The Serpent's Enigma

58 | The Greatest Gift

.·。.·゜·༺♥༻ ·゜·。.

CAL VELIUS LEROY

Cal Junior hadn't a single clue about how crowded his birthday would be when his parents offered to throw one. After all, who doesn't want to celebrate their own birthday? And a costume themed one at that, a rare occasion to dwell in fantasy!

But as he saw the number of vehicles that were being parked on the palace's courtyard the afternoon of his birthday gala, he found himself having second thoughts.

Sure he'd been to big occasions before, but usually, he's free to stand on the sidelines. Now he was the host of the party.

"Mother, may I have a change of mind?" he gulped.

"About what, sweetie?" Gigi came over, putting her arms around him.

"If I wish to call off the party now, would I be grounded?"

"Why would you want to call it off?" She shifted him onto her lap. "Is it because of the Fairy Godmother costume?"

"No, it's not that. I would love anything you wear. After all, I was the one who made you eat late-night snacks." He patted her stomach gently. Indeed, his mother was starting to look a little fuller lately. "I just thought it was just gonna be us and Oncle Philippe."

"Your father thinks that it's best to invite as many of our connections as we can, as it might be good for your future."

His father walked past them, overhearing their conversation. "I had twice as many people at my birthday, remember?"

"But back then you were inviting your friends. I don't have any friends, so who are these people?" He gestured out of the windows, toward the parking lot.

Gigi cupped his face. "Don't worry, we are going to be there with you to greet the guests. Oncle Philippe will still be there too! Tonight is your night, Junior, celebrate it."

Junior still had lingering doubts, but the sparks in his mother's eyes helped ease them. "Okay. So, what are you wearing?"

"Nyai Roro Kidul, the myth—"

"The mythical ruler of Prajan seas," he finished her sentence. "Alright, I guess as mythical queen, you could still be my fairy godmother."

"I love you." Leaning in to press her warm lips on his head, she set him back on his feet. "Get ready and put on your costume, we'll be going down in two hours."

Smiling after her, Junior turned his gaze back to the windows, seeing Aravin coming out of a car. "Oh no!" he squeaked.

***

Truth be told, Cal Junior had always wondered about how easily his father navigated things; his social life as well as his appearance. Even with a pair of plastic fangs stuck into his teeth, he still managed to look gallant and courteous in his vampire costume; his black cape sweeping the floor as he walked.

He had his father's face, but not his mannerisms or his charms. Let alone his popularity.

But once Gigi put the periwinkle blue cape and tunic on him, it was a dream come true. In front of the mirrors, he twirled and twirled, enjoying how the lightweight, silky material floated in the air. His shoes, although not made of glass, glittered under the twinkling light with all the crystals coating their surface.

If only he had a pumpkin carriage to go with it too.

"Isn't that the headpiece you wore at our wedding?" Senior remarked as Gigi came out in her costume; a classical Prajan torso-wrap in emerald green over a Batik. The shiny golden armlets on her skin instantly reminded him of someone else; a person whom he wished he could invite to the party.