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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and to Jess for betaing.
CHAPTER 12

Since William and I had made the bet about mother coming to visit, we didn’t talk about her in the two weeks leading up to my birthday. I was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt, at least until after the bet was won. I still wasn’t convinced that mom would show up, but William was so sure. It amazed me how much faith he had in her, and I didn’t want to make things strained between us by continuing to harp on the situation.

We tried to keep the twins on a daily routine. Each day after breakfast, we would go into the attic for lessons out of the home schooling books grandmother provided. Will and I would take turns teaching the different subjects of math, history, science and English. We tried to keep the lessons somewhat interesting by using other books and odds and ends we found in the attic, like travel books, a globe and an old chemistry set that included a microscope. After lunch, we would keep them busy by assigning them art projects that related to some of the topics we talked about in the morning. We also had them read a book a week and then write a small report about it, which they presented to us when they finished.

Once it hit two o’clock, Dawn and Connor’s school time was over and they were free to do whatever they wanted. Mostly they played board games or cards with each other. Sometimes they continued on with their art projects or found some other crafts to do from one of the books. At this time, I usually went to practice at the dance bar. I continued a normal routine of stretches and basic ballet steps just to keep in shape and in practice. William had taken to working out with the barbells and doing sit-ups and push-ups every day as well. He had always been thin, but now his body was starting to define itself with small muscles from his daily exercise.

Tales of the slayer also kept us busy at night and on the weekends. Will went through the story from Halloween giving it pictures and reworking some of the storyline, while the rest of us piped in our opinions of what the Gentlemen and their henchman should look like. I knew Will, Dawn and Connor were working on a new story for my birthday and I tried to give them time alone since it was going to be my present this year.

At one such time, I was enjoying a bath while I reflected on my upcoming birthday. Now only two days away, to say this was not how I pictured my sixteenth birthday would be an understatement. This was a big one, the beginning of an important stage of my life. I had always wanted a big party at The Bronze with all of my friends from school and dance class. There would have been a DJ and tons of presents, maybe even a diamond necklace, or better yet, a car from mom and dad to welcome me into adulthood. Parker would declare his undying love for me and we’d make love for the first time after the party, making me a woman.

But those teenage dreams were not going to happen. Instead, I would be stuck in a room with my brothers and sister listening to a story. No friends, no party, no father, not even mom if I was correct. If I got lucky, William would be able to finagle a cake out of Adam.

This sucked. It’s not that I wasn’t grateful for what Will and the twins were doing for me, it’s just that I had always pictured my sixteenth birthday as something special, a day that I would remember as one of the happiest times of my life. William and mother were always talking about sacrifice, but I wanted to be selfish in this matter. I wanted the birthday I had dreamed of for years. I put the washcloth over my eyes and sunk a little deeper into the tub, trying not to get too riled up about it. Maybe life would surprise me.

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On the morning of my birthday, I woke very early to the twins jumping up and down on my bed singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to me. William was laughing as I tried to pull the covers up over my head.

“Wake up! Wake up, Elizabeth!” Dawn said excitedly. “It’s your birthday.” She and Connor stopped jumping and snuggled up on either side of me, both giving me big hugs.

“I know. Thank you for reminding me so early in the morning.” I said while hugging them back.

“I think since it’s Beth’s birthday we shouldn’t have to do any schoolwork today.” Connor decided, looking over at William.

“Oh no, you don’t. We’re still doing lessons, only President’s birthdays get people out of school.” William replied. “Besides, the festivities will be left for tonight, but we’ll do some fun stuff today for the birthday girl.”

“Gaarrrr.” Connor groaned.

“Go brush your teeth and get ready for breakfast. No complaining.” Will said while getting out of bed himself. Dawn and Connor scrambled out of the bed and into the bathroom. Will came over and sat on the bed next to me. “Happy Birthday, Bethy.” He leaned over to kiss my cheek. “The big sixteen.”

“Yippee.” I replied sarcastically.

“Come on, Elizabeth. I know this isn’t exactly how you pictured it, but I promise you’ll have a good time. I’ve got a few surprises up my sleeve. I wouldn’t let my girl down.” Will smiled, while brushing his thumb across my cheek. “Do you trust me?”

“Yeah, I trust you.” I smiled back. “I better like these surprises.”

“You just said you trusted me!” Will said, laughing as the twins came screeching back out of the bathroom.

“Get up, Beth. You need to go get ready. Breakfast will be coming soon and we have a lot to do today.” Connor said as he tugged on my hand.

“We’re having Belgian waffles, your favorite.” Dawn supplied.

“Mmm, waffles. I hope someone remembered the whip cream and strawberries.” I said, getting out of bed. Will winked at me as I walked into the bathroom.

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After the waffles, which were complete with whip cream and strawberries, we went up into the attic for Dawn and Connor’s daily lessons. We spent most of the afternoon doing birthday related activities, with the twins making homemade cards and party hats. I assured them they didn’t need to do that, but Dawn insisted that it wasn’t a birthday party unless there were hats.

Will had been going downstairs off and on all day. I suspected he was getting things ready for my ‘party’, but I didn’t say anything. Right before six, Will arrived again to bring us all down to the bedroom. Dawn and Connor were extremely excited and it was sort of contagious, it was my birthday after all.

When we arrived downstairs, I smiled at the transformation of our room. Over the windows was a huge banner that read ‘Happy 16th Birthday Elizabeth!’ in brightly painted colors. There were streamers running from the ceiling fan out to every wall, and balloons were everywhere from the bed posts to the bureaus. Dawn got out the special paper crown she made with my name on it in sparkles and put it on my head, then gave Will and Connor their less elaborate hats before putting on her own.

Right at 6pm, the door opened to let in the most delicious aroma I had smelled in the last two and a half months. Pizza! Since we arrived at Rayne Manor, we hadn’t had delivered pizza, which was a Summers family Friday night tradition. Dinner was always home cooked meals which were good, but not greasy and mouth-watering the way pizza was.

“Oh god, that smells good!” I inhaled the smell of cheese and pepperoni. William moved over to grab the stack of pizzas and put them on the serving table, revealing our mother.

“Happy sixteenth birthday! My baby girl’s all grown up.” With teary eyes, mom rushed over to give me a big hug and kiss. My body taut with shock, I awkwardly hugged her back.





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