HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU…
"Happy Sixth Birthday, Dwaine!"
--Thunder Clap—
BOOM!!!
"Ah! Mommy, I'm scared!" I shrieked in fear as I hide under my blanket.
"Shh… it's alright sweetheart. Mommy's here. Happy Birthday..!" Mom comforted me while she lifts the strawberry vanilla cake beside me.
Birthday..? I always hated my birthday. If I can make a day disappear, then that'll be the day that I was born. Given that my birth date is a dreadful disaster. It is a curse, a bane that has haunted me for years. And it scares me more than anything else. Because when I age, I get to face a lot of adversity.
One usual phenomenon is that, it always rained upon my birthday. And the last time, I got severely ill. Then another moment is that it got me into a big trouble. And at all times, my parents are always away and they come home late every evening. And now today, of all days, it stormed.
Currently, it was pouring hard outside and the thunder claps are not sparing me a chance of peace and serenity. The wind is howling wild and the power was cut. And now, I hated it even more. But mom takes this opportunity and improvised a light stick late birthday party celebration to brighten up the day.
This was actually the first time that she got home early and cooked me a cake. As a matter of fact, I wasn't thinking about celebrating anymore. Because hiding all day in my room and playing home alone all throughout these years has gotten into me. I can't help to feel very upset. However mom, she was my superwoman and she always tries her hardest to make it up for me. I am grateful for it and I couldn't ask for more.
"Mom," I called out to her.
"Yes, sweatheart?" she replied.
"Where's dad?" I asked.
"He's coming home soon, my dear." She responded quickly.
"Is he?" I doubted.
"Your dad is as stubborn as a lemming my darling. And I'm sure there is nothing that can hold off your daddy's return. Not even the storm honey." My mom assured me.
"(Sighs) I hope so," I didn't believed her.
"Why, don't give me that look. Today's your birthday sweetheart, you should have a smile. Come on, show me that white teeth of yours." My mom tried to cheer me up.
"(Smiles unwillingly) is this enough?" I tried to put on a fake smile.
"Come on baby girl, you don't wanna make your mama sad, will you? Trust me, anytime soon your father will arrive. And while we are waiting, why not blow your candle and make a wish. So, what do you say..?"Mom convinced me.
"(Sighs) Alright," I agreed and shut my eyes to make a wish. "I wish… that in my next birthday, me, mom, and dad will finally have to go out together to celebrate my seventh birthday (blows)." I wished and blew the candle.
Mom suddenly went silent the moment she heard my desperate wish. She looks at me in the eye for a second filled with remorse and sadness. She was so deep stricken that a tear fell from her eyes unwillingly. Right away, she noticed this and snuck her face away from me to wipe the tears from her eyelids.
After a few moments of emotional recovery, she took a deep breath and hugged me tenderly as much as she could. Kisses me in the cheeks, then in the forehead, and caressed my hair leisurely. She patted my back and leaned against me to console with my misfortunes.
"Next time, honey… I promise… we will go to wherever you want together to celebrate your seventh birthday." Mom began to give her word.
"With daddy..?" I added.
"Yes, with daddy." Mom agreed
"Hooray! But…" I doubted again.
"What is it honey?" mom asked.
"(Sighs) I bet it'll rain again. And we will never be able to celebrate together." I was saddened.
"Oh, is that what you're worrying about? Not a problem honey. I swear, rain or shine we will go out together with daddy to celebrate your seventh birthday. Now, would that satisfy you?" mom makes a guarantee.
"You promise," I pressed her.
"I promise, cross my heart, hope to die." Mom took an oath and kisses me again in the forehead.
"I love you mommy." I hugged her back.
"Love you too, honey."
Me and my mom savor the moments of silence as we patiently wait for dad's return. I was lying on my bed and mom was leaning beside me. Not long and I started to yawn. I began to felt very dizzy and would almost fell to sleep. After a while, the door suddenly opened and dad hurriedly entered.
I was losing conscious when mom noticed this and quickly took dad outside. Mom closed the door and took dad with her. I went out of my bed and was intrigue to sneak a quick peek upon them. I steal a look over a small opening and quietly observed my mom and dad who were discussing outside my room.
"James, just where the f*cking hell have you been? Today is your daughter's birthday and you've returned too late in the evening while it was raining hard outside. She has been locking herself in the room for the whole day and now it's time for sleep. Now, how do you think she'll gonna like that? Answer me James!" Mom started to argue with dad.
"I'm so sorry Anna, please understand. I was so caught up with so many things that I almost missed my plane back home. But thankfully enough I get to hitch to Steve's caravan. So please honey, please forgive me." Dad explained.
"No, James Kingsleigh! Don't give me an excuse. Birthday only happens once in a year. Once in a year James! And your daughter only needs one day for you to do that. But you can't even do it. And now, you're even defending yourself for it. Well, aren't you sorry for her?" Mom continued the argument.
"I-I'm really sorry, truly, and if… if there's another word for sorry, I would say it. Please, Anna… please… let me talk to my daughter." Dad pleaded.
"Tch (exhales sharply). Go on, talk to her. She's been waiting all day and night for you. You better make up to her James. Don't upset your daughter." Mom sternly warned him and left the room to take the cake back downstairs.
