Catching Coal Bonus Files

Happy 30th Birthday, Jenny

Length: 2,199 words
Ships: None
Description: It's Jenny's 30th birthday, and her parents decide to take her on a surprise dinner to celebrate.

~•~•~•~

"What the hell are you doing here?" Jenny asked in surprise as she opened the front door to her apartment, noticing her parents sitting on the couch in the living room.

"Surprise! Happy birthday, Jenny!" Her mother called, rising to her feet and pulling her into a hug. Her father did the same right when she let her go.

"Th-Thanks, but... why are you here?" She asked doubtfully.

It was rare that her parents paid attention to Jenny, aside from their usual complaining about her, and their sudden acts of affection seemed out of place.

"Jenny, you're thirty years old, it's an important milestone! We have to celebrate it somehow, right?!" Her mother called with a smile.

"How does it feel to be thirty?" Her dad asked.

"Same as twenty-nine, but old." She muttered sarcastically. "Well, since you're here, want something to eat? Because I'm starving."

"We have a better idea. Why don't you go take a shower, wear something nice and we'll go out for dinner?" Her mom asked. "We have a reservation at a really nice restaurant in an hour. Let's celebrate your birthday properly!"

'What's going on?'

"Okay, I don't know what your plan is, but what I'm hearing is that you're gonna pay for my food and drinks. So fine, give me thirty minutes, and I'll be ready." She said, walking into the bathroom.

~•~•~•~

"I still can't believe you wore this dress. You look like a prostitute." Her mother muttered as they got out of the car. To her parents' dismay, Jenny chose to go out wearing a short, black dress that left almost all of her back exposed. She wore her armpit-length red hair down, complimenting her red matte lipstick and smokey eyeshadow.

"I'm old enough to dress myself, mom."

"You're too old to be walking around like this. You could've worn something a little more modest. And colorful, you're not going to a funeral."

'I might go to a funeral if you keep this sh*t up.' she thought to herself but chose not to say it out loud.

"Red lipstick, mom. Red is a color. Now leave me alone."

The three of them entered the restaurant and sat down at their assigned table. Jenny looked at the menu for a long second before she spoke. "You didn't have to take me to such a pompous-a*s place, you know."

"Please, stop talking like that..." her father was the one to talk this time. "Why do you have such a dirty mouth?"

"Oh, it matches my dirty mind." She said, watching him almost choke on his own spit.

"Jenny..." Her mom mumbled, already tired. "Let's agree to not argue tonight, okay? Let's all just take it down a notch and enjoy a nice evening together."

"I'm all for it." She said with a shrug. "It'll help if you stop criticizing every breath of mine. Deal?" Her mom sighed in defeat.

"Alright."

~•~•~•~

"I'd like the double burger, please."

"Jenny, it's your birthday! You can have something fancier than a burger, it's okay!" Her mom reassured her.

"I don't think they serve burgers in top hats, mom." She said, rolling her eyes with a smile. "Just the burger. Oh, and a bottle of red wine for the table, please."