"Darcy wake up wake up! It's my birthday, it's my birthday!" Luke runs into my room and wakes me up. I turn over and groan as I look at the time on my phone. 7:00 am on a Saturday. I guess I'm going to have to get used to it considering school starts on Monday. But of course I don't mind getting up early today because it's my little brothers birthday!
I gradually walk downstairs and into the living room, where a young boys eyes are lit up at the sight of his presents. We weren't able to get him much this year, due to the circumstances, but Ben helped us a little with the costs.
"Hello little Luke. Or shall I not call you that anymore? You are into double figures now."
"I know Im ten, I'm all grown up."
"You certainly are. But don't open your presents yet, wait for mum to come downstairs."
My mum slowly makes her way down the stairs with her eyes half shut and whilst trying to get her dressing gown on.
But as soon as she makes it to the living room her eyes open wide as she runs towards Luke and shouts "happy birthday my strong man" she gives him a hug, them me and her sit on the sofa next to each other.
Birthdays have never really been the same without dad here. It's hard to celebrate when you're missing a member of your family. But luckily for Luke it doesn't seem to effect him that much because he barely even knew his father. But I know he is with us on such important events like these. Love you dad.
"So what one are you going to open first?" I ask Luke.
"The biggest one!"
"Alright then. Go ahead, open it," he opens it with such excitement, and I watch my mum watch Luke open his first present, she has a massive smile on her face.
"It's Lego, it's exactly the one I wanted!" He jumps up and launches himself on top of both of us, we all hold each other in our arms for a bit, treasuring the moment, then Luke returns to his presents.
It's not long before he has opened them all. We now all get our breakfast and prepare for the chaotic day ahead of us.
We're having a party round our house this afternoon. We've invited loads of Luke's friends round to come and play, and have birthday cake. I've also invited Ben round so he can keep me sane through this hectic day.
Me and mum are in the kitchen preparing all the party food whilst luke starts building his Lego.
"I'm really looking forward to today, he's going to have a lot of fun." I say to my mum.
"Yeah, I love to see his little face so excited! It's been so long since we've been altogether celebrating something."
"We all celebrated my birthday?"
"I know, but you were sick then. Very sick. We're all okay now, we can all get on and start to lead happy lives. Even after everything that has happened to us." She tries to hold back tears." Im so amazed with how strong you two have remained."
"Thanks mum. But we couldn't have done it without you."
"Oh darling, you're the one who has managed to keep my spirits high. I haven't been too great, I know I haven't been the best of parents."
"Oh mum don't put yourself down like that." I put down Luke's cake, walk over to her and give her a hug. "It's amazing how you've managed to keep dealing with all the hard situations. After dad died, yes, you were a little shaken up, but you managed to hold it together for me and luke. And when I got diagnosed, I completely understood how difficult it was for you and our whole family. The fear and worries that must have been going through your mind... I honestly don't know how you dealt with it."
"Oh darcy, your so kind". She gives me another hug. "I obviously wish your father could be here to celebrate little Luke's 10th birthday. But I'm just grateful that you're still here and able to celebrate it. I always had the fear that you wouldn't be."
"So did I, I couldn't leave you and luke. There's no way I'm ever going to do that. We're a family now. And we're going to stay together... Forever. No matter the situation. If something else comes up along the way, we will get through it, just like the last few times. We've all proved to ourselves and to eachother that things can still be okay, and that we can remain strong in the hardest of times. I love you all, and my life wouldn't be the same without you."
Shes about to reply when luke comes barging in.
"When am I having my cake?" He shouts excitedly.
"In a minute we will wait for all your friends to arrive."
Within the next half an hour all of the guests arrive. All the children go into the garden and onto a bouncy castle we hired for the day. All the parents sit down and talk with my mum, and I sit in my bedroom waiting for ben to arrive.
"I'm almost here." He texts me.
"Great, coz it's getting pretty boring over here." I reply.
"See u in a sec xx love you lots xxxxxx"
A few minutes later he surprises me in my bedroom, by jumping into bed next to me.
"Hey beautiful." He says as he lies next to me and kisses me.
"Hey, how'd you get in?"
"Your Mum let me in, it's quite busy today, what's going on?"
"It's Luke's brithday, so he has some friends round".
"Ooh where's the little man? I want to say happy birthday."
"He's in the garden."
"Can we go downstairs then?"
"But that's effort, can't we just stay up here, I want to spend some time with you before my mum tells me to stop being unsociable."
"Okay fine, we'll go up later. So what do you suggest we do."
I smile towards him, then kiss him passionately on the lips.
"Alright then." He says enthusiastically then shuffles in close to me and wraps his arms round my waist. I can feel the heat bouncing off his lips, and the soft touch he has as he runs his hands down my flushed cheeks. When he leans In, so close, I can smell the fluorescent scent coming from his breath, raring to kiss me. I entwined my fingers in small strands of his hair. Then the moment his lips brushed on mine, I knew this moment would be one to remember. I willingly accepted his tender lips and let the moment take me away from normal life. For this one Moment, I was his, I let him have me. The kiss lasts for what seems like forever, but not long enough when were interrupted by a sound of small feet scurrying up the stairs.
Sadly, ben quickly releases me, then sits up on the edge of the bed.
Luke comes barging through the door.
"Darcy darcy, come downstairs we're about to start cutting the cake now."
"Okay luke, be down in a sec."
