CHAPTER EIGHT
Bringing Joy to the Birthday Boy
He couldn’t help himself…
The entire living room, kitchen, and bedroom were flooded with red and white glowing candles, low playing love songs, and Valentine’s Day paper cut-outs and decorations from the local party shop. He knew it was his birthday and that Addison was coming by soon, but there was something special about today, something he couldn’t quite explain. He couldn’t and wouldn’t be satisfied with receiving and not giving—after all, he got immense pleasure from sharing joy, especially with someone as special as Addison. There was a vibe in the air that made him stir-crazy, one that forced a need to blend the two holidays into one.
Maybe it was the frantic movements of all the guys he’d seen earlier in the day rushing into the drug stores to purchase last minute large heart-shaped boxes of assorted chocolates, sickeningly sweet ‘I Love You So Much’ cards, a dozen red roses from a stranger on the corner, and overpriced perfumes from the locked counters at the department stores. Perhaps it was the memory of him and his brother sitting around their big, round kitchen table drawing crayon pictures for their mother with choppy red and pink lines on bright yellow paper, drowning in the smell of freshly poured glue, and glitter spreading all over the place. He smiled as that memory worked its way within his mind.
I’d forgotten all about that… She loved those cards we gave her.
Just as the thought entered his mind, his cellphone rang. He looked at the caller ID and swallowed.
He finally answered on the fourth ring as he headed to his stove to stir the pot of sauce. “Hello.”
“Heeey, baby.” Mom’s voice was chock full of alcohol-induced emotion. “Happy bir…birthday…”
“Thank you, Mom.”
“I uh, tried to call you earlier today but you didn’t answer.”
“Yeah, I was at work…real busy.”
“You’re always workin’.” She sighed loudly. “You shoulda taken off for your birthday… had some fun. My Valentine’s baby.”
“I’m off now, actually.”
“That’s good. I know you and… shit, what’s her name? I guess it doesn’t matter since you said you two broke up… You uh, you got a new Valentine?” She chuckled. He had a feeling she didn’t care either way and was just making small talk.
“I actually—”
“You have a date with a pretty girl tonight?” The lady coughed so hard, it sounded like her lung was coming up, too.
“Yeah… she’s on her way over, actually.”
“Mmmm, what’s ’er name?”
“Addison…”
He closed his eyes and regrouped. Mom’s drinking had gotten pervasively worse in the last two months, as if that were even possible. He wasn’t certain what was driving the already raging habit into full throttle overdrive. She’d been drunk off her ass just about every night, and he’d had to leave work on trumped up excuses. He’d talked the police out of taking her away once again; in fact, he and one of the officers were now on a first name basis but he was sure his luck would soon run out. Everyone was tired of Mom’s shit. He’d given the landlord two months extra rent, asking him please not kick her out, and even that didn’t guarantee a promise from the man.
Mom had been a good tenant until this year, so her history worked on her behalf, but how long would that last? He didn’t think things could get much worse over the years, but she’d managed to prove him wrong. Late rent when she had the money was a new reoccurring theme due to forgetfulness from her alcoholic haze. She also engaged in disorderly conduct with neighbors over the most trivial of things—people she used to be cordial with. Those relationships were now damaged beyond repair. And then, the latest situation: threatening bodily harm to her neighbors in repeated drunken stupors.
Drunken stupors? It suddenly hit him. Mom was rarely drunk on his birthday. In fact, he only recalled one time when that happened, and in fairness to her, at the time she’d just found out her best friend had been killed in a motorcycle accident.
