"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear bird. Happy birthday to you."
Opening my eyes I see my friends gathered around my bed. Trying to go back to sleep I pull the blankets over myself.
"Oh naw you dinny, get yer ars up." Shouts lee jumping in my bed fighting me for the blanket.
"Go away pencil dick," I shout trying to hold on to them.
"Och I dinny have a pencil dick ye cheeky fanny." Yells lee.
" that's not what charlean Golden said." comes Natalie voice.
" Why would you listing to that cow fer.? She's had more sausages then Tesco and that's saying something." lee shouts.
With a final tug, he rips the blanket off me going flying off the bed.
"Hope yer hurt," I shout laughing.
Rolling her eyes Natalie tells me to get up so I can open my presents.
"But it's too early." I try to say.
"Naw it's naw. I've been on a plane stayed up most of the night for you. I'm still living on Scottish time and I've naw complained as much you have ." She shouts before they all walkout. Cursing them I get up. Throwing on a pair of socks and a morning gown I quickly make my way downstairs.
Entering the kitchen I see everyone there. Well not everyone. Lucas can't make it today and as much as I'm trying I'm upset. I haven't seen him in two years and by the gods I miss him. I wasn't looking forward to today. Don't get me wrong in shoot my friends hear but I and dad had something planned for my eighteenth.
Walking over mum to me pulls me in for a hug.
"I can't believe my baby is eighteen. Where has the time gone.?"
Hugging her back briefly I give her a small smile.
Thomas comes next and holds out his arms. I step into it taking the hug provided.
"Happy birthday Keira." he lets out given me a kiss on top of my head.
I step away and head towards the table. Directly in the middle of the table are at least forty presents. I get to work. After twenty minutes I'm done. I have new shoes, jewelry a belt, and a new phone. Giving them all a smile I thank them before getting up to go away.
"Wait." says Lee. Looking in a bag that's beside him he pulls out an Envelope.
"This is from Scott, he told me to give it to you."
Looking down a million feelings wash over me.
"You don't have to open it bird."
It says my name in bold letters. I will open it, I just think right now isn't the time.
"You've naw opened mine yet. Here," says Natalie changing the subject.
Taking a box-shaped present I open it. What's inside makes me catch my breath.
In an oak brown frame is a picture of me and my dad.
It's the last one us together. He has his arm around me and a bottle of Buckfast in the other. I've got my two arms around his neck smiling at the camera. I remember this photo getting took. We had been drinking that night and he asked Natalie to get a photo of us. I can remember everything about that night. I even remember the smell. Tears well up in my eyes and I start crying. Two years and the pain still hasn't gone. I'd give anything to talk to him one more time. He told me when I turned eighteen me and him would go to the top of Scotland. Camp there and watch birds and stars all day and night.
Life is so cruel. Why did he have to die?. It's not fair? This is the best gift I have ever received.
Everyone is quiet and the only thing you can hear is my sobs. Leaving everything except the picture I get up and run up to my room.
Shutting my room door I fall on the floor breaking my heart. After an hour the sobs stop and I calm down. picking myself up I head over to my bed and place the picture on the nightstand.
We both look so happy. To think he died two weeks after that was taking.
My phone chooses to ring at that moment. looking down I can see that it's Lucas.
"Hello."
"Hey, princess happy birthday. " comes his voice.
"Thank you." I manage to get out.
"What's wrong.?" he asks worry laced in his tone.
"Nothing I'm just emotional, you know big eighteen and all that." I try to joke.
"princess what's wrong and no lies this time."
"Nothing really, Natalie got me a photo of me and my dad and it um kind of made me emotional." I manage to get out.
He's quiet for a few moments.
"It will get easier, he wouldn't want you upset on your birthday Keira."
"I know it's just" blowing out a breath I continue.
"We had plans you know.? He used to talk about my eighteenth a lot and it's really hitting me he's not hear for it. Anyway, talk to me about something else I've cried, enough."
"Well, Karen in-floor forty-two is having an affair with her co-worker." he rattles off.
We talk about his work for a while before he tells me he has to go.
"I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday and tell you I wish I could be there."
" Yeah me too," I confess.
After a pause he says.
" I think that maybe the first time you have said that princess."
Feeling my cheeks heat I tell him goodbye before hanging up the phone. That was awkward. Taking one last look at the picture I smile sadly before going into the bathroom and getting a shower.
Being my birthday me and my friends decided to spend the day in the city. We went to times square, empire state building. All the time I've been here in New York I've never explored it.
"I want one of the hats." says Lee rushing over to a woman who has a stall set up.
Picking one up he pops it on before turning around and making us take a picture of him.
"Get my good side." yells lee posing.
I'm in a fit of laughing. Hs even doing the duckface.
Alex, Mia Jason, and Steve came with us.
With all of them here I've been distracted enough I'm not thinking about my dad or Scott. Before we leave to head home we stop at a vendor and buy corn dogs.
"I've never had one. I'm so excited about this." Ryan says excitedly rubbing his hands waiting for the man to hand them out.
"I want three they smell fuckin amazing." says Lee.
"You eat three of them you never going to get off the toilet." Natalie speaks her face scrunching up.
"I'll be fine I'm a growing boy." lee says blowing her a kiss.
Rolling her eyes she turns away facing me.
"Bird I'm sorry about the picture this morning. If I Kent you would act like that I would have waited." she tells me softly.
Waving my hand I tell her.
"Don't worry about it. I was just feeling emotional."
"You sure." she asks me.
"Positive. Besides I'm having a great time. I'm just glad your hear nat." I say given her a quick hug.
Once we have all our food we make our way back towards the car.
"Your friends are something else." says Alex smiling.
Swallowing a bite I nod my head.
"That they are. I grew up with them. They're more like family. " I try and say with a mouth full of food.
She looks at me and smiles sadly.
"I'm glad you have people that care about you Keira." she quietly says.
Before I can ask what she meant we reach the cars.
"Right I'm heading home. See you all later.?" asks Alex.
"Sure seven remember." shouts lee before calling shotgun in my car.
"Why what is happening at seven.?" I ask them confused.
"None of the yer business nosey cunt, get me back to yours I think I might have eaten too much." comes lee rubbing his stomach.
"I swear to you right now, if you vomit in my car. I'll make you clean it." I swear to him my eyes narrowed.
He laughs as I get in to the car making the drive back home.