birthday wolf.
I pick a croissant at random along with everyone else and cut it in half, wanting to avoid chipping a tooth on the small piece of silver if I am the lucky one.
I'm not surprised to hear my knife scrape across metal and pull out the round coin.
See, told you it's rigged.
I hold up the coin triumphantly and watch as Remy and Declan slump and pout.
"This is totally fixed," Remy says. "Declan got it last time too."
Auntie Clara's melodic laugh comes from the other room. It reminds me so much of my dad's sometimes.
"Oh stop complaining you two, it's Adelaide's special day," she states, placing a small box in front of me. "Open it," she says, touching her fingers to her lips.