He recalled one of his most beloved birthday memories. The memory unfolded like tiny, purple paper hearts fluttering from the sky…
On his 7th birthday, he was sick with the flu. It sucked. He was going to miss being able to pass out the brownies with all the crunchy walnuts his mom had made, way before it seemed everyone had a nut allergy. A little girl named Peg was in his class and he’d made her a special card. Mom had even bought him a pack of stickers to decorate it with. But, Peg would never receive it…
Mom kept him home and fixed him a big bowl of chicken soup, read him his favorite stories, and baked a large vanilla cake. He got to watch cartoons and plenty of movies; the action-packed ones were the best. She handed him a big box full of brand new toy cars and played Go Fish with him in between giving him nasty doses of medicine and pain relievers. Sometime during that day, she stood up on a chair peering down at him and opened her hands. Out poured pieces of shimmery confetti and little purple paper hearts. Before he knew it, the stuff was all over the place, covering his bed, his foot that poked out from the corner of his white sheets, and his hair. He laughed and clapped as she made a show of it.
That was a Valentine’s Day he’d never forget. Mom was stone cold sober. She looked pretty, clean, smelled good, her hair combed. She spoke coherently and didn’t yell and scream. She took care of him and his baby brother. That day, she was a good mom. A very good mom…
“Aiden, did you hear me, son?
“Uh, sorry… no. What did you say?”
“Where’d you meet her at?”
“Work. Mom, I gotta go. Thanks for calling me and wishing me a happy birthday.”
“Can you stop by sometime later today? Something is wrong with the bathroom sink.”
“No, Mom, I can’t. My girlfriend is coming to see me, remember? Call the management agency. That’s what they’re there for. If they can’t help, then they’ll call someone who can. I’ll talk to you later.” When he ended the call, anger soared within him until his ears burst with hot steam like the pot bubbling on the stovetop. He gave the pasta sauce a few good stirs but couldn’t concentrate. Snatching his phone back off the counter, he dialed his brother.
“Hey, I thought you had a date tonight, birthday boy?”
“I do. Can you please stop sending Mom my way?!”
“What are you talking about?”
“Cut the shit, Perry. I know you told her to call me because you didn’t want to be bothered. Are you trying to ruin this for me? What the hell? Why would you do that?!”
Perry sighed on the other end. “I didn’t tell ’er to call you, Aiden. I only reminded her that it was your birthday because I knew she’d forget.”
“She never forgets either of our birthdays. She already called me earlier, too.”
“But she was drunk…anything was possible.”
Silence wove itself between them for a spell.
“Okay, well, thank you very fuckin’ much, Perry. This was just you looking out for me, huh? Man, bull! Did she tell you about the damn sink?”
“Yeah…”
“Well then you knew she was going to fucking call me, regardless of the birthday or not. Don’t even try to play me like that.” Perry exhaled loudly on the other end.
“All right. Sorry, man… I didn’t think she’d call right away though. I told ’er you were having company. Look, relax. You know Mom is—”
“Once again, you don’t want to deal with her. I have to be Captain-Save-A-Drunk 24-fuckin’-7! Not tonight; I’m not doing it! Tonight is mine, you hear me?!” He stabbed himself with his index finger in the chest, boiling to the point of no return… like the pasta sauce before him.
“Mom just needs—”
“What about what I need, huh? Nobody gives a shit about what Aiden needs. No one even asks. She’s a manipulator and full of shit! That’s what this disease has done to her, okay? The mom we had when we were little is dead! I can’t take much more of this. I have warned both of you the last few months, Perry. I am telling you straight up that something bad is going to happen if she either doesn’t go to rehab, or you give me some help here.”
“How can I help you when she only yells at me and doesn’t listen?! You act like I am enjoying this, Aiden, I’m not. She doesn’t do that with you… you’re different.”
“I’m not different. I just tell her the truth, period. She knows I’m on the edge but her addiction keeps forcing her to push me anyway. You know, it’s funny how you didn’t address what I said earlier in this phone call.”
“What?”
“That nobody even asks me how I am doing or what I think anymore. They just do whatever and call me when everything falls the fuck apart. No one wants to listen to me or take my advice before whatever it is they are doing explodes in their face, but the minute shit falls apart, who do they call? Good ol’ Aiden Summers. I’ve had it! You and Mom need to give me some space… I am pissed at both of you at this point. Her, because she’s been fucking up for years. She knows it but is too selfish to address it and won’t stop. And you for being a deserter and enabler, letting me carry this burden all of this time.”