He rushes back down with all his friends. As he shuts the door, ben quickly grabs me and completes the kiss, which leaves me mesmerised. Then he grabs my hand as we make our way downstairs to the world where we have to be sociable.
I go into the main living room where there are about 10 ladies drinking tea.
"Oh hi darcy." Oh no, it's that lady I spoke to when I went to pick up luke the other day from school.
"Um... Hi."
"How are things going? You know with your whole situation."
"Oh yeah things are-"
"Things are amazing" my mum interrupts. "She kicked Cancer butt, she's such a strong girl, I'm so proud to call her my daughter."
"That's amazing" the lady replies. "I'm really happy for you and your whole family."
"Thanks." I say whilst still holding Ben's hand, and standing by the door hoping to go out soon.
Luke runs up to me and mum and shouts "can we cut my cake now?"
"Yes luke, we're all just coming."
All the ladies stand up and go out into the garden. Fortunately, it's quite sunny today, so we're able to spend the
Day in the garden. I go into the kitchen with my mum and ben, and we stick the candles into the football shaped cake, then we walk out the kitchen and into the garden.
All the kids are sitting in a crowd with luke at the front. Then my mum starts off the singing "happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..."
I just mime the words as singing has never been my strong point.
"Happy birthday to luke... Whoo" everyone cheers as he makes a wish and blows out the candles.
"Now we eat it, I want the biggest piece!" Luke shouts.
"Yes, I'll just go cut it. " I go to the kitchen and cut the cake into 10 small
pieces.
Ben wraps his arms around me as I cut it and kisses softly down my neck.
"You feeling alright today?" I ask.
"Yeah, I've just missed you, i haven't really had a chance to show you how much I love you."
I smile at his comment, and misjudge the size of the pieces of cake I'm cutting.
"Stop it." I say in a comical way as he continues to peck my cheek. "You're making me cut it all wrong." I laugh then he grabs hold of me, spins me around, pecks me on the lips, then my mum walks in... Awkward!
"Alright you two, you almost finished? There's 10 hungry little boys out there."
"Yes mum, sorry."
Me and ben both step away from eachother, then I finish off with the cake.
"Who wants cake?!" I shout into the garden. I suddenly realise my mistake when loads of little bodies come sprinting up to me and violently grab pieces of cake off the plate.
"Thanks darcy." Luke says then gives me a hug.
--
Finally, they're all gone. It's just me and Ben upstairs now whilst my mum packs up the bouncy castle and my brother plays with all his new toys.
I cuddle up to ben whilst lying comfortably on my bed.
"Thankyou for an amazing two weeks. It's been a lot of fun." I tell ben.
"Well You deserve it. Cancer took almost a year of your life away, I thought I should help make up for it."
"Thanks ben, you're such an amazing boyfriend." He chuckles. "What? I'm being serious. I've never met anyone like you."
"I've never met anyone like you. That's why, a long with many other reasons, why I love you so much."
"The few days at the camping site was definitely the best. Thanks for showing me all the good sides of camping, I've only ever known the worst."
Our camping trip was amazing. We spent the night in a tent ben had already set up. He had everything planned so that every moment was just perfect. Unfortunately, there was only one tent. But ben didn't seem to mind...
In the morning we did a little more exploring of the area, then we took off back home. It was a long journey but I spent most of the time with my head in his lap.
It helped to heal all the bad memories I had of that place, and cover them up with new ones.
Luke comes and joins me and Ben after a little while. He cuddles up in between us and we just hold him there.
"Thankyou for a good day." He says.
"That's alright luke, I'm glad you enjoyed it."
"It's getting pretty late." Ben starts " I should probably go now. Bye little dude, see you soon yeah?"
"Yeah, can I have a ride on your motorbike, I am 10 now?" Luke says so enthusiastically.
"Um... Not yet, but maybe one day. "
"Oh okay, well bye ben." He gives him a hug then ben leaves. Luke jumps back into my bed with me, and I give him a big hug.
"So... What did you wish for today?" I ask.
"If I tell you then it won't come true."
"Of course it will, that's just a myth. Come on.. Tell me, you don't have to tell anyone else."
"But I really really want it to come true, and I'm worried that it won't."
"I'm sure it will. Let me guess... Is it... More Lego? Or maybe... Your own motorbike?"
"No."
"Well I give up. You're just going to have to tell me."
"Okay, alright. It's about you actually!"
"Me? Oh alright then, what did you wish for?"
"That... That... That you wouldn't get sick anymore, and that you will stay with me and mummy forever."
As I look into his innocent, glistening eyes, mine start tearing up.
"No, don't start crying. Why are you crying?" Luke shouts and grabs hold of me.
"I'm not crying,... These are happy tears. Did you really wish that?" I am so shocked that he used his special wish on someone else and not himself. Any other 10 year old kid would have wished for an endless bucket of sweets, or a race car or something. But no, he wished I didn't get Cancer anymore.
"Of coure, I don't like it when you're sick."
"Well... Luke, I can tell you now that I think your wishing is already coming true. I don't feel sick anymore!"
"Really!" He shouts. Even if it's not exactly true, I'm not 100% sure what the future holds, I couldn't let down that cute, innocent face.
"Defiantly, I'm not going anywhere alright. I will always be at home with you and mummy. I know it's a little hard for you to understand now. But when you get a little bit older, I will be Able to tell you why I had to spend all those days away from home. But it won't happen anymore alright, when I make a promise I make a promise."
"Pinky promise?"
"Pinky promise. Like always..."