Novel & Cerita Grumpy Old Man Happy Birthday

he said. I raised a brow. “What.” He smiled slowly. “Happy birthday.” My jaw tightened. “Thank you.” He knew how much I hated birthdays, but he always wished me every year. “My grandson turns a year older today. That is something worth celebrating.” “I do not care about birthdays, you know.” I said sharply. “That is perfectly fine,” he replied. “You are allowed to be indifferent. I, however, am not and I got you a gift as well. I will send it to you.” He smiled at him and I groaned. Maybe I should have just stayed home.

His fingers tightened around my hand, weak but deliberate, and I turned my eyes to his face. A corner of his lips lifted into something that might have been a smile if it wasn't broken by the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He choked, his chest hitching with the effort to speak. "Ha-happy birthday." The words hit me like a physical blow. Happy birthday? My brows furrowed, confusion mixing with the grief as I hiccupped through my sobs. "What?" I whispered, my voice shaking so badly I could barely get the word out. "No, no Kyle, save your strength. Help is coming, someone's coming to help you."

Amen. I opened my eyes and quickly blow the candle. Then, I genuinely smiled at them. "Thank you, everyone!" I mumbled in tears. "Happy twenty-third birthday, EL!" Fellice merrily greeted. "You’re now older than me," she teased, giggling. "Shut up, Lyf!" I rolled my eyes at her. "I am just three months older than you," I reminded her that made her laugh even harder and the others did as well. I just shook my head and smiled. "But anyway, thank you for coming, sis," I sincerely uttered and gave her a tight embrace. I almost threw away the cake that I forgot she was still holding.

"Where did this beggar come from? What nonsense is he talking about? He's insane! Drag him out and beat him up!" The guards walked right through my spectral form coldly and began beating the old man up. The sickening sound of fists meeting flesh echoed in my ears. I watched as the old man was beaten to a pulp. His head was bleeding, but even so, he clutched a present tightly in his arms. Two words were scrawled on the box—Happy Birthday. I fell to my knees in front of him as he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. The old man was the only one who had bothered to wish me a happy birthday, yet he was suffering because of me.

This was the first time Luna had seen Lylah shown any expression of happiness in months. "Miss?, your order please?" And like a tight slap to the face, reality was put right before her. "Hot chocolate", she smiled. As soon as the waitress left the table, she bowed her head and rubbed her forehead. It had been a month already, why couldn't she just let him go, she wondered. Every single thing reminded her of the memories they shared. "Luna, do you remember when he got me a dildo after my birthday?", Lylah laughed. "Yes, and y'all fought about the dildo because you wanted him and not a stupid dildo and so he took it back. What a jerk!"

As soon as Cara Lavigne finished speaking, she angrily gritted her teeth and hung up. I stopped walking. Slowly, I put away my phone and looked toward the entrance of the funeral home. After straightening the white flower in my chest pocket that had become crooked, I lifted my foot and walked inside. The next second, my phone vibrated with a social media update notification—Warren had just posted something. It was a long post saying he meant nothing by his earlier post and that he was only sharing the joy of having someone celebrate his birthday with him. He also apologized to me.

“Hello grandfather, I'm Madeline. Happy 80th birthday,” Madeline greeted with a warm smile on her lips and her head bowed a little while greeting, in respect of the old man. The man glared at Elias for a while before turning back to Madeline and giving her an obviously fake smile, which didn't reach his eyes. “Thank you, Miss Crayon.” “Sorry I didn’t bring a gift for you, grandfather,” she apologized, feeling guilty for not bringing a gift to the old man’s birthday party. It didn’t seem right for a person like her.

It's Grandpa's birthday banquet, and yet my fiancee is working late again, missing her one chance to meet the family. My brother and his wife, still bitter about me taking the project from them, don't waste the opening. "What good is all his money when his fiancee can't even show up on a day this important? She clearly doesn't take him seriously." "That's why Archer's the smart one. He landed himself Claire Donovan, of all people. Even her throwaway gifts start at seven figures." I'm about to fire back when the familiar name stops me cold. My eyes lock onto the bracelet of dark wooden beads the butler carries in. It's identical to the one my fiancee just spent a fortune on a few days ago.

Mamá chuckles at the silent battle going on between I and daddy dearest. “Happy birthday my princess and my prince! You both are so grown up now. . .I cannot believe I made you both.” She groans, throwing her head back while father whispers a few words into her ear. And I’m certain they’re very inappropriate words. The old man has no filter. “Happy birthday,” father holds my stare for a long minutes before clearing his throat and continuing, “firecracker.” I smile at him. “Thank you, Papá.” He nods tightly.

I whimper, voice completely shot. Happy birthday to me.