My Blood, Your Bones - Phan

Chapter 14 - Happy Birthday

Dan's POV

I proudly spent many more days with Phil. Before, he would still avoid meals or eat very minimal with me when we first met. Now Phil will eat up to three meals a day, or sometimes two with a few snacks. Junk and fattening foods still made him weary. It didn't seem like something that would go away for a long time. I was just happy he was eating at all. Often, he shared or gave me some of his food, so I tried to make it fun. We once had a bag of Jelly Beans to share, so I blind-folded him and made him guess the flavors. Sometimes I would feed him, and call him "cute." He seemed to like that.

Phil had just barely made healthy weight when we last weighed him. He was finally proud of himself, which lightened my heart. Though still skinny, Phil's body looked entirely transformed. His bones weren't visible. His eyes were lively, and his skin wasn't a ghostly pale. He had energy. In fact, he wanted to go outside more often. Now that it was warm, I promised him I would take him. Beth told me that the patients were really not allowed to go out very often, but that she trusted me to take care of him. Whenever I could, and whenever he wanted to, I would show Phil around, holding his hand to guide him. Since I lived so close to the rehab center, I showed him my house, but did not let him inside, for fear that my dad would be home.

Dad has been going out even more as the date of mum's death approached. He often didn't come home for days at a time. God knows what he was doing, the drunk bastard. I didn't want Phil to see him, though he knew about him. I was pretty sure Dad knew that I was out every day visiting someone somewhere, but never cared to inquire about it. I was fine with that.

When a day I dreaded finally came, I reluctantly went to see Phil again. I was hoping he would forget so we wouldn't make a big deal about it. Today was the first birthday without my mother. I was eighteen today.

When I walked in, Phil covered my eyes and dragged me to his room. He uncovered them, and a small group of people shouted "Surprise!"

"What's this?" I asked, laughing a bit.

"Happy birthday, Dan!" Phil said, hugging me. "I put a little party together for you. Do you like it?"

I looked around. It was much more than the graduation party he threw me before. There were balloons and a new banner, saying "Happy Birthday Dan!" A few of the nurses I knew were there, including Beth and her sister, Mrs. Grace. There was a cake with two candles, a "1" and an "8" next to it. Phil grinned cutely.

"I love it," I said, hugging him. "Thank you so much!"

Beth pulled out a match and flicked it, lighting the candles. The group began to sing "Happy Birthday" to me. I hadn't been treated so kindly in so long.

I caught up with everyone and spoke with them. Phil stayed with me the whole time. Beth offered to cut the cake, and handed me a slice – chocolate with vanilla icing. It was sweet and sugary, but tasty nonetheless. Then she offered one to Phil. He seemed to have anticipated that she would. He and I both knew there was no way that cake was fat free. He looked at me pleadingly to get out of it.

"It's really good," I told him. "You should just try some."

He very subtly shook his head no. "It's for you, not me. I already had breakfast today, I swear."

I took his hand. "You're allowed to eat, Phil." I forked a small piece for him. "Just try it, ok?"

He opened his mouth and let me feed him. His face scrunched, but the flavor seemed to finally – after so long of only seeing the bad in it versus the pleasure – get to him. He smiled. "It's good," he giggled.

"A small one then?"

"Ok."

Beth cut him a slice, nice and small for him to enjoy. Mrs. Grace approached me.