Authors: Ashley Christine
“I'm okay. I just couldn't watch that. Not again.” She looks up at me. She isn't crying but it looks like she could at any minute. She lets go of Luca, he jumps off the step, runs over to the fence to howl at the cattle. I don't say anything; I just sit down beside her and pull her close to me.
“Good morning, birthday boy!” She climbs on top of me, kissing my mouth, and I conclude that this is one of the best ways to wake up, ever.
“Thank you. Good morning.” I smile and squint from the bright sun filling the room.
“I have a present for you! Well, the first present of the day, anyway.” She grins, and I look at her like she's up to no good. I'm dead wrong; she's up to good all right. The mind-blowing type of good—the best actually.
She disappears beneath the sheets and takes me into her mouth, as deep as she can. I actually think I feel my heart stop.
“Baby, oh shit…” My mouth may be open but nothing else is coming out except groans.
Jeremiah calls to wish me a happy birthday, as well as both of my brothers. Addison has planned a big family dinner tonight. She promises it will be low-key, no streamers or balloons or giant banners.
Around noon Jeremiah and Alex arrive to pick me up, not telling me where they're taking me. Addison winks and tells me to enjoy myself. She's staying home to
arrange dinner, and I admit I'm really excited to find out what the boys have planned for me.
Evan's Extreme Pay & Play is displayed on a giant billboard as we turn down a dirt road. The kid in me is freaking out.
“No way!” I almost start clapping with excitement. “Are you serious, buddy?” I reach over and shake Jeremiah's shoulder aggressively; he laughs, and Alex grabs my shoulders from behind me.
“Got your pacemaker ready, old man?”
Evan's is an outdoor park full of trails, mud and fast and loud all-terrain vehicles. We go into the large building; most of it is covered in camouflage paint and has deer and moose heads mounted all over the walls.
We are welcomed by two young guys, Brad and Mike, according to their name tags. They explain the rules and safety precautions of the park. We sign waivers basically saying that they've used all measures of safety, and we agree that if anything happens it's our own fault and we won't sue the pants off them. I scribble my name down, eager to have some fun.
I pick a bright blue ATV, Jeremiah and Alex choosing yellow and red. We get completely decked out in gear, with helmets on, and Brad quickly explains the trails and how they all end up back at the main building, so we can't get ourselves lost. He also tells us that we each have radios embedded in our helmets so we can communicate with each other and call for help if needed.
We rip through the trails; I take the lead, being the birthday boy, after all. I feel free and young again. This is just what I've needed, especially on my thirtieth birthday.
Three hours later we are back in front of the building. We’re splattered with mud, adrenaline still pumping through us, and we can't stop talking about how much fun we just had.
“Thank you, guys. That was crazy!” I say excitedly.
All the way home, we laugh and talk about our ride and replay the entire three hours to Addison when we get back to the farm. She laughs when we tell her about Alex getting stuck in the mud and us getting sprayed while he floored it trying to get out.
“Dinner will be ready in about an hour,” she tells us. “Everyone should be here soon, so go and get cleaned up.”
It smells so good in the house, and I'm salivating at both her and the food she's cooking for dinner. She's wearing tight jeans and a pale pink sleeveless top with a
sheer back, showing her beautiful skin.
“What if I'm hungry
now?
” I whisper to her, raising an eyebrow.
“Get up there and change, mister.” She scolds me playfully and smacks my ass when I turn to walk away from her.
Oh, this girl is going to be the death of me.
We all shower; the guys use the guest bedrooms to clean themselves up, afterward we all sit on the porch together drinking beer. The family shows up at exactly seven PM.
“Happy Birthday, uncle Blaine!” Casey, my niece, hugs me.
“Thanks, sweetie!” I spin her around, and she laughs.
“Happy Birthday, my boy.” My dad actually hugs me, and I feel like the wind has been knocked out of me. I know that my brothers are shocked too by the looks on their faces. Maria actually gasps and covers her mouth. Is she going to cry?
“Thank you, dad.” I hug him back, not wanting to let him go. Why has it taken him thirty years to hug me? I think I'm going to start crying so I let him go, clearing my throat. I realize everyone is quiet and staring at the two of us.
“What?” My father notices all the jaws on the floor, too. “Can’t a man hug his own son on his birthday?” He shakes his head like he's got no idea why they're surprised and goes to sit on the couch.
I exhale deeply, and Owen gives me a big hug. “I've waited a long time to see something like that.”
“Me too, buddy. Me, too,” I say, hugging him back.
Addison overdoes herself completely. She's made lasagna, a little jab at me I'm sure, since I burned one during my first attempt to feed her. She’s also made garlic bread, salads, meatballs and some cheesy artichoke dip. Everyone raves about her cooking abilities.
Jeremiah, Alex and I tell everyone about our playtime at Evan's. My nephews make me promise to take them th
ere some day, and Kelsey snorts. “We'll see about that!”
Maria shoots her a look, and she smiles.
“Okay, okay. As long as you're careful.”
I chuckle to myself.
Thanks, Maria
.
