Chapter 45. Birthday Surprise

LEE

I suddenly stood up from lying in my bed when I heard a loud bang from downstairs.

I rubbed both my eyes and quickly left my room, going down the stairs. As I descended the stairs, I screamed because the lights in the living room suddenly turned on, and Mommy, Daddy, Asher, Sarah, and Paige all shouted, “Happy birthday, Lee!”

As they shouted, Daddy popped a party popper and they all sang together, “Happy birthday to you… happy birthday to you!”

Mommy was holding my favorite cake from Conti’s, the one with strawberries as its toppings, and that cake had numbered candles showing 18. Asher was holding balloons, while Paige and Sarah were holding a paper bag, which I assumed was their gift for me.

“Happy birthday, happy birthday… happy birthday to you!” they sang as I walked down the stairs towards them. Just as they finished singing, I was in front of Mommy, so I immediately closed my eyes and made a wish for a few seconds.

I couldn’t thin