Page 91 of Forgotten
Sydney, Darshi and their two sons all have matching grins and I simply throw my arm around Ash’s neck, holding him to my side. Where he belongs.
“Say ‘Happy Birthday, Winnie!’”
“Happy Birthday, Winnie!”
???
When everyone is gone and Winnie is asleep, the house is quiet. Finally empty. Ash is laying on the couch, his head in my lap. With one hand I’m brushing through his long hair. With the other, I’m searching for a delivery service on my phone.
“I can’t even remember the last time I’ve eaten.”
“Don’t be so dramatic. We had breakfast. We had cake.”
“Barely! I had one toast for breakfast and half a slice of cake before Winnie and Pippa knocked that juice over.” Ash sighs, lifting his chin to look at me. “It was everywhere, Ford.”
“I know. I was there.”
“Ugh, starving. Are we ordering or what?”
“I’m on it, man.”
“And the toys. They’re so loud. Does she need so many? How many birthdays, still?” Closing his eyes, Ash reaches one hand up to massage his temples and then, he holds it up for me to grab. I toy with the ring on his finger instead.
He’s got his own engagement stone, alright. Grey, just like the colour of his eyes when it’s dark and rainy outside. That’s when I love him the most, when everything else outside sucks but inside it’s just me and him. And Winnie, of course.
“Just about sixty more,” I calculate.
“She’s not celebrating with us until she’s sixty, Ford.” Ash is shocked, brows shooting up and mouth curved in horror. He’s adorable.
“We’ll see. Ugh, they don’t deliver anymore. It’s too late.” I tap on Ash’s palm and he gets the message. He rolls away from me and snuggles on the other side of the orange couch.
“One pizza, please. And let’s play UNO later, I’m feeling lucky,” he mumbles tiredly.
A strand of hair falls on his face, and he looks ready to sleep himself. I walk behind him and gather his hair up, then grab the elastic from my wrist and wrap it around the bun. “One pizza coming right up, Mister Luck. I won’t forget.”
The comment makes him open his eyes and then, a flash of panic. When I realise what I’ve just said, it’s too late. Ash is breathing heavily and blinking rapidly, almost as if chasing a bad dream away. Fuck, great.
“I’m glad I was there to celebrate with Winnie, this year. I’m glad we all were,” I try to reassure him.
“You were there last year.” And Ash is right, but still.
“Not really, though.”
“Ford, you were there. You never left us. Hey, look at me. You’re wrong, I’m right.” Ash angles his head upwards, lips waiting. I peck the side of his cheeky mouth.
“Get the UNO cards. Be right back.”
Ash’s voice softens, “Drive safely, will you, my love?”
It’s what he always says, but my kiss lingers a little longer this time.
