The Girl Next Door

Part 24 - Pierce

Part 24 - Enlighten Me

✾

"Hey Mom," I greet her. "I just called because I know we were planning on having you come for dinner later. Do you think you'll still be able to make it?"

"Oh sh*t," she sighs, and I can imagine her shaking her head at herself. "I just made plans with Andre!"

"Andre?" I echo.

"Just an old friend of mine, he's kind of cute. Anyway, I feel terrible and I can't believe I forgot when I scheduled for dinner tonight. How about this? You have dinner with Ruby tonight, and that should make up for it now. And then tomorrow is when I'll be the one to have dinner with her. I have to go but thanks Pierce! You know I appreciate you a ton. Bye!" She hangs up like she's in a hurry.

Once I get to my house, Iris is standing in front of the door with a plastic bag in her hand. She's wearing the same outfit as always - a hoodie and jeans. When I get out of the car she waves to me. Once I get close enough, she immediately starts talking.

"So I started thinking about birthdays when I went home yesterday, and I realized that you didn't really seem to have any decorations. Decorations can really light up a kid's birthday, so I bought a few things. And my present for her is in my room."

"Oh, that's great. I still have to go and get her a cake though."

"You go and do that, just open the door for me so I can start decorating. Do you have any presents for her?"

I shake my head.

"I'll hand you a twenty if you get... I don't know, whatever you think she might want."

"I have no idea," I sigh. "I know when I was a kid I liked cars and video games."

"Think about your sister." While she talks, I go and open the door for us so we can go inside. "She likes what? She likes drawing and cutting hair. Try to find maybe some mannequin heads for her to practice with, you could probably find one with long hair for like ten bucks. And use the rest for some cheap watercolors or a blanket or something. Just grab something and I'll get started on this."

✾

Once I get back from the store, after having bought all three things Iris recommended plus a cake with a rose in the upper-right corner and her name, I open the door and am shocked by all of the decoration she set up so quickly.

Originally, when she said she was going to decorate, I thought she meant she'd hang up an old, wrinkled banner that said Happy Birthday. And if she really felt generous, I thought, she'd blow up some balloons to wad up in the corners with tape. Instead though, she's brought twisted blue crepe paper from one of the lights out to the edges of the living room. There are blue balloons on the floor and a blue plastic table cloth over one of the empty tables I have. Shining silver strings are hanging in the doorways and above the table is a silver balloon in the shape of an 8. On the table is a big stuffed dinosaur with a name tag on the ear and a bow tied around its neck, and right beside that (still on the table) is a plain yellow box with a blue bow.

"Where did you get the money for all this?" I asked.

"Well, for starters, I asked my dad for a few bucks and he gave me thirty. Then I used ten to buy decorations and the presents at the Dollar Store. I want Ruby to have a nice birthday."

I sit down in a chair and nod. "It'll mean a lot to her. Last birthday she didn't have presents or cake or anything. Me and her I think went to the park and I might've picked her up early from school as a surprise so I could get her ice cream. Because I spontaneously did it when I ditched school. But she ended up crying because my mom never showed up and she didn't feel like anyone cared."