When mom finally left, dad began to put his things down on the floor and wipes his face from soaking wet in the rain. He took off his jacket and settled on his shirt on. He brushes his hair up, looks in the mirror and tried to put on a smile on his tired face. He let out a sigh and pulled something from his jacket. He took it with him and went to enter into my room.
Seeing him incoming, quickly I dashed into my bed and hurriedly put on the blanket to pretend that I was already asleep. By and by, the door opened and dad slowly walks into the corner of my room. He sits down on my bed and looks at me closely. Unexpectedly, my nose twitched and he repressed a laugh. Getting caught, he pinched my nose lightly that I flustered and decided to wake up.
"Let go daddy!" I swayed his big hands.
"Well, aren't you the little pretender, little miss?" My dad caught me.
"Hmph! You returned home too late again, daddy. Have you forgotten my birthday?" I angrily complained while a pouted my mouth at him.
"Well, can't you forgive an old man drenched in the rain princess?" Dad tried to apologize.
"Well, if you could have brought a raincoat or an umbrella with you then maybe that's better. I would let you borrow mine if you don't have one." I told him.
"But your body's too small for me buttercup. I might rip off your raincoat and the umbrella might not protect me at all. Unless I have a shrinking potion with me then perhaps that will do the trick." Dad reasoned with me.
"I think you should have the White Queen's delicacies daddy." I told him.
"White Queen?" he was shock. "Um, who was this White Queen anyway? Is she a friend?" dad asked.
"Oh, I saw her lately in my dreams and sometimes in our garden, daddy. She gave me this bread that makes me shrink and a potion that makes me very tall. And there is a weird white rabbit with her. Funny was, he was so overly conscious looking at his clock (giggles). And… and there's a talking, smiling cat that floats beside a mad hatter daddy. Do you think I'm crazy?" I asked.
"(Exhales deeply) No, you're not darling. I think you're in the right age to dream about them." Dad composedly comforted me.
"And you know what daddy, sometimes… I get to hear voices that I never knew. And they're… they're calling me…"
"Alice." Dad finished.
"Yes. Alice. Wait, how did you know daddy?" I was surprised hearing him like he knows something about this.
"Hmm, just a wild guess sweet pea…" Dad replied.
"Well, I don't believe you, because it was too precise for a wild guess. But are you sure..?" I doubted my dad.
"Nope," he answered.
"Nope..? What do you mean?" I was perplexed.
"You see, I have a telepathic ability and I can read through your mind skipper." Dad pulled a joke on me.
"Oh no you don't, you're trying to make a fool out of me again daddy. I'm not a baby anymore you know. And I've learned much. So, right now, start calling me a lady daddy. And treat me like one." I demanded.
"Oh you're callin' yourself a lady?" My dad was surprised.
"Of course, I've just added age, haven't I?" I reasoned with him.
"Pff, ok… and since you already call yourself a lady, lady bug, I believe it's time for you to have this." Dad said as he handed out a flashy trinket unto my hands that he all along held within his grasp.
"A clock locket..?" I spelled it out.
"Yup, a clock locket, that's my little genius!" Dad praised me.
"Praise me more daddy," I craved for more appreciation.
"Well, aren't you a big-headed space princess." My dad exclaimed while he pats my head affectionately.
I giggled at the thought and my father opened the locket. By and by, a soft melody perforated into the room. And inside, was a picture of me when I was still an infant cuddled in my parents' arms. I was entertained by the magnificent masterpiece and took the locket at will.
"Wow…" I was fascinated.
"Wow indeed my little sweat pea. Now, would you like to hear a bedtime story?" my dad asked.
"Oh, I'd love to daddy! Tell me, please!" I replied excitedly.
"Now that's the spirit I was looking for. You see darling, a very long time ago, in the unknown abyss of extraterrestrial space, a magnificent timepiece was built by the gods. And they called it… the 'Clock of Fate'. It is a clock that can change fate and reverses time. And it only happens by the providence of the Tempuscore at the alignment of the nine planets in the galaxy." My dad started his narration.
"Tempuscore..? What is that?" I curiously asked.
"It is the core of the Great Clock, my child. And I want you to keep it right near to your heart and never let go of it. Now, will you promise me my dear?" Dad sternly asked me as he gripped the clock locket near to my chest.
"I… I promise. So, what's next?" I lightly accepted the condition and impatiently asked for the continuation.
"What's next is you will never like my dear. The 'Clock of Fate' becomes an arsenal of greed and obliteration. It disrupted peace and brought the universe to an unstoppable warfare. Millions have been killed, planets were destroyed, and everywhere became a scarlet of clash and conflict. The rise of the Fate Manipulation is the era of bloodlust and conquering. Everyone became hungry for power and control. And winning the Great Clock is attaining the Universal Power that no one can contest against. But a string of hope arises in the midst of destruction. A young woman strong, brave and pure has found a reason to heal. So she left her throne, consoled with the lost, defied the gods, and fought against the odds. Until such to the time where she finally get a hold of the magnificent timepiece, tested to choose to sacrificed between the good of everybody, and shattered the great 'Clock of Fate' into several pieces. The conquering ended and finally the balance was once again restored." Dad finished.
"Wow, she's so brave. So what happened next?" I was engrossed to finish the story
"That my dear is a story for another time."
"Mom, Dad! Look! It's the Red Queen!" I shouted.
BEEP!!! BEEP!!!
SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!!!
---THUD---
"(Gasps) (Breathing violently) Oh, it's just a dream."
WAS IT???