“Aiden, calm down,” Perry said lazily as if it were just a minor hiccup in the fabric of life, but Aiden could feel in his heart he’d reached a crossroads.
The gall… the nerve. No more…
“Look, I’m sorry. You’re right, okay? You never really speak up until you’re at your breaking limit and I think that’s why Mom keeps doing what she’s doing. I… I can’t handle her, Aiden, I just can’t. I’m sorry, but I can’t. I’m not built for it. I can’t stomach it. I tried, but she’s just too much. I need to live my life, man. We only get one.”
“Do you know how many dates I had to cancel in the past because of her? Do you have even a fraction of a clue about how many times I’ve had to ask for a flexible work schedule because of Mom but had to blame it on other stuff? How well do you think that makes me look for a promotion, huh?” He was met with silence. “Do you know how much sleep I’ve lost worrying about Mom over the years? And now I’m just numb. I don’t feel anything at all. Do you realize how this has impacted my life? Either you don’t, or you just don’t care!”
“Aw, Aiden! Come on! You know good and damn well that—”
“Stop pawning her off on me. She’s your mother, too. You want to be alone with your girlfriend tonight. Well, guess what? I want to have a stress-free evening, too…one I can enjoy, all right? I want off this hamster wheel, but you all just won’t let it happen. It’s like you want me to explode!” He laughed dismally as he snatched open a cabinet door and grabbed the garlic powder. “She’s so egotistical that she asked if I had plans tonight. I confirmed it and she still asked me to come over.”
“No, I don’t want you to explode, Aiden. And we both know it’s just to keep her company because she hates being alone.”
“She left me and you alone for most of our life in her own way. We barely got to see the sober version of Mom so she now can deal with being alone, too—see how she likes it for a change. I am tired of this shit.”
He abruptly disconnected the call with Perry before the man could utter another word. He was all talked and excused out.
Aiden went about his duties in the kitchen, his chest heaving a mile a minute. Pausing several times, he took deep breaths, trying to reel himself in, convince himself that everything would be fine if he just pushed it all out of his mind. Turning off the pasta sauce he added a few seasonings, then dashed to his hall bathroom and sprinkled water on his face. He checked himself out in the mirror, ran his fingers through his hair and looked at his reflection long and hard…
Just then, the doorbell rang. He hung his head, sighed, turned off the bathroom light, and made his way to his front door. Throwing on an award-winning smile, he opened the door and thrust his arms wide open.
“Welcome! Give me a hug, beautiful.” He pulled her into his arms and squeezed her so tight, he hoped and prayed she couldn’t feel his anxiety, and detect how his world was colored in the most depressing of hues. She felt so good in his embrace. He inhaled the sweet scent of her hair and pretended for just a moment that life was good… life was great. When he finally released her, she stepped inside and chuckled, her hands full of bags and whatnots.
“Be right back.” She set the bags down on the nearby couch. “Your dessert is in the car. Gotta go back and get it.”
“I can grab it. Let me help.”
“No, no, no. I’ve got it.”
In less than a minute, she returned with a big box and a smile on her face. He closed and locked the door behind her, then she carefully placed the cake near the bags.
“Damn.” They both burst out laughing. Her coat was hanging open, revealing a blood red cat suit with matching high heels. The dark, shiny waves of her hair were slicked back, and her lips were covered in bright red lipstick. A seductress was she… “You look… just wow. You look amazing.”
“Thank you. I’m glad you like what you see. I have some birthday surprises for you here.” She motioned towards the bags sitting on the couch. “But, uh, I see you just couldn’t make this your special day, could you? You had to share it.” She shot him a ‘shame on you’ glance before turning away to take a gander at the place, all decked out with assorted decorations.
“Look, it’s Valentine’s Day. You’re my date, so you know I couldn’t just not do anything at all. Besides, we can celebrate both. Let me take your coat.” She placed her purse on a nearby lamp stand as he helped usher the camel jacket off her, revealing her outfit in its entirety.
