Going So Well

I can't believe that I am eighteen already. Today was my eighteenth birthday, again. I have to admit, as excited as I was to turn eighteen in this world, I couldn't help but think about my previous life. When I was Adelaide, I died on my eighteenth birthday. I mean, who wouldn't be nervous to celebrate that birthday again?

Was I going to die mysteriously again? Was my future going to be stolen from me once again? I didn't want that to happen to me again. I was happy in this life. I actually had a life and a future in this world. I didn't want to let it end here again. I didn't want to be the girl that lived life after life only to die on her eighteenth birthday again and again. That would literally be hell for me.

I was relatively certain that nothing was going to happen this time though. I didn't have that headache that I had the day that I died last time. I am convinced that the headache was what killed me. I don't know if it was an aneurysm or if it was something else that I just hadn't thought of, but that headache had been the death of me. Hell, it might have even been a blood clot or something. I was in a wheelchair after all. It was highly possible that there was a clot that made it all the way to my brain instead of my heart. I don't know for certain, but I was sure that it was something along those lines.

So, the fact that I didn't have even the slightest trace of a headache this time around, made me feel a lot better about the day. Not to mention that Briar had given me such a wonderful gift. I can't believe he took the time, and spent all that money, to copy those books for me. He had done something for me that no one else would have ever thought to do, and I was beyond ecstatic about it.

We were all sitting down to eat now. Mom had made all of my favorites. And no offense to my previous mom, but these foods really were my favorites. There was a bacon and vegetable sandwich type dish that was wrapped in large sheets of lettuce. There was this world's equivalent to pasta with grated cheese and spinach. Dad had splurged and bought fine cuts of beef, pork, and chicken which had been grilled as kabobs over the fire. It was all wonderful and just what I would have wanted if Mom had asked me. She didn't need to, though, since she was always around to care for us and get to know us.

We talked, we joked and laughed, we had a good time. It was a great start to my party and a wonderful day. After we ate, Catherine performed a dance that she had choreographed herself since she didn't know what to get me for my birthday. Arthur and his fiancée gave me a dress that they (Renea, the fiancée) had made for me. Mom gave me a beautiful sun hat with a hand knitted lace trim. She had made the trim herself and put it on a hat that Dad had bought.

I thought that Dad would have just made his gift part of the one that Mom had given me, but nope, he had one for me himself. Dad had opted to buy me a gift. He had looked all around the clothing shops in the city when he had gone to sell goods last time. While he was there, he had bought me the most beautiful dress he could possibly find.

The dress was long with a full skirt. It was done in varying shades of soft blues such as baby blue, robin's egg, and cornsilk. It was perfect, and I loved it. The dress was corseted and would fit tight across the top before flaring out at the waist and swishing and swaying around my legs.

"I love it, Dad. I really love it." And I did. It was very beautiful, but I knew that I would never have the chance to wear it, ever. Not to mention, with my time here, I had gotten over my aversion to wearing such girly things. I had no choice, since women in this world didn't seem to be allowed to wear pants like the men.

"I am glad that you like it, sweetheart." Dad was beaming at me, his eyes crinkling and a tear forming in the corner of them.

"It looks expensive, though. What if we won't be able to pay the debt now, do you think that you have enough money? Do you think that it will be OK? I am sure that he will be coming back very soon."

"No worries, Addie, we will be fine. And I am sure that we have another month or two at the very least. Please do not worry so much."

Dad was right. We still had time. There was no need to stress over it all right now. And whenever Mr. Boberre comes back, I am sure that we will have more than enough money to pay him. He could be a very rich man with the fortune that Dad had amassed over the years. It was all good.

"Come on now, Addison." Mom called for me as she brought the cake to the table. She had put some little wooden candles in it. I always thought they looked more like toothpicks than candles, but they seemed to work just fine. Mom sat the cake down then Dad and Arthur started to light the candles. With them working together it didn't take long for them all to be lit.

This was the point where my anxiety was going to flare again. Seeing the candles, getting ready to blow them out, that is exactly when it all happened to me that day too. I didn't want to die. I didn't want this life to end.

"Look at you, another year older. Where has time gone? Are you wiser or are you bolder? Are you full of beauty or brawn? Whichever it may be, there is only one thing for us to say. Hi there Addie, it's your birthday!" I never knew if that was something that my family made up or if it was traditional in this world, but there was a song like that for every member of the family, and there was always a line that rhymes with our name. I thought that was the best part of it all.

"Thank you!" I smiled at them before leaning forward to make a wish.

'Please don't let me die.' I thought to myself just before I took a deep breath and blew out the tiny flames.

"Hello there, Addie."