Chapter 12 : Birthday 1

Several days later, Amber prepared a birthday party for her daughter. She invited Tucker and his son to join them. However, she still hesitated about whether she should also invite the neighbors, so she decided to ask the birthday girl first.

“I don’t think you should invite him, Mom. He probably doesn’t want to come.”

“Would it be rude if we didn’t? Their house is so close. We decorated the yard beautifully, and if he looks over here, he’ll definitely know we’re having a party.” Amber looked at the string lights hanging in the trees, the thought weighing heavily on her.

“It’s better not to, Mom. How about this, I’ll take a piece of birthday cake to Paula. That should be fine, and it won’t seem too impolite.”

“Do you really think that’s okay?”

“Of course. If we tell them in advance, they’ll think we’re asking for birthday presents. And then her son will probably take the chance to mock me.”

“Alright, if that’s what makes you comfortable, I have no problem.”

“Thank you, Mom. And thank you for cooking such delicious food for me. I also invited a friend. Do you remember Nina? She was my high school friend who used to stay over at our house a lot.”

“Nina? Of course, I remember. But where did you meet her again? You haven’t seen her in such a long time.”

“Facebook. Nina works at an electronics company. We haven’t seen each other in seven years—today’s the first time.”

“It’s nice that you get to meet an old friend again. This way you won’t get bored from only talking to me every day.”

“How could I ever get bored with you, Mom? Why did you say that?” Ruby threw herself into her mother’s arms and kissed her cheek playfully.

After the mother and daughter finished preparing the place, they took a shower and changed clothes. They wanted to welcome their guests in the early evening. Ruby played soft music so the atmosphere would not feel too quiet. She wore a sleeveless white blouse and a flowing long skirt. Food was neatly arranged on the table in the front yard. The first guests to arrive were Tucker and his son.

“Ruby, you look so beautiful today,” Flynn was the first to compliment her.

“You really do, Ruby,” Tucker added.

“Like father, like son—you’re both sweet,” Ruby said, smiling.

“Here’s a birthday gift for you, Ruby,” Tucker said, handing her a box. Ruby smiled and thanked him.

“Actually, you don’t have to buy anything. Just being here means so much already. Think of it as simply joining us for dinner together.”

“How come? It’s your birthday, after all. And Flynn insisted we get a big present for you. He even begged me to take him shopping personally,” Tucker explained.

“Don’t tell me Flynn was the one who picked it out for me?” she asked, bending down toward the chubby little boy.

“I chose it myself, Ruby,” he said proudly.

“You’re the sweetest, Flynn. Come here and let me give you a kiss on the cheek.” Ruby leaned down and kissed his round cheek before inviting father and son to take their seats at the table.

“Come on in, Tucker. It’s just us today. The only one who hasn’t arrived yet is Ruby’s friend, Nina. Please make yourself at home,” Amber said after returning the greeting from father and son.

“Yes, Amber.”

The party’s atmosphere was simple and pleasant, filled with Flynn’s laughter, which made the gathering even more lively. After a while, a young woman in a red skirt and work attire appeared. It was Nina. She wore glasses as she always had, but now she carried a beauty that came with age. She arrived with a large teddy bear, struggling to pull it out of the taxi.

“Happy birthday, Ruby! Here, this is for you,” Nina said, handing over a brown teddy bear to the birthday girl. Ruby hugged it tightly and tilted her head to look at her friend, as the gift was so big it blocked her view.

“Thank you so much, Nina. But I’m not a kid anymore, you know.”

“Didn’t you always love brown teddy bears? I remember some boy gave you one when you were little, and you adored it. So I bought you a huge one, just to outdo that guy,” Nina teased her best friend cheerfully. Then the two of them walked together toward everyone inside the house.

“Hello, Auntie! It’s me, Nina,” she said in her bright, clear voice, drawing everyone’s eyes toward her at once.

“Hello, Nina,” Amber greeted her with a warm smile.

“Nina, this is Tucker Smith, our neighbor,” Ruby said, introducing them to each other.

“Hello, Mr. Smith. I’m Nina Greens, Ruby’s friend,” Nina said, momentarily stunned by Tucker’s looks before regaining composure.

“Hello, Miss Greens. Flynn, say hi to Nina.” Tucker’s next comment made Nina think, ‘Too bad—he has a child.’

“Hello, Sister,” Flynn said sweetly, raising his hand in greeting.

“Wow, you called me ‘sister’? How can a kid be so cute?” Nina thought, ‘With a child like this, maybe I’m ok with it.

“He calls me ‘sister,’ so he calls my friends that too,” Ruby explained.

“Really?” Nina teased her friend.

“Nina, have a seat. Ruby, put the teddy bear on that table for photos—it’ll look cute with the gifts.”

“That’s true, Mom,” Ruby said quickly, placing Nina’s gift beside Tucker’s. The oversized teddy bear instantly became the centerpiece of the party.

Nina was lively and cheerful. She was also talkative. Though her appearance was that of a bespectacled, soft-featured girl, inside she brimmed with confidence and had always lived life her own way. She managed to get along with everyone quickly.

“The food is so delicious, Auntie. I might have to come here often just to eat,” Nina said playfully.

“Feel free, Nina. Ruby has moved back here permanently, so you’re always welcome,” Amber replied warmly.

“Really? That’s wonderful. Talking about this reminds me of the time I secretly ran away from home to stay at Ruby’s. When my dad found out, he stormed over here in a rage. It’s so embarrassing to think about now,” Nina recalled, thinking back to the days when she fought with her father, who had forced her into an academic track she despised. Running away had been her way of bargaining for freedom.

In the end, her father gave in and allowed her to study the major she wanted. He had wanted her to become a doctor, but Nina wanted to study languages. Now she was working as an assistant in a company, serving as an interpreter for her Japanese boss.

“At that time, I was shocked too. I thought it would turn into a huge issue. I never expected Nina’s father to love his daughter so much that he would let her choose her own major,” Amber said, remembering that day clearly.

“Being an interpreter might not be glamorous or prestigious, but I’m satisfied with where I am now, Auntie. My father doesn’t criticize me anymore either, because he’s too busy pressuring my younger brother instead. So I got off the hook,” Nina said, covering her mouth as she giggled.

“Uh, everyone, I think it’s about time to blow out the candles. I’m afraid my son will fall asleep before he gets to eat the cake,” Tucker said, glancing at his boy, who was yawning openly in front of everyone.