Chapter 2: Vega's Party

"Daddy, cover our pumpkin's eyes please?" Mother said with a sweet smile after she hid her keys in the pocket of her cardigan.

I remember she is wearing white tight jeans and an orange and red stripe on the top and the cover was her peach cardigan.

She is good at wearing heels while wearing crocs or slippers - she was unable to walk the way she ambles with her heels on.

    "This is our surprise for you sweetie," Father said and then he covers me eyes with his hand that is bigger than me face.

"Happy Birthday Vega!" The yell of my family scared my little soul out of my fragile body after entering the room, my cousins, aunts, and uncles attended the party bringing me the satisfaction of not sleeping until the party is over.

     But I did not expect to cry at this moment from my family's unexpected surprise that I will hear such a boisterous clarion surprise that made my ears feel it will burst from the sudden screams.

Tears of fright fell unexpectedly, and my cheeks reddened from astonishment but yet my heart feels scared and father brushed his fingers onto my cheeks to sweep my tears away.

My mother clapped once to rush into me so she can tell me that she is very sorry in a whisper.

Aunt Anne giggles thus she covers her lips from hearing herself being a naughty person after seeing a child cries from nothing else funny. 

    "My little pumpkin, don't cry don't cry, this is just a surprise right, and yet is your birthday eh?" Father whispered while stroking my nose and cheeks afterward he toss me to my mother's forearm gently so I will push the fear that ruled within me little essence once again after the surprise.

    My older cousins chuckle under their breath. "Shush! Will you guys shut your darn mouth for once and you can talk and so on as we eat dinner together with Vega" Uncle Thomas smack the older one's shoulder and told the other ones to stitch their lips as well.

"She is now three and she can't even hold her tears for once," the older cousin said and the other agrees. 

    "Are you an idiot or just acting smart, of course, she could not hold her tears, she is three and too young to control her emotions than you, you probably can because you are older than Vega" Uncle replied, and then he winked with a soft smile like mockery.

The girl in the ebony sleeveless dress strides onto the boards holding a present the size of her palm. Behind her was another girl wearing a skirt and a short sweater, the two of them settle the gift under me and likewise greeted me with a wishful delighted birthday.

My Father clenches my tiny wrist to pretend that I was thanking them and sending them a hello.

    "Hello, little munchings pumpkin, do you miss your Auntie Lala, eh?" She hides her freckles and wrinkles behind her hand she raises it to play a peek-a-boo - the most common thing that every being on this earth does to little fellas like me even though I just turned three at this moment.

I remember she was wearing a Mountbatten pink Bardot neckline dress that her tan skin breathed exposed but I can only see her shoulder and calf. 

    "It is your Aunt Lannie, little pumpkin, will you say hi to her" My Father whispered and smooches my jaw that yet enclosed with cute pale blubber. 

    "Hi Aunt Lannie, thank you bye-bye," I said, at first my lips were slightly shaking and my Aunt only heard mumbles before the rest of the words I let out. 

    "You are so sweet Vega, Before the party, I will say my bye-bye like you said" She cackled firstly, hence she commence her wrinkly fingers to pinch my polka dots tuxedo below the garment gently.

    "Alright, Mother, that is enough, lemme see beautiful pumpkin Vega, ready to open your presents little chump?" Uncle Thomas unlocks his arms wide as well his fingers stretching out of his palm to grab me waist to carry above his forearms.

    "Your Mrs and your sisters and I will prepare the feast, while you boys better watch Vega while I am out her sight" Aunt Lannie split her index and middle fingers to peace out, therefore pointed her eyes and out with that formation back and forth - maybe thrice. 

    "Alright, little pumpkin, you heard her, you and the boys I invited will stay to peer your starry eyes for a while until the feast is ready to devour tonight," Father said after he poked my reddening nostril softly and then he walks in reverse, ere turning around to clean the mess before dinner.

    "Your daddy is adequate when it comes to cleaning so let me give you a throne while I will head there to lay him a hand, the watching shift I will pass it to your cousins, alright pumpkin?" Uncle lands me on the top of the goldilocks pigment couch gently, kissing me in the end, and then snatched his hand to assist my father. 

    "Hey, little Vega, happy birthday once again, this is Donkey, he said hi, will you say hello for him eh?" The middle child of Aunt Aurie, my father's side and she is the wisest person I have met once in my moment.

She wields the donkey tightly with her fingers pressing its abdomen and shoving the tail against her palm. So what I did was close my fist and then freed my fingers away from my palm unhurriedly.

    "You want to see our aunties in the kitchen?" She lowered her voice to act like the donkey she was holding - settling herself to hold the mask behind her elegant complexion with the plushie for a while to give rise to widen my lips. I nodded. 

    "Hold on to your tuxedo and hat," She said but her voice was switching to deep once more and then she place the donkey right next to me so she can lift me. 

    "Oh, my oh my, looks the princess came here in a good moment for a feast," Aunt Lannie said with a voice of relief after preparing the tissues below the utensils, silverware, and glasses next to the dinner plates on the top of the table that coated with a white blanket.

    "Strawberry fillings, Chocolate frosting, and Lemon zest as sprinkles and berries, I hope you will enjoy the cake I baked, my little munchkins" Mother said while clasping a lighter and an amusement to light up the candle on the top of the cake she baked.

    "Sounds delicious, right Vega?" My cousin said while tapping my legs multiple times so she can have my attention on the cake and the preparation for dinner. I nodded again.

    "I will call the boys and give our princess a seat" Aunt Aurie said after brushing her palm with grease and sweat on top of my cousin's shoulder.

    "Very sweet mom" she sighed deeply - letting her frustration out of her maw. 

    "I forgot the cotton candy, I am very sorry sweetie" Mother tiptoed forth to us with a tired face she blast and then reached out to the cotton candy that my father bought earlier before this.

    "Nice! Cotton candy, I bet it will taste like skies sprinkled with the dust of asteroids and stars" My cousin said with a grin of nothing sarcastic is playing through her eyes.

The only thing I can recollect inside of my sanity was there's blood on my little fingers and a taste of the cotton candy that I ate before this incident and then she places me on top of the grey gravel toddler's chairs.

    "Me, your parents, and the rest will find their seats before you blow your candle after making a wish and now we can start dinner, alright Vega?" She said - the last words I will hear from her. 

    Everyone in the room brings chaos around the kitchen, faces of heavy strides, slamming the top of the dinner table, the sigh, and talk of pleasures and rumors running across my ears.

My Uncle Thomas places the other foods that are not yet laid above the table. All of them locate their seats but they possess not yet found their silence and patience. 

   

    "Alright, Alright! Settle down everyone, let us wait for my beautiful wife to light the candle for my Vega" Father yelled to draw everyone's attention to me and to my mother she stands at the left side of my seat.

After my Mother lights the candle that the lighter she holds - everyone sang a happy birthday simultaneously.

Some are high and some are low but I don't care about a single note and harmony they let out for me before blowing the little blaze on top of the candle that is shaped like the number three with a pinky hue.

I was enjoying it.