Chapter 6: Birthday party

As the day of the party came, Matt got out of the shower and went to dress.

His mind was still preoccupied with the one words, bolded up and underlined a couple of times in his brother's journal.

The Kingsport. What the hell was that?

There was written time and date with it as well. June 20^th, 8 pm, departure.

It was a day that he doesn't want to remember at all.

The day Tim had a car accident.

He always felt as something was wrong with how Tim died.

Especially as Tim was a good driver and nothing was wrong with his car, but the police said that due to the speeding he has lost control of his car and total it.

Yeah, Tim and Matt were wild ones and knew to now and then both take their bikes out and head to a cross drive through the forest dirt roads and race each other for the heck of it.

Even though Matt liked more challenges and adrenaline, Tim was still one of the people he can freely say the truly knew how to manipulate a vehicle. It didn’t matter was it a car of a bike.

Pulling his faded jeans on and buckling them up, he took his dark blue shirt and put it on.

To add to the look, he took and put on his shoes as he took a look at the mirror to check on his look.

His hair grew longer now so was a little bit falling into his eyes so he couldn't do too much with it.

Putting on his cologne, he took the gift for little Noel and left his room.

Descending the stairs he went to the family room to say goodbye to his family.

The ride to the place was rather a short one.

As he parked his car on the driveway, he took a deep breath and got out of the car.

The noises from the house could be heard as he was standing in front of the front door and ring the bell.

"Matt, so good to see you came, bro." Luke opened the door and clap his back.

"Well, I wouldn't miss a little man's party for anything." Matt smiled and went inside.

“Come on, the guys will be happy to see you.”

Following Luke, they entered the back yard.

There were a lot of children playing and screaming as they ran around the yard.

One side was mostly set up for children as they had a buffet table with all the goodies to eat and drink, as well in the middle was a huge bouncing castle surrounded by a lot of balloons and a magician who was performing some magic tricks for them.

The adults were set in the other corner, seated down by the huge table like a picnic one that was stuffed with various food and drinks.

There was also, a barbeque lite and the aroma of the meat filled the air.

You could see and feel the happiness rolling off from everyone.

"Matt! Good to see you, man." Jeff Wilkins walked towards him and shook his hand.

Jeff and Matt as well as Luke knew each other since they were kids. Jeff went his way after college as he is working as an IT in one of the prestigious security companies.

Shaking his hand, Matt took a look around the yard and Jeff nudged him as he asked, “All good?”

“Yeah, all is good. It’s good to see you again. How is Holly?”

“Oh, please don’t let me get started.” Jeff laughed as Matt followed.

“What did you do this time?” he teased him.

“Except getting her pregnant,” he laughed, “I tried to be romantic and make her breakfast in bed but you know me and kitchen appliances aren’t the best pals ever since forever.”

Matt laughed hearing that as he shook his head, “You burned the kitchen or hopefully just food?”

“Well in my defense, the stove hates me and I am sure the pans also are in some mutual agreement with the stove. They just decided to burn the eggs on purpose. I swear I was trying my best to win the battle, but I lost. The first eggs were well, let’s say too much cooked, the second I was smarter enough to take them off sooner…”

"And give them to me raw you clumsy fool!" Holly finished for him as Matt burst out laughing.

“At least now you can’t say I didn’t try to cook for you.” He pleaded with her looking so small.

"That is why you are forbidden to ever enter the kitchen again. Not only did you burn just eggs, but I also had to throw out the new frying pan I just bought the other day, plus you almost burned the kitchen when the kitchen towel got burned as well." She exclaimed.

"Damn dude, remind me never to give you anything sharp or flammable nor electric," Matt told him as he laughed so hard at him.

“It’s not my fault, kitchen tools just hate me.”

Holly came to Matt, and she pulled him down as he was so much taller than she was. So she can kiss his cheek.

“It is so good to have you back Matt.” Warmly she said.

“It’s great to see you as well, Holly. How about you ditch this looser and run away with me?” he teased her as he winked at her.

She blushed and slapped his good shoulder.

“You haven’t changed at all.” She kissed his cheek fondly again as she excused herself to join other women there.

"If I didn't know she sees you as her brother I would be jealous you know." Trying to look serious but couldn't as his lips were twitching up as he tried to conceal his smile.

"At least the kitchen and its appliances don't hate me." Joking he slapped young man on his back.

"So have you seen her yet?" Jeff asked as he leaned into Matt.

Shaking his head, Matt said “No.”

“How long has it been? Five or six years?” he asked Matt.

“Yeah, something like that.”

“So anyone new caught your sight?”

"God, you're so inquisitive, man….but no, at least nothing important to inform you… mother." Laughing, he pushed lightly on his friend.

“What? I like to be up to date with everything.” He joked back.

"Yeah, I can see that. So how is work?"

“Hectic but good. If it was not for Holly, I would even forget to eat or sleep.”

“So you’re still a nerd.” Jokingly, Matt asked Jeff.

“Always have been, always will be. I might not be a chef but I am damn good at what I do and you know it.” Laughing, Jeff said.

As Jeff and Matt spoke some more and joked around, Luke approached them and joined in the conversation.

Little later Jeff left to check up on his wife as Luke and Matt were left alone.

“I need to ask you something.” Looking at Luke, he said seriously.

“Sure thing.” Taking a sip of his beer, Luke said.

"Yesterday before we meet I went to the bookstore with Meg and before we left I was called in by Mrs. Abbott and she gave me some book that Tim had ordered last." He said slowly. " So when Meg and I came back home I read it a little and anyway long story short I went through Tim's things and found something that I don't understand. Didn't you speak that last time with him? Did he tell you something?"

“Umm… Yeah we spoke little bit, but he didn’t tell me anything unusual if that is what you are asking?” taking another swig of his beer, he said.

“Have you ever heard of a Kingsport?” he asked as he looked intently at Luke.

Luke’s hand stopped slightly, barely noticeable in front of his mouth as he was drinking his beer.

"Kingsport? No, sorry bro, but can't say that I have." He continued drinking his beer as Matt just shook his head, thanking him.

He couldn't shake off the feeling that Luke seemed nervous by that question, and he wondered why.

Jeff joined them both shortly after as he brought the guys some more beer.

"The cake is almost ready," Jeff said excitedly to them.

"Good," Luke responded as Matt just shook his head.

“You’re here!” hearing a high excited voice, Matt turned around and almost lost his balance as a young boy with a jet black hair was hugging his legs.

“Of course I am here. Did you think I would miss you big birthday?” he crouched down as he reached and picked up a little boy in his arms.

“I am so happy you’re here. I missed you!”

“I missed you to Noel.”

The two hugged each other as Matt placed him back down on his own feet.

“I have something for you.” He said to the boy with a smile.

“What is it?” Excitedly jumping up and down little Noel asked him.

“Here you go.” He gave him his gift and watched as Noel opened the present with excitement.

"Dory!! Thank you! Thank you!" Noel jumped on him excitedly as he hugged him tightly.

“I have to go show it to my friends.” And then he rushed off excited as he showed off his new toy.

"Okay, everyone lets gather here at the table as the birthday cake is soon to come," Holly shouted out to the children and we all gathered around them to sing a birthday song.

Luke started to lead the singing as we all followed. And that’s when he saw her as she took his breath away.