Stuck with a Punk ✔

No. 47.: Mingling for starters

"I came to Aidan's birthday party, what else!"

Daniel just whispers like he's tired of putting up with me and just living in general, "You're fucking impossible."

"I know, right?" Annabelle accusingly joins the conversation.

I look back at her, like really?, while Daniel can't go over his good nature and first introduces himself, "Hi, I'm his brother."

"Hi, Annabelle." She smiles and fixates Devon in her arms.

"It was a great suggestion, Daniel. That thing with the babysitter. I should listen to your advice more often."

Daniel just plainly stares at me, "Just get in before I regret it."

I walk in and it's so tripping to think the last time I was here, it was nearly half a year ago. In the good old days, I'd be invited over nearly every week. I notice Patty and Danny changed quite a bit in this house. They put a new still-life in the hallway and the smell of fresh paint reeks from the upper floor so badly it nearly makes me gag. One of the rare things that make my stomach do a backflip. That and Devon's shit. When my apartment was under 'personalisation', I practically slept in the poor excuse of an office I had at the time.

As I walk through the house to get to the backdoor I also notice they installed new sliding doors instead of the regular ones they used to have. Through the glass, I see the party unravelling and without a struggle, my eyes find Aidan in the crowd running around in the company of other kids.

He grew. Man, he grew for a few very noticeable inches, and half a year ago he was a mirror picture of Daniel, but now there's the curl of his smile and the outline of his face that very much resemble Patty's. In a year or two, and at this rate, he'll be a perfect mixture of the two.

I spy what my brother and my escort are doing in the back. Annabelle is busy checking out the house, how it's decorated, and possibly forming a plan how she could renovate her own place. Daniel, on the other hand, he's busy with the newly arrived guests whom I don't recognise. They're probably neighbours or friends from work.

Right before I actively join the party, I put the enormous Aidan's gift down in the dining room along with other presents.

Heh... Mine is the biggest one.

I slide the door to the side, and at first, nobody noticed me, which is fucking ridiculous! But then, my boy Aidan squeals my name loudly and comes rushing from the engulfing crowd of kids, "Uncle Nathan!"

My lips automatically pull into a huge smile and like a martyr, I fall on my knees when I see him running towards me. He lands in my arms, squeezing me tightly and I hold him like I'll never let him go, "Oh, I missed you, buddy!"

Aidan tears away from me and peers up with stars in his eyes, "I got all these new toys today, and Mummy's belly has been moving for the whole week!"

I smile gently after the news-fill-in. I just feel at peace that he's still the same little joyous kid. "If you come closer, I'll tell you about something only a birthday boy like you can handle! You think you can do it?"

Aidan nods enthusiastically, vibrating with excitement and good energy. At the same time Annabelle comes out to the porch, desperate to hide behind me, but she doesn't interfere when he leans closer to me, and I hint him the whereabouts of yet another gift he got, possibly the largest one he's gotten today.

I observe his eyes light up and his legs grow restless, then at one point he just explodes, "Can I go look? Can I go look? Can I go look? Can I go look? Uncle Nate, can I go look? Can I go look?"