The Price of Happiness.

One year later.

Rick closed his eyes, hiding from the sun, and shifted to the side. A few minutes later, persistent rays got him again. The man rubbed his eyes, stretched and sat up on the bed.

The morning sun shone through the window, filling the room with warmth. Rick looked through the glass at the clear blue sky. There was an extraordinary lightness in his body, as if for the first time in a long time he had taken full lungs of fresh air.

He heard a loud and quick stomp in the corridor, the bedroom door swung open with a thud, and a curly blonde girl flew into the room.

"Daddy! Daddy! Good morning!" She quickly climbed onto the bed and threw herself into the man's arms. Little hands wrapped around his neck, and a clear voice shouted right into his ear, "Happy birthday, Daddy!"

Rick covered his ear, if she said it a little louder, he would definitely turn deaf. The girl broke into a charming smile and, giggling, kissed the man on the cheek.

"God, you did it! Ashley, I asked you not to bother your father so early! Rick, I'm sorry, this fidget has been sitting at your door since six in the morning," Corey entered the room and pinched her daughter on the heel.

"But mom, I already waited for almost two hours!" Ashley pouted her lips.

Corey sighed and waved her hand at her, "Yeah, I know what you were waiting for. Opening your father's suitcase is what you were waiting for. Ashley, have a conscience, Rick has come in late at night, he needs to rest. You will look at your gifts later."

The woman looked at Rick and smiled, "Happy birthday," she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Kick her out or she won't leave on her own," she added in a whisper.

"Thank you," the man smiled back, "It's okay, let her stay. And by the way," he looked at Corey's belly in surprise, "It's just huge! How could he grow up like that in a month?!"

Rick put his hand and his ear to Corey's belly, "Hey boy, are you sleeping there? Your daddy came to see you. See you soon, huh?"

"Be glad Daniel can't hear you, or he'll change his mind about making you his son's godfather," Corey laughed.

"Oh, come on! He can raise my daughter, but I can't talk to his son anymore? Ahh, he kicked me!"

"He's always so active in the morning," Corey giggled and stroked her belly, a gold ring flashed on her ring finger from the sun's rays falling on it.

"Are you all right?" Rick asked.

"Yes, everything is fine," Corey nodded. "Everyone was waiting for your arrival. As a personal gift from me, you will be presented with a mega-delicious cake!"

"Is it really the one with which you won the culinary competition in Paris? Yes, I'm lucky!" laughed the man, "It's strange that your husband would agree to such a generosity."

Corey waved her hand, "Daniel's weakness is chocolate. So he didn't mind. He now has a full fridge of these sweets every day."

"I'm surprised that his teeth have not yet fallen out from so many desserts in a year."

"Ahaha, he himself agreed to be my main taster, let him take the rap for his decision," Corey pointed at her daughter, "Let Dad rest. The gifts aren't going anywhere. By the way, have you prepared a gift for him?"

Ashley exclaimed and covered her mouth with her hand, "Oh, I'm not done with it yet! Dad, I'll be back soon! Wait for me!" The girl jumped out of bed and disappeared as quickly as she rushed into the room.

Rick smiled, he would not refuse such an awakening even every morning.

"I'll go back to the kitchen, we're preparing breakfast. If you want, you are more than welcome to join. The main celebration will come later," the woman winked and followed her daughter, closing the door behind her.

Rick stretched and looked around. The room was spacious and bright, it was good here. Not surprisingly, the Andersons' father loved the estate so much. This place was a great refuge from the hustle and bustle of the big city and high life.

A year ago, Rick could not imagine that he would celebrate his birthday at his friend's house on the same day.

All the years while David and Rick were friends, although Rick at that moment was more pretending to be a friend, only David's birthday was celebrated on this day.

Rick did not say that their birthday is the same day and called the day when he was born in his past life as his birthday.

Today was the first day they celebrated this day together. The first day Rick celebrated his birth with those who were truly dear to him.

He dressed slowly, washed up and went downstairs. There was already noise and laughter in the dining room.

"Rick! Happy Birthday Buddy!" David was the first to notice him and came over to hug him.

"Happy birthday too," Rick patted his friend on the back.

"Forget it, today is your holiday. I had enough fun on mine, it's time to celebrate yours the way as it should be done."

"What's for breakfast?"

"Lina made toasts, Corey has something baked in the oven, and Elena promised to bake pancakes if she doesn't feel sick," David sighed and glanced at his wife.

Elena was spinning around the stove with a mixer in her hands. Silver hair was pulled back into a high ponytail. He was already used to seeing her in this way, although her radical change in appearance caused many questions from journalists. Well at least the color of the eyes returned to the previous one, but David would not care.

She was there - and that was enough.

Elena, focusing on the pancakes, did not notice anything around. Cooking has been a real challenge for her lately, but she fought hard with her new reflexes. Unfortunately, the reflexes prevailed.

"Let me do it?" Lina offered her help, watching sympathetically as Elena tried not to smell the food.

