Ash

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

When the night was over we got to the gifts. I didn't expect as many as we got for something thrown together so impromptu but my friends never seize to amaze me.

From Rikky I received a very nice pair of Ray-Bans. From Paul we got the identical silver flasks- the perfect gift according to him, seeing as we are now legally allowed to use it. The whispered conversation that occurred a little distance away from us but still within my earshot after then went something like this:

Rikky: How could you get them that? That's such a stupid gift!

Paul: It wasn't stupid. It was a coming of age present.

Rikky: Oh my goodness! What do I do with you?

Paul: Hey, quit criticizing me! They liked it!

And indeed I did, even though I knew I would probably never use it. I had a feeling Danny felt similar by the smile we shared after both eavesdropping on their conversation.

Mark promised to send me the photos he took the next week and gave me a small red box with a black ribbon tied around it which I didn't open till much later. I discovered it was a lovely silver necklace with a small note in the box.

Happy birthday. I think this'll look lovely on you.

Oh Mark. I don't know what he gave Danny. From Jez I got a huge hug and a whisper in my ear.

"I've learnt this spell for transfiguration, and I can literally transport any object anywhere that I want it to go, so your present from me is in your closet. And I don't hate the vampire."

I smiled when she said that, even though I found it creepy that she or any witch could automatically transfer objects into my room without even entering the house first, but glad that only gifts were transported to me and not a dead chipmunk or live vampire bat.

I hugged her back and thanked her again. Later I discovered my gift from her was a ravishing pair of really expensive looking shoes. How she saves up for these things I don't know. For all I know witches can't conjure money.

I went with Evans's suggestion and gave Danny the watch. Then we brought out the Tom Brady helmet Evans disappeared for ten seconds to get. I think the last time I saw him that ecstatic was when he was twelve years old and he finally got that bike he'd wanted for two years. He near crushed me with his hug. I can't remember the last time he hugged me that way. Jeez, we really need to work on our relationship more. He even gave Evans a half hug, which I think shocked him as much as it shocked us when his hype had died down.

In the week that passed afterwards things were smooth. I don't know if it's Rick that's gotten tired of sending or attorney Adams that's gotten tired of delivering but neither he nor his employer has bothered us. Danny and I eventually had the long conversation we had been putting off for ages, the one that revolved around us, Mom Lillian and Dad. He found it easier to believe Mrs Smith is in cahoots with Dad than to accept what Mom did, despite hearing it from me and Aunt Jenny. I would've thought he'd have more faith in me by now. I have ended up knowing a lot of things before he did in the past year. But I understand that he's still in denial. He was always closer to her than I was, and it's out of respect to her that he refuses to admit her sins aloud. I leave him be. He needs more time, so I'll give it to him.

My phone rings late on Friday afternoon. It's Lillian.

"Hi," I say into the receiver, listening with my headphones as I flip through the pages of Jane Eyre.

"You didn't tell me last Friday was your birthday," she says, sounding pouty.

"You never get tired of knowing things you shouldn't," I reply, wondering yet again how she discovered that.