All The Little Lights // c.b

31

No one knew when my birthday was, except for my dad. I woke up the morning after the ball pit to my phone ringing. I answer it quickly, hoping I don't wake Colby, and carefully maneuver my way around as I talk to my dad who had called me.

"Hey, Josie Jo," he says, and I pull on one of my hoodies over my tank and shorts.

"Morning, dad," I whisper, and carefully sneak out of the room. I pad down the hallway and into the empty living room.

"So, your birthday is next Saturday," he mentions, and I put my head in my hands.

"I'm not going to Australia," I say, and he sighs on the other end.

"That's not what I was going to ask. I was going to ask if you wanted me to go there. To LA," he says. I freeze and run a hand through my hair as Elton comes down with Circa. He waves good morning to me before leaving to walk Circa.

"You, come to LA," I say in disbelief. My dad rarely traveled, hell I don't even know if he has ever left Australia before.

"Yeah," he says, and I shake my head.

"Dad, there won't be anywhere for you to stay, the house is packed," I say, and he sighs on the other end of the line.

"I could stay in a hotel," he says, and before I could say something he says something else, "your stepmother wants to say hi."

"Hello, Josephine!" She says in the most fake cheery voice I have ever heard.

"Hi," I say flatly, and wait for the phone to be passed back to my dad.

"Dad, I'm trying to tell you I do not want you here. I'm turning 21, you dont need to be here for every birthday. Plus, I want to spend it alone," I say, drawing my knees to my chest as Colby pokes his head around the wall.

"Birthday?" He mouths, and I sigh, putting my head in my hands.

"I know, honey, but 21 is a big year," he says.

"You said that when I was 18, and I moved away. I'm an adult, dad, please let me adult," I say, and throw my head back and sigh.

"Okay, at least call me so I can wish you happy birthday," he says, and I leave my head back and nod.

"Fine, fine," I say, and hang up.

"Who's birthday?" Colby asks, jumping on the couch next to me.

"Birthday?" I say in as straight a voice as I could, and started to get up. He figured it out though and dragged me back down.

"Your birthday?" He asks excitedly. I dont move a muscle, and he realizes he is right and laughs.

"We aren't doing anything, though. And I aint telling you when it is," I say smirking, and I raise a teasing brow at him.

"Then I guess we will have to celebrate everyday," he says, and my eyes widen, "guys!" He hollers at the top of his lungs and I jump up and clamp his mouth shut with my hand.

"Fine. It's June 17th," I say, and he smiles at me.

"That's in two days," he says, and I nod knowingly.

"I know that. I already have plans so don't plan anything," I say, and he cocks his head.

"With who?' He asks, concern filling his eyes.

"Myself," I say, and sit back down on the couch.

"Is it something I can join you in?" He asks, and I sigh.

"I guess," I say, and smile.

"If you don't want me there its fine," he says, understanding replacing the concern that filled his eyes just a second ago.

"No, you can come," I say, with more confidence. I could use the moral support with what I was planning.

***

I woke up on June 17th, with Colby already awake, placing coffee on the nightstand.

"Happy birthday, I had to get you at least one thing," he says, handing me the coffee he bought me as well as a gift bag.

"Aw, Colbs," I say, and open the gift while he sits on the edge of the bed, watching. I pull out a hoodie, and on the front it had a heart on the right side of my chest, that was colored white, and I saw on the inside edge it had 'I love you' written in Colby's handwriting. I held it to my chest and leaned forward and kissed him.

"I love you to, babe," I whisper as I pull away. I then stand and collect clothes for me to wear that day, which was a pair of leggings and a cropped tee with a pair of white vans. I tie may hair into a ponytail as I leave and change in the bathroom, brushing my teeth and such in the process. When I went back into Colby's room he was already dressed in shorts, a SnapBack, and a tee. I grab his hand and we walk downstairs, successfully avoiding everyone. We got in Colby's car and I drove to the destination.

"A tattoo parlor?' He asks, and I nod.

"I told myself that on my 21st birthday I would get a tattoo on my wrist," I pull out a slip of paper, but I do not show him the symbol that I was planning on getting, "you will see when its done," I say, and we get out and walk into the parlor.

Colby POV

She meets with the tattoo artist and shows her the slip while I stand back. She then gets situated and holds out her arm for the tattoo artist. She goes on her phone with her free hand and starts typing something. A moment later I get a text from her.

Josie :) - I'm glad u came

Me - so am I :)

She looks up at me and smiles, placing her phone in her lap and making a half heart with her free hand. I make one back and she smiles. I watch her talk to the artist while she finishes, and then when she was done Josie motioned me over. On the inside of her forearm was a small outline of a heart, and I recognize it to be one that Ella used to always add in addition to her signature. It was not symmetrical, and when Josie showed me the slip of paper I knew my suspicions were right.

"When Ella signed merch, she always added a messy heart next to it," Josie says smiling, and then the artists bandages the tattoo. Josie pays and then we walk back to my car. She gets in the passenger seat, and she has a new glow around her. Her eyes seemed brighter, and it made me feel better about the surprise waiting for her back at the house.