Chapter 3. Birthday Wish

ASHER

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday, happy birthday… happy birthday to you!” Mommy and Daddy sang together as they opened the door to my room.

Daddy held the cake designed in my favorite animal, an otter, which I often see on social media, with a candle shaped like a 7, while Mommy held three yellow balloons with otter stickers on them.

Since I had just woken up from crying earlier until around two in the morning recalling memories of my two past lives, and I only woke up because of Mommy and Daddy’s sudden entrance and singing, I rubbed my eyes for a few seconds and glanced at the digital clock on the side of my bed and saw that it was already 10 AM.

When it sunk in that it was already 10 AM, and I was already late for my class, I quickly got up from my bed and said, “I’m late for school!” I said.

Mommy and Daddy both chuckled, and they blocked me from leaving my room.

“We already messaged your adviser that you’re absent today, and he understood because you didn’t absent yourself when your grandfather died… also, he said you don’t have anything to do today, so it’s okay for you to be absent,” Mommy explained.

After Mommy said that, Daddy brought my cake closer to me so I could blow out my birthday cake.

“Make a wish before you blow out your candle, son…” Daddy said with a big smile on his face. I smiled back at him before closing my eyes.

As I closed my eyes, memories of my birthdays in my two past lives came rushing back. Memories of me coming home crying, walking down our street in the rain, celebrating alone with a very small cupcake, and other memories I didn’t want to remember from my birthdays in my two past lives. If I remember correctly, I was only happy twice on my birthday in my first life… and that was because I was with my best friend, Kara, and Jackson, who surprised me, and once in my second life… and that was because of Dylan.

In my two past lives, I never had supportive… loving parents… who could accept me for who and what I am. In this third life of mine… this is the first time I’ve had parents who are very loving and supportive… and looking back in this life so far, it’s my first time that I’ve always been happy on my birthday… and I couldn’t be more thankful for that.

I wish for my parents to have a very long life in this lifetime… and I hope in this life, I finally get the happy ending I’ve been hoping for. I hope there are no more obstacles to our love, mine and my soulmate’s—the reincarnation of Jackson and Dylan in this life. I wished and then blew out the candle.

As I blew out my birthday cake, I didn’t notice that tears had also welled up in my eyes, so Mommy and Daddy immediately became concerned.

“Why, Ash, baby? What… what’s wrong?” Mommy furrowed her brow. She quickly wiped away my tears with both of her hands, while Daddy remained standing, just looking at us, but I could see the worry in his eyes too.

While Mommy still held my cheeks, I also held hers, while my other hand reached for Daddy’s arm to bring him closer to us, and after that, I hugged them both.

“Thank you so much, Mommy and Daddy, for being so kind to me… for being such loving parents… thank you…” My voice trembled because I was trying to hold back from crying even more.

Daddy chuckled and shook his head while I still hugged them both. “Is this how kids are nowadays when they turn seven years old? Getting mature and expressing gratitude like that? When did you learn to say those matured-kind of words, baby?” Daddy even pinched my cheek.

Mommy agreed with Daddy’s comment, she tightened her hug to look at me in the eyes, as if worried if I was possessed or something. “Yeah, when did you learn to be matured, son? Were… were you possessed by an adult ghost?” She teasingly raised her eyebrows at me.

Daddy played along with Mommy’s joke and even held my forehead and shook my body lightly. “Are you sick, Ash? Or… or were you really possessed? If you’re not our child, I ask you to please leave his body!” he said while gently shaking me.

“Mommy and Daddy, come on…” I chuckled while shaking my head. “I just… I just miss grandpa… that’s why I am this emotional…” I explained. I even had to put on a childish tone so they wouldn’t wonder why I suddenly became mature overnight.

“I’m sure your grandpa misses you so much too…” Daddy patted my head.

After that, we went downstairs and headed to the dining room to have breakfast. Mommy cooked my usual favorite dishes for my birthday—baked macaroni, fried chicken, and pork barbecue.

As we were casually eating while Mommy and Daddy shared stories about their childhood, specifically how they celebrated their own seventh birthdays, Mommy’s phone suddenly rang, which she quickly answered.

And it’s Aunt Marie, Mommy’s best friend and our neighbor back in Denzia.

“Maria! Give the phone to my godson! I want to personally greet him!” that’s how Aunt Marie greeted us, and Mommy promptly followed, handing her the phone.

When I immediately looked at the video call, what caught my attention was the person beside Aunt Marie now. A woman whose face I had seen in my two past lives. A face that was very familiar to me because she was my close friend in both of my past lives.

“Happy birthday, my godson!” Aunt Marie greeted me as soon as she saw me on the video call. “When are you coming back here? Convince your parents to come back here so we can bond again, and so my daughter here can have a constant playmate slash best friend!” she said, pointing to the girl next to her… the girl I’m sure is the reincarnation of Kara and Kate.

“By the way, this is Kayleigh, my daughter… you can call her Lee. She’s just your age… although she was born a month earlier than you…” She even gestured for Kayleigh to say ‘hello,’ and I heard her whispering and urging her to greet me ‘happy birthday.’

“Happy birthday, Ash…” Kayleigh reluctantly greeted me.

“Thank you, Auntie and Kayleigh…” I flashed a big smile at them. “And yes, Auntie… I am going to ask Mommy and Daddy about going back to Denzia because that’s one of my birthday wishes…” I said and then immediately gave both Mommy and Daddy a serious look. I even pouted and flashed my puppy eyes, hoping that they would grant the only birthday wish that I told them about.