Oh…my…goodness.
He bit his lower lip as he looked her up and down, refusing to even attempt to hide his budding lust. Turning away with reluctance, he hung up her coat in the nearby hall closet.
“Hey, I want to put your birthday cake in the kitchen. It’s over here, right?” She pointed towards the arched doorway, decorated with heart shaped lights.
“Yeah.” Her heels clicked across the hardwood floor as she carefully carried the sweet concoction. He followed close behind her with the bags filled with assorted, colorful tissue papers.
“How cute!” She looked at the flickering heart shaped lights, then entered the kitchen tossing her sights here and there. “Oh, my goodness, something smells good.” She set the cake down on the island. “I swear you are trying to blow my fitness goals here and we’re only two months into the new year!”
“Hey.” He pointed to the stove to show off his handiwork. “Gotta feed the soul. Angel hair pasta with pesto, fettuccini with grilled chicken, garlic bread, salad… nothing major, but I love Italian food.”
He set the bags on the island beside the cake, but before he could say another word she turned towards him and grabbed him close. He landed in her warm arms, enfolded in an all-consuming embrace. Addison wrapped herself around his body, and planted a sweet, needy kiss against his lips. Sliding his arms around her waist, he returned the favor, this time tasting with his tongue. As he slowly caressed her arms, his breathing slowed and his calm returned as she took over his senses, made herself at home in his soul. Who knew how much time passed with them like that? But too soon, they both seemed to awaken from a daydream, reluctantly letting one another go.
“Have a seat in the dining room. I’ll get everything on the table.”
“Not on your life. I am helping.” She walked over to the island and pulled the cake out of the protective box covering. His brow rose when he saw the name on the white box: Mousse Boutique.
“How in the world did you get a cake from them so last minute?” The Mousse Boutique was well known for pricey, rich, one-of-a-kind desserts and pastries, and you simply didn’t walk in there and pick something up. No, it took weeks, sometimes months of planning to get your hands on one and when you did, it was typically at some monumental gathering such as a wedding or 21st birthday gala.
“Well, it just so happens that my sister owns several florist shops and she does a lot of weddings so she pulled some strings for me.”
“Wow! It’s good to know people in high places, huh?” He laughed as he gave the cake a closer inspection.
HAPPY 32nd BIRTHDAY AIDEN –
You’re the perfect Valentine.
The white cake was framed in red trim and hearts, with roses that looked unbelievably real. In fact, he did a double take and surmised that they were.
“Today I turn thirty-two and it’s the first time I’ve ever had anyone do something like this for me.”
“I find that hard to believe!” She leaned against the counter and crossed her ankles. “Surely you must’ve had birthday parties, people over, friends, girlfriends who treated you to a good time on your special day, Aiden?”
“Well, yeah, of course. I’ve had parties, girlfriends that bought me birthday and Valentine’s Day gifts, but I am talking about going the extra mile like this.” He looked into her eyes. “It’s the thought that counts. I mean, look at you.” He stepped back from her and licked his lips in appreciation. “You got all dressed up in this sexy ass red number for me.” Her complexion deepened from his words. “You got one of the best bakeries in the entire city to make me a cake at the last second, a gorgeous cake at that, and you’ve got all those bags over there. No telling what’s in them. I told you to just come over and chill with me and well, you did all of this instead. That’s nice… thank you. You’re thoughtful.”
Closing the distance between them, she pressed her lips to his.
“You don’t have to thank me. It was my pleasure. Okay, so do you want to open your gifts now or later?”
“Later. Let’s eat first. Now I mean it.” He pointed towards the dining room. “Go have a seat and I am going to bring in your dinner. I just put the pasta on, it’ll be al dente and ready in just a sec. What type of dressing do you want for your salad?”
“Do you have balsamic?”
“Yes, I do. Kick off your shoes and get comfortable. I hope you know that you’re all that I needed tonight. All of this extra stuff you did is just the icing on top…”