My dad has been chatting Addison up all evening, asking her all about her parents, what they do for a living, if they'll ever come and visit Wyoming. He says he would love to meet them and show them some country hospitality. I smile at him.
Is this the father that Nick and Owen had? The one that disappeared when I was born and was never seen again? Until tonight, that is. I silently pray that this continues; I would really like having my dad around again.
We're all ready to unbutton our pants, having eaten so much at dinner.
“Are we going to have some cake?” Casey sits up in her chair, eagerly tugging on Addison's hand.
“Why, yes we are, sweetie! Would you like to help me bring it out?”
Casey leaps off her chair and runs into the kitchen.
“I hope everyone likes cheesecake.” Addison winks at me, and I lick my lip, remembering the last time we had cheesecake, her tantalizing removal of it off her finger.
Casey brings out two plates at a time, a wedge of cheesecake for everyone, with cherries on top and red drizzle all around the white plates. I'm the only one without any and Casey sits down, smiling ear to ear at me and giggling to herself.
What's she up to?
Addison finally comes out, holding a plate with a single white candle burning. She holds her hand in front of it so it doesn't blow out before it reaches me.
She places the plate down on my place mat, leans down and kisses my cheek. She whispers,
“Happy Birthday. I love you.”
“Blow it out, Uncle Blaine!” Casey can't contain herself, so I lean in to blow...but suddenly stop. My heart slows down to almost barely beating, then flips back and starts hammering out of my chest.
Marry Me?
is written in the red drizzle, just like the dessert at the fancy restaurant in Maine. I look across the table. Addison is now sitting in her chair with a half smile on her face, and I'm speechless.
“Blaine? Everything okay?” Maria asks, sounding worried. “Blaine?”
She's trying to snap me out of it, but I'm in too deep. I'm caught, and Addison is reeling me in. I don't say anything else; I keep my eyes locked on her face and I blow out my candle.
Now she's not smiling anymore. She looks unsure because I haven't said anything, so I get up and walk over to her. I turn her chair sideways and kneel down in front of her.
“Oh, my Lord!” Maria realizes what was on my plate, and there is a huge commotion at the table. “Addy, you're the sweetest little thing! Blaine you better say something!”
Addison does before I can. “Well, baby? Aren't you going to answer me?”
“You first.” I reach down and pull the tiny box out of my pocket, opening it up to her wide blue eyes. The silence is deafening.
Her breath hitches at the sight of the open box, but no sound comes out of her mouth. “Blaine…I...I...yes!” She hugs me so tightly I'm almost winded, and I float out of my shoes, straight out of the house.
“The drizzle! Look at the drizzle everyone!” Maria holds up my plate, the cheesecake slice slowly sliding downward. “Does anyone have a camera? We are not missing out on capturing this memory!”
Everyone around the table congratulates us and jokes how truly in sync we must be to have proposed to each other on the same day, without knowing the other was going to do it, too.
“Baby, you're unbelievable. You never stop surprising me. I love you so much.” I tenderly kiss her cheek, my stubble tickling her soft skin.
“I love you, too. And this ring! Blaine, it's beautiful. Thank you.” She holds out her hand for me to slide it on her finger—perfect fit.
“I asked your parents for their permission when we were in Maine.”
“When? Where was I?”
“Well, when Alex finally came home after his
sleepover
.” I nod my head toward Alex and wink. He grins back at me. “Your dad didn't even seem surprised, but your mom almost started crying.”
“Well,” my dad interrupts. “We've got to celebrate a little more now that the birthday boy is engaged!” He stands up and puts his hands on my shoulders.
“I'll get some glasses!” Maria bounces all too happily into the kitchen, and Casey follows right behind her.
I didn't think to buy champagne, but we do have wine, so I pour some in each glass. Fruit juice is for the kids, and the older boys sneer at their parents when they get passed by with the wine bottle.
“Thank you for coming to this delicious dinner that my beautiful
fiancée
has made for us.” I hold up my glass and smile. “Also for being a part of this special moment.”
“Cheers!” Everyone raises their glass and begin to clink with each extended arm around the table. If anyone had of told me that on my thirtieth birthday, my father would really hug me for the first time, and my beautiful girlfriend would propose marriage when I had every intention of asking her instead, I would have told them they were crazy. Certifiable, even.
I feel like a giant puzzle, with a thousand tiny pieces scattered everywhere
with only the outside trim put together. I realize that was me only a few months ago, and now I'm finally being completed, filled in; the full picture is almost clear.
Maria and Kelsey swarm Addison, asking her when she plans on going dress shopping, who her bridesmaids will be, and where she wants to get married.
She looks at me. “I think Blaine and I have a lot of planning to do.” She's kindly telling them she has no idea and that everything will be up to the two of us…
I
think
.
“Well, we are here, sweetie. Anything you need, you ask!”
T
hey both hug her tightly, Maria laughs softly. “We’ve got a lot of connections!”
Jeremiah slides his chair closer to mine. “Looks like the ring was a hit.” He takes a chug of his wine, and in my happy moment, I have a twinge of sadness for him. I wish he could feel as happy I was right now.