9- Unhappy Birthday

                                    

                                          
"Hey, Mel!" She yelled.
                          
I hopped up and hurried to her, happy for the excuse to bolt.
                          
I accepted her hug without a single objection. "Hey."
                          
Soph pulled back and looked down at the bag in my hand. "Ohhh, you finished it in time? He's gonna be so stoked!"
                          
We stopped by the present table to drop off my gift, then made our way to the water. It didn't surprise either of us that Garrett, the birthday boy and Jack's older brother, was playing Marco Polo with a couple of the children.
                          
"Damn, look at that." Sophie sang.
                          
Garrett jumped out of the water, bare chest glistening in the sunlight, and jumped at one of the boys. "Gotcha!" He hollered as the kid screamed in laughter.
                          
"Mmhmm." I agreed, but I wasn't all that interested. Sure, Garrett was hot but I'd never been able to see him or Jack as anything except brothers. It was like I knew he was attractive like I knew he liked to swim. It was just another fact about him that didn't effect me.
                          
Sophie, on the other hand, had no issues blatantly staring at Garrett as he stepped out of the water and walked up to us.
                          
"Hey Mel. Hey Soph." He said, slightly out of breath.
                          
"Happy birthday." I said, not oblivious to the new note in his voice when he greeted Sophie.
                          
She smiled and bit her lip a little. "Happy birthday..."
                          
Garrett didn't look away from Soph's big eyes. "Thanks."
                          
I slipped away quietly and undressed down to my bathing suit. It was a light blue one piece and very appropriate for the children rushing toward me. The chill in the air or the lake didn't bother any of them. It was really only cold as long as you postponed jumping in. Then you got used to it and the water became warmer than the air.
                          
"Look what I found!" Oliver yelled excitedly as he held a mood ring stuck on orange in my face.
                          
"Oh that's cool. It's even orange." I said, knowing it was his favorite color.
                          
Josie, one of my cousins tugged on my arm. "Mel, come play Marco Polo with us!"
                          
"No, stupid." James, a kid I knew I wasn't related to, said nastily. "She can tell where we are with her eyes closed, remember?"
                          
"Yeah, but I'm slow." I closed my eyes and reached out for Josie like a zombie. "Marco!"
                          
The little girl screeched and splashed away. "Polo!"
                          
After a little while, even James was playing with us. I, of course knew where they all were the whole time, but I made a show of being way slower than them. I felt the sun soaking deep into my skin the whole time. There wasn't a much better way to bask in the light than to play in the water with a bunch of kids.
                          
By the time we were called for presents, a couple of the kids were bright red, but I was just as pale as ever and much more energized. I dried as best I could with the towel I recognized at Garrett's, then dressed.
                          
As I was walking up to the crowd, I wondered if my affinity for the sun had anything to do with my father being an 'Angel of the Morning Star'.
                          
Everyone was gathered around one table where Garrett sat with a bunch of colorful bags and boxes spread out in front of him. He thanked every person for every gift, even when his aura seemed less than enthused. Like when he got another pair of googles even though I was pretty sure I'd never seen him wear a pair.
                          
Soph's gift was next.
                          
With a nervous smile up at her, he tore into the box. Then lifted a tiny little knitted sweater. It was fitting for a toddler, not Garrett's broad shoulders.