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ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ ᴏɴᴇ, ❝ ᴡɪꜱʜ ʟɪꜱᴛ/ᴅᴏɢꜱ❞
𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐀 𝐇𝐎𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃
María couldn't believe she had two sixteen-year-olds. She didn't think she would break down as much as she would last year when Bear turned sixteen but she was wrong. As she lay in bed with August's feet in her face, she couldn't help but that her babies weren't babies anymore. Hell— August didn't want her mom's help with tying her shoes anymore. Bear had his first job and Winter has a crush that she accidentally found out from Ava somehow.
Was this how her mom felt when she was a teenager? God, she owes her an apology and flowers. In a matter of hours, Winter would be waking up a new person, she hoped her baby would still be a baby.
𝟏𝟔, 𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐌𝐒𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐇𝐘
"shhh, you going to wake her," The muffled voice of Winter's older brother flushed out her dreams returning her to their small three-bedroom apartment. "nun uh, you going wake her!", August had never been good at whispering she had a voice that was made for a crowd. "August," her mother's honey-like voice spoke almost tempting her to open her eyes.
It grew silent for a moment as Winter slowly returned to her sleep. Until the sound of paws hit the floor, and the bed dipped. No, Appa, not you too, Winter thought. Her eyes opened to see the puppy's face along with the smiling faces of her family.
"Happy birthday!" they sang in unison, the happy barks of their family dog Appa sang along. Winter's eyes shifted to her mother who had seemed to conjure up a stack of lopsided pancakes that had the candles 𝟏𝟔 on the top. Winter couldn't help but smile though her eyes were still clouded with sleep.
"Blow the candles out Winny," Honey spoke, as she covered the flame of the candles. Her eyes closed and it felt like she was dreaming again and she made her first birthday wish of the day. Though, unrealistic, Winter wished for the same thing every morning for the past four-plus years.
Winter blew the candles out and the room grew dark again.
"ARE YOU SURE 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐒 EVER𝐘𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘?" Maria squinted at the list of party guests for Winter's sweet sixteen. She had expected a short list but not this short. There had only been fifteen people on the list and most were Maria's colleagues and friends who Winter had met multiple times before.
The birthday girl nodded finishing the last of her blueberry and chocolate pancakes, as she shared with her sister. Winter didn't mind, obviously, and August didn't either. "Mom, you know, Winter doesn't have any fr— ow!" Winter's hand collided with Bear's shaved head.
