Birthday Boy

Standing in front of the century old full length mirror that stood in the corner of your spacious and lavishly furnished room you straighten your vest and smooth down your light brown hair. While you weren’t quite the dashing figure that your handsome father was you were looking pretty damn good tonight. Butterflies danced in your stomach. It was so close now. The secret you had waited so long for.

There is a light knock at the door. You take in a deep breath and give yourself a firm nod of encouragement before turning toward the door.

“Come in.”

The door swings open revealing the short plump yet shapely figure of your grandmother. Her long white hair is back in a braid and she wore a old style dress which hugged her voluptuous body. Even you had to admit that for a woman of her years she managed to stay looking surprisingly attractive. With that warm cherubic face of hers she smiles. Her eyes a cloudy white you knew she could only see you as an indistinct blob yet she says in a happy tone. “Oh my, look at you Jacob! So handsome!”

You chuckle. “You can’t even see me.”

She laughs along with you. “A grandma can tell.” She approaches you and you smell the familiar pleasantly herbaceous aroma that always clung to her. She reaches up pinches both your cheeks too hard.

“Ouch! Grandmaaaa!” You whinge.

“He he he! Sorry.” She cackles before looking over you with a melancholy sigh. “21 already. Where did the years go? You children grow so fast.” She looks up at you with a strange expression, a mix of joy and concern, and pats your sore cheeks with her pillow soft palms. “Are you ready?”

“Are you kidding? I’ve waited for this all my life.”

“Hmmm.” She hums, still with that conflicted look upon her face. “Well, come on then. It’s almost time.”

You offer her your arm and she gladly takes it. Together you make your way from the room. Nothing more is said as the pair of you walk down the long richly decorated hallway of the upper west wing of the sprawling Devlin Manor. You move down the sweeping dark wood stairway to the main floor, helping your appreciative grandma with the steps even though she didn’t need the aid. Paintings of your ancestors watch on as you walk through the grand entry hall and make your way to the dining hall.

Grandma stops you. “No dear, this way.” She pulls your arm indicating the library is where you should go. You follow her lead and change direction. Letting out a soft sigh she says in a low voice. “Understand Jacob, we couldn’t say anything.”

You look down at her. Her head bowed she doesn’t look back. “Yeah, I know. Big secret and all.”

“No, it’s not just a secret. I mean we literally couldn’t say…” Her voice cuts off, shaking her head she says. “You’ll see soon enough.”

“Right.” Now Grandma was a bit cracked, she said odd things from time to time, but something in the emotion in her voice had you beginning to worry. Perhaps this surprise wasn’t the boon you had imagined all these years. Nah, probably just grandma being grandma. You pat her hand assuringly and continue on your way through the palatial manor.

You open the heavy oak door to the library to see the entire household sitting around on the stout leather furniture waiting for you. The lights were on low, enough to see by but dim enough to leave shadows in the far corners of the book shelves. You see no gifts, no decorations, and none of your friends had been invited, not even your best friend Grace. There is no indication that this might be a birthday celebration. Your mother and eldest sister had dressed up but the rest of them wore their everyday clothes. You felt a bit ridiculous now in your fine garments. Grandma pats your hand in a manner similar to what you had just done to her and leaves your side to join the family.

Your father stands and motions you forward. “Come in Jacob.” He glances toward the towering grandfather clock ticking and tocking framed by the two huge heavily curtained windows on the room’s outdoor wall. It is 3 minutes until the big moment.

You hesitate a second. The expressions on your family’s faces ran the gamut of emotions. Everything from amused to tense to afraid.

“What’s going on?” You ask.

Your mother beckons you in with a long finger. “Come in my darling. It is time you learned the truth.”