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Something was burning. That was the first thing David noticed, even before he opened his eyes.
He could hear his father downstairs. He got up and went down to the kitchen.
Conrad had just pulled something out of the oven. A cake. David blinked at it, surprised. He hadn’t expected this.
“You’re up,” Conrad said. He smiled. “Happy birthday, David.”
“Um, thanks.” David smiled back, but it felt fake.
“You okay?” Conrad asked.
David shifted uncomfortably. How could he explain he’d never really liked his birthday? He didn’t want to sound ungrateful.
“Is it because your mother isn’t here to celebrate with us?” Conrad asked. His voice was so quiet David almost didn’t hear him.
“I mean… yeah, it’s weird,” David admitted. “It’s the first one without her.” He looked away. “And, well, I’ve never really liked birthdays.” Being the center of attention had never been his favorite thing. “The earliest thing I remember is my fourth birthday. When Mom’s sister hugged me.” His breath hitched. He wrapped his arms around himself. “And I couldn’t breathe. And I didn’t understand it at the time.”
Conrad stood there silently, listening.
“And then my eighth birthday was the one where I… locked myself away,” David said. “And then Mom died so soon after my sixteenth birthday…”
“I get it,” Conrad said. He looked down at the cake as if unsure what to do with it now.
“But I do appreciate this,” David added. “Maybe… maybe this one doesn’t have to be bad.”
Conrad smiled. He quickly frosted the cake and brought it over with some lit candles.
David paused as he tried to think of a wish. Last year, there would have been lots of things he would’ve wanted: friends, a cure for his curse, to not exist maybe… But now there wasn’t much he would change.
He just wanted to keep being okay.
He leaned forward and blew out the candles.
“Happy birthday, David,” Conrad said.
“Thanks, Dad.” David held out his hand. Conrad held his out too. Close but not touching.
I’d hug you, but this will have to do.