I stare up at the ceiling admiring all the patterns of the white wall from above. Some places were chipped and some bumpy, I can't believe I never paid attention to my bedroom ceiling until now.
Why would you Sadie? Humans look forwards and backwards not upwards. Correction! I haven't been trying looking to look backwards for a while now. Saves me all the embarrassment.
I hear a harsh knock on my door and my mothers voice blended with it before she swings open my door. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY ELDEST BABY!"
I groan internally, there's a reason my body clock has become used to walking up at 8 in the morning on my birthday. Ever since 24 years ago she and all of my family would be swanning in at precisely 8:01 in the morning. The exact time I was born 24 years ago today. The 6th of July.
I hear a calmer voice walk through the door frame it was my brother Matt. "Happy birthday Sayd." He sounded a lot better, not as happy than he used to be. His voice was far more strained. He had a beanie on his head, over the past few months he's had to shave his beautiful locks for the second time. He slowly walked over to the bed with the biggest smile he could muster and wrapped his dainty arms around me. I sat up so he wasn't too much hunched over due to his 5'10 body. He let go after a minute to let my brother have his turn.
"Happy birthday knobhead." He says laughing as he too brings me in for a hug. I take my chance to tug on the back of his hair and he pretends to be dramatic with how much it hurt him. I laughed along and so did Matt. My dad didn't find it very laughable and gave Jamie a stern look, stopping him and making him close his mouth again. His facial expression changed drastically as he looked at me. A small smile covered his face as he walked over. He punched my shoulder whilst rubbing his head nervously. My dads never been one for affection. The only person who's ever received anything like that is my mum.
"We'll let you get dressed. Ellie is downstairs." Mum says as she walks out. Mattie follows last turning back to give me a "sorry for waking you smile" before turning back to the stairs he'll have to climb down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Happy birthday my gorgeous! How's 24 treating you." Ellie screams as she runs up to me and ambushes me in a tight hug. "Well actually, no one tried to get into the bathroom when I was showering this morning." I said humorously. Ellie and the others in the room laughed. Especially Jamie, he was mostly the culprit. Every morning we'd fight to use the bathroom, I bet he's been loving it since I've barely been home this year.
"Wowzers, would you look at that it's 10am already." She starts as she glances down at her watch. I give her a confused look, "oh right I forgot to say, I've paid to get your hair, makeup and nails done. I've booked it for 11 the woman quoted me at least 3 hours. The ball - your party starts at 7."
Oh right yeah, I forgot about the masquerade ball that I didn't agree to until a few days ago, and that was partly because it was all paid for already. By Hamilton the sly little-
"But then Sadie would still have 5 more hours until the ball even starts?" My mother says confused too. "There's a-lot of stuff to do, do not question me Mrs Brando." Ellie replies with a light hearted comment. She didn't really mean it, she just likes he be early- 7 hours early.
"Right well I'll go and grab my coat and shoes then." I say, my best friend has probably picked the furthest salon she could find.
"Oh before you leave..." my dad says quickly. I turn around to him and I'm met with a small bag. "Awh you didn't need to get me anything." I tell him whilst digging my hand into the bag until it's met with a small black box. It had Dior written on the front.
"Oh you should have." I said giggling, I love Dior's little jewellery pieces.
I opened the box and I'm met with a pentagon shaped charm. Small chains were hung from either side. I looked closer at the embellishments, it was all of our names written in fancy writing. "Each person gets their name, so when we're all together we can connect it together again. My face turns emotional, I love this gift. I pull each chain so the small silver, shiny pieces of metal pull apart. I give each one to the rightful owner before finding mine. We all put it over our heads and lean in. Each piece connects with a magnetic pull. And then we all pull away again, happy with each persons piece.
"I just thought, because your away so much it's a nice sentimental gift because you know each of us is wearing one. Like so you know when u come back from a race you'll see us all again-"
I jump into my dads arms as tears well up in my eyes. I stay there for a while holding him whilst trying to blink back tears. Once they'd gone I back away his eyes were even red, but he managed to style it out well. He doesn't show emotion- as I said.
"We'll thank you dad, thank you everyone." I add as I look at everyone, "I'll see you all later tonight." Each of them exchange goodbyes to me and I soon leave the house. Walking down the white steps to my car. I climb in the drivers side and Ellie on the passengers side. She hands me a gift that seems to be a wrapped up square. I waste no time in opening it, I'm met with a dark picture and soon realised it was an ultrasound of her babies. At the bottom I see the words "we can't wait to meet our Auntie Sadie in 3 months and 9 days."
My hands cover my mouth, "they're coming that soon!" She nods at me - she seems chocked up too.
It took me a while to figure out the day of when they're due to be born. But I used my phone seeing as I'm shit at maths.
"That's the 14th of October. I'm going to be an aunt in 3 months and something days!" I shout in the car, she laughs along as I pull out of the parking space making our way to the salon.