"I'm fine. So far," Elena smiled, but her appearance suggested otherwise.

"Oh, El, look! Jason sent photos from his wedding!" Corey ran up to her friend and showed her the phone, "Look how cool they look on these pictures!"

Lina glanced at the display, "He has such a sweet wife. We talked a little at the ceremony, I liked her very much."

Corey wrinkled her nose, "I'm in shock myself. I would never have thought that about Melinda! I still can't believe that she and Jason are married!"

"Did you know her before the wedding?"

"We went to the Academy together, she was our classmate," explained Elena. She, like Corey, was very surprised when Jason introduced his bride to them.

"Yes, and at that time she was such a bitc... I mean, her character was not very good. But as you can see, people change," added Corey. "Anyway, I'm happy for Jason."

Lina looked through the photographs, it was difficult for her to imagine this cute girl in a white dress as a terrible bitch. As far as she understood, Melinda and Jason met by chance in one of the cafes in Madrid. The girl moved to Spain and opened a dance school for young children.

As Jason said at the wedding, it was love at second sight. They had known each other for a long time but only noticed each other then.

"That's it, I can't take it anymore," Elena exhaled and moved away from the stove, "When will this stupid toxicosis be over?!"

"Let's go out for air," said Corey, "I forgot to ask," she looked around, and making sure that none of the men were around, continued, "Does David know what the ultrasound showed?"

Elena shook her head, "No. I said I would let him know today. There will be a surprise for his birthday," the woman smiled enigmatically.

"Who's there? Please, say that it's a girl! And don't give a damn that only boys are born in the Anderson family. Let's break the tradition!" Lina's eyes lit up. They all had a secret dispute, and the guys decided that there would be a boy again, while the girls voted for the girl.

Elena grabbed Corey and Lina by the elbows and pulled them to her, "It's not a girl. And it's not a boy."

"How so?" they did not understand and turned their gaze to the belly of their friend, which was not even normally visible.

Elena paused dramatically and with a sly expression on her face declared, "There will be both. Twins. A boy and a girl."

"Damn it!" cried out Corey and immediately covered her mouth with her hand, catching David's attentive gaze, "Damn, what delicious toasts Lina has!"

Elena giggled, "Okay, let's go outside. Let's see how your husband copes with the task."

Corey burst out laughing, "I'm afraid this task is unrealistic to complete. He will not forgive David this joke."

"And what is wrong? Is there a bad fish catch here?" Lina specified.

Daniel and David argued over whether the older brother would be able to catch at least one fish before dinner. And now Daniel had been sitting on the shore for more than an hour with a fishing rod and trying to fish out the winning trophy.

Elena exchanged glances with her husband, and noticing his malicious smirk, rolled her eyes, "No. The fact is that there are no fish in this river at all."

The women looked at each other and laughed merrily. It was a sight worth seeing.

An hour and a half had passed since Daniel sat on the small dock with a fishing rod in his hands. Fishing has never been his cup of tea, but today he made a vow to catch at least one fish. Even the smallest. After all, couldn't their father sit here all day just like that, meditating on the water?

In a place where there was no Internet or TV, what else was to do if not fishing?

"How is progress? Any catch?" Rick walked over to the novice fisherman and sat down beside him.

"Oh, are you up already? I bet Ashley helped." Daniel shook the man's hand and focused his attention back on the float.

"Yeah, you don't need an alarm clock with her."

"Happy birthday," Anderson added, not distracting from his goal as he floated peacefully on the surface of the water.

"Thanks," Rick nodded and stared at the float too, "By the way, I just heard there is no fish in this river," he added casually.

Daniel turned his head and stared at the man, "Not at all?" he clarified, a slight hope lurked in the question.

"Um, yeah, zero," Rick barely suppressed a smile as he watched the older Anderson's face change.

Daniel lowered the rod to the ground, straightened up, brushed off his trousers with an air of nobility, turned around and yelled at the top of his throat, "David, you asshole, I'll kill you! And it won't matter that it's your birthday today!"

Accompanying his threats with a further set of curses, Daniel headed for the house, where his brother was laughing, clutching his stomach.

Rick smiled. Who would have thought that morning in the country could be so wonderful. Or was it thanks to the people who were here?

Warmth filled his heart. A feeling of bliss spread throughout the body. What was that feeling?

Out of the corner of his eye, Rick saw the cork float on the water moved slightly. The man rubbed his eyes, deciding that it seemed to him from lack of sleep. But no, a second later the float jerked again.

If he knew that such emotions could be felt, he would give everything in the world to feel them every day.

Rick gingerly took the rod in his hand and pulled it towards him. The line pulled tight, causing resistance.

This is probably how happiness is felt.

Rick pulled his rod. The float bounced upward, pulling the hook next.

But money cannot buy happiness. You can only create it yourself. That is why it is priceless.

"Guys! Look! I caught a fish!"

_ _ _ _ _

The end.