My parents greet me as I walk into the kitchen. The plate of yumminess stares at me from across the room, and beckons my feet to carry me to the dining room table where my dad sits, reading the paper. I plop down in my seat next to him. “Hey, Dad,” I say before taking a bite of my eggs. My eyes roll into the back of my head. My mom makes the best eggs ever.
“Happy birthday.” He folds the paper back and puts it down on the table. I nod and tell him thank you around a mouthful of food. “So a little birdie told me that you wanted your room redecorated as your birthday present.”
My eyes find my mom as I swallow some of the best, French toast in all of Conroe, Texas with orange juice. I turn back to my dad. I know it’s a lot to ask, but I’m sick of all the pink. It’s time to grow up. Even if that means getting rid of all the ceramic unicorns that I love. Okay, maybe I won’t get rid of them. I’ll just pack them up and put them in the attic. “I do.”
“What were you thinking?” he asks.
I look at my mom again. We talked about this. I told her I wanted to paint my room black and make white, zebra designs. “She wants a zebra print themed room,” my mom answers for me.
The arch in my dad’s eyebrow tells me I need to explain further. I clear my throat and dive in. “I want to paint my walls black, and with make zebra designs with white paint,” I rush out before he has a chance to interrupt.
I wait for what seems like forever for my dad to answer. I know he’s debating this whole thing internally. He doesn’t want me to grow up. He has told me, time and time again, that he wants me to stay his little girl. “I don’t know, Kenleigh.”
“I told you he wouldn’t go for it, Mom.” My voice strains with emotion as I push back from the table.
“Now, hold on a second,” my dad says, lifting his hand in the air to stop me. “I didn’t say ‘no’. I said ‘I didn’t know’.”
“Please, Daddy?” I ask as sweetly as possible with a flutter of my eyelashes.
“Oh, come on, Mark. At least she’s not asking for a piercing or anything,” my mom chimes in as she dries a dish.
“Well, Dad, you know, if you don’t want me to do my room, a piercing would be an acceptable compromise.”
“Carol, get the keys, and Kenleigh, go get ready. We’re leaving in fifteen minutes,” my dad replies with a shake of his head and picks up the paper again. He murmurs under his breath, “No daughter of mine is getting a damn piercing.”
I jump out of my seat and wrap my arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. “Thank you, Dad. I love you.” I let go of his neck and race up to my bedroom to change.
“Love you, too,” he shouts back at me.
Just as I slip my shirt on over my head, my mom knocks twice, then another two times. It’s our code. She slips into my room, shutting my door quietly behind her. “Nice, Mom. Real nice,” I whisper.
“It’s all I could come up with,” she replies with a soft laugh.
“A piercing, though? You know, it’s not a bad idea,” I reply, testing the waters to see if she might really go for it.
“Don’t you dare think about it. Your father would have a heart attack, and I, well, I might be right there along with him,” she whisper-shouts, pointing her finger at me.
“I was kidding.” I laugh while slipping on my tennis shoes. I turn to look up at her and tell her thank you. Sincerity pours out with each word.
“You’re welcome, Honey.”
I stand and wrap my arms around her waist. My mom smoothes my hair down as she runs her hands up and down my back. “I love you, Kenleigh. Never doubt that,” she whispers, kissing the top of my head.
“I love you, too, Mom.”
I wake to warm tears trickling down the side of my face, over my nose, and onto the pillow. Days like today make me miss my parents more than ever. It’s also another reason I do not like to celebrate my birthday. The last day of camp, which also happens to fall on my birthday, has come too quickly. I can’t believe I’m finally twenty, and I don’t even have my parents to help me ring in this new journey of my life. I’m no longer a teenager. Now, I’m a full fledge adult. I sniffle back the tears and take a couple of deep breaths. The sun shines brightly in my room, blinding me as I roll over. A beautiful dandelion with white ribbon and a note lie next to me, catching my attention. Wes. A smile graces my lips. I lift the flower, bring it to my nose, and smell the sweet summer fragrance. Gingerly, I open the note.
I laugh at his note. Of course, he would find out when my birthday is. Tossing the covers off me, I get out of bed and quickly change. I need to brush my teeth, but I’ll forego a shower for now. My feet make quick time as I rush down the steps. Suddenly, the breath’s knocked out of me when I see an all-too familiar person at the table, talking with Mrs. Sandy.