ORIGIN; part 1
10:27, read the pale face of the old grandfather clock which had been standing there ever since Navy Ashwarama was 3 months old.
A little girl she was then, a picture of whom hung right next to the clock, along with a family picture with mum and dad which was when she was an year old, followed by pictures holding other times and memories.
However there was one which she liked the most, almost loved it, ever since she was young. Maybe its dark blue frame was what the young Navy found cool, but growing up the picture it held became the reason she loved it. Well, almost.
She gazed at it this night, as the clock was soon to strike midnight, and the company around her to sing happy birthday. She didn’t feel like celebrating, though.
“I just…don’t feel like it. It just doesn’t seem right to celebrate after today.” She answered Claret, her best friend, ever since they were little.
“Navy, I know what it’s like for you, but it can’t be the same way every year. It’s your day soon, you can’t always not feel like it.”
Claret tucked her friend’s ebony hair behind her ear as she spoke, holding her hand, as another try to get her out of this “don’t feel like it” thing. It had been a thing for years now.
It had been years since that picture was taken, and now was held by the blue frame.
Years since she had been in her dad’s arms, years since she had seen him and years since he took his last breaths. That’s what made the picture bittersweet.
Today being his birthday, and tomorrow hers, Navy was never the one jolly on her birthday. She was grateful, sometimes pretended to be joyful for her mum’s sake, and on her friends nudging, but was never solely happy. Today was no exception. Unlike the glee chatter and music around her, she was silent, and lost.
“Navy, dear. Come on doll, cheer up. You know he’s smiling down atchya’ and is always there for you. If he was here, and also from up there, he’d want you to be happy on your birthday now, won’t he?”
Mrs. Woodwind had been one of the people who were with the Ashwarama’s through thick and thin. “Now I let Claret stay up way past curfew and came here for your mum’s cake, so it better be worth it ya know!”
Mrs. Woodwind tied her daughter’s messy hair up, who smiled at Navy, rubbing the back of her hand.
Navy let out a hushed chuckle. She knew the Woodwinds didn’t care about the curfew when it was for her family, and would have been there even when there was no cake or anything.
“Cake’s ready everyone!” Mrs. Ashwarama’s voice came loud and clear from the kitchen. She held the fruitcake in a tray, “Navy, didn’t you wear your new dress?”
Her brows furrowed as she looked her daughter up and down. She knew what the Navy loved and what not.
Mums know it all, now don’t they?
Navy stood up to show the floral white dress as her mum’s brows relaxed. She got it, along with other gifts for her daughter, who had it saved on her pinterest board for months now.
To Navy, having her mom still around was something she was already beyond grateful for, she always felt the gifts were an unnecessary burden on her special people, but she was always happy receiving them nonetheless.
She shrugged the feeling of ‘just not right’ off her shoulders as everyone, including Nani, Nanu, Mr. and Mrs. Senior Woodwind started singing happy birthday. They thought of cutting the cake early so that everyone could go home on time, before midnight, if they wished to.
Just as everyone gathered ’round the silk covered table, ding-dong, the doorbell rang. Navy’s mum got up but Mrs. Woodwind held her by her shoulder, to sit her down and went for the door. Through the door frame peeked in a bespecled red-head. She was accompanied by a another bespecled red-head, a teen by the looks, and a blonde guy. The Scarlets.
“Sorry we’re late!” Mrs. Scarlet chimed in. The blonde muttered something in her ear, to which she replied with a hushed ‘Oh, alright’ and kissed him good-bye in a quick second. The guy waved at Rachel, Mrs. Scarlet’s daughter. She held gift bags in her hands, so she smiled him good-bye. They began to take there shoes off and entered, their faces gleamy. “Hey!” Mrs. Scarlet smiled to everyone. “So sorry we’re late. Work, you know, really gets to you some times.”
“You’re just in time” Navy got up and hugged Rachel, she was a friend from school, but they grew closer with time. So did their mums. The Scarlets wished her and handed the gifts, which Navy went to put on the sofa-chair next to where Nani was sitting.
“Whose the guy, hm?” Mrs. Woodwind elbowed her just arrived friend teasingly, who in turn mouthed smiling ‘I’ll tell you later!’, as everyone started singing once again.
‘*’ ‘*’ ‘*’
The lights were bright yet gentle, the cinnamon coffee candles’ fragrance worked magic, mum’s cake tasted like heaven. The teens sat on the living room carpet, while the grown ups sat on the couches around them.
They talked about cherished moments and memories which they talked of every year, but no one found it boring, as they wished to hold those all along in life.
They talked of town, friends, cookies, flowers, mums and dads. Talking of dads, Navy’s mum remembered something.
She excused herself and went to her husband’s old study, thinking if it was the right time. She did turn fifteen, right? Yeah, that’s what she piped on the cake.
Yup, it’s time. She pulled the drawer handle and took out a little envelope. It was light and delicate, with a night coloured ribbon adoring it. “To Navy” , written by the hand she once knew so well, loved so well.
Aadya Pens 