Chapter 17: Chapter 17
At dinner that evening, Serena found herself eating baked chicken with rice and steamed veggies, feeling like no time had gone by at all. It was as if she had never left. She sat next to Grams, who chatted away about her garden, and watched Courtney relax little by little as the conversation went on. Every once and awhile Austin would lean over and mumble something to her friend, causing Courtney to beam a girly grin as if she'd known him her whole life.
Broken as it may be, it did her heart good to see them together.
Grams' house even smelled the same, like aged paper and lemon dusting spray. The oak dining table in the heart of the large dining room was polished and well cared for. The crystal chandelier above them was without a scrap of dust, which always amazed her. Light fragments speckled over the cream colored wall paper from the window. In the corner, a china cabinet, carefully arranged, held all of Grams' stunning pieces she'd insisted on using for tonight. She couldn't see it just now, but on the other side of the wall, she knew their family portrait hung in the same spot it always had. Her mother and father with an effortless smile, holding her and her brother in their lap when they were four. Time took the opportunity away to have another portrait done.
"Enough of that," Grams said firmly, as if knowing Serena's thoughts. "We need to discuss your birthday next week." She folded her napkin next to her plate and linked her fingers together in front of her.
This would be her last birthday. The realization slammed into her hard. She wouldn't live to have another birthday. She and Austin rarely liked fussing over the day, but neither had the heart or strength to complain this time as a distressing look passed between the two of them.
"I didn't know you had a birthday coming up." Courtney set her fork down. "How old will you both be?"
"Twenty-nine," her and Austin said simultaneously and laughed. Serena looked at Courtney. "On the eighteenth."
"That's Saturday, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is," Grams avowed, matter-of-fact. "And, my new dear, we will plan a party for them."
Serena and Austin groaned at Grams' declaration, causing Courtney to smile fully. "Now, you know this is no surprise party, because I'm telling you about it. Courtney and I will arrange something nice." She wrung her hands together at the thought of a new project and looked at Courtney expectantly.
"Okay, Grams." Courtney sighed, completely comfortable with the kind old woman. "But I've never planned a party before, so I will not be responsible for any disasters that arise."
Austin met her gaze. "I somehow doubt anything you have a part in could be a disaster."
Her smile dimmed. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Serena pressed her lips together. Not interested huh? Yeah, right. "When's your birthday, Courtney?"
All amusement left her friend's face and was replaced by a closed expression. Her small hands began to fidget with a napkin. "I don't really celebrate my birthday, so"
Before Serena could stop him, Austin was pushing for an answer. "You must tell us. We'll just do a quiet dinner or something."
"Austin, its okay." Serena said at the same time that Courtney muttered "I don't have one."
The shocked silence stretched so long that Serena couldn't take it. "He never told you what day you were born?" How could a father not acknowledge his daughter's birthday?
"No." Courtney sighed, as if irritated by the conversation. "We never celebrated my birthday. Mrs. Meyers would bake me a cake on the anniversary of when she found me, but" She shrugged as if it didn't matter to her.
Austin clasped his hand over hers. "We'll pick a day to use as your birthday then." He glared at his sister with disbelief, still gripping Courtney's hand. He had no idea how to respond, what to say, so he searched his sister's face for an answer. She just looked back at him with sadness and shook her head. Courtney attempted to pull her hand from his, so he squeezed it gently and let go.
Grams stood to clear the table. "Well, my dear, most people don't get to choose what day their birthday falls on. You pick whatever day has significance for you. That day will never go uncelebrated in this house."
Courtney was humbled. "Thank you."
Serena rose to help Grams clear the table.
Austin couldn't move. He wracked his brain for a solution, a way to fix what damage her father had done, realizing it was far worse than Serena had thought. There were so many things Courtney must've locked away, atrocities he feared were only the tip of the iceberg and went beyond physical abuse.
An idea began to emerge. He waited for his sister and grandmother to leave the room and then turned to her. "What city were you born in?"
She offered him a side-glance laced with confusion and a trace of fear. "I didn't mean to ruin dinner."
"Hell, Courtney." She was killing him. He scooted his chair closer. "You didn't ruin dinner."
She turned her face away from him so he couldn't see her expression.
He got the distinctive impression she didn't believe him, so he went back to his plan. Actions spoke louder than words. "Do you know what city and state you were born in?"
She sighed as if giving up. "Ogden, Utah."
He nodded his head, putting that in his memory for later. "And how old are you now?"
"Twenty- seven," she said, without a hint of emotion.
He resisted the urge to seize her hand again, but the wedge of pain in his throat kept him still. Weariness and pain filled her eyes. "I just have one last question." She nodded her head, still not looking at him. "What's your last name?"
She smiled then, not quite reaching her beautiful blue eyes, and looked right into his, trapping him to her for a fleeting moment. "Morgan."
She stood to clear her dishes.
He itched to touch her.
Grams returned through the doorway and ordered her to sit down. "Guests in my house don't clean." She took Courtney's plate from her and made a shooing gesture with her hand. She swept back into the kitchen and out of sight.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone