Splendid Fall

Part 1, Ch. 1 Intruder

Chapter 1

(Birdie is 20, Noor is 9 and Zuri is 2)

"Go on," Heyder said as he pushed the birthday cake closer to Birdie. "Make a wish."

Birdie scrunched up her nose as she stared at the sparklers on the cake. The candles flickered, their reflection dancing in her silver eyes.

"What kind of cake is it?" Noor asked, leaning forward and trying to sneak a piece from the bottom.

"Hands off!" Heyder said as he pulled the boy back. "Let her make her wish first."

"I wasn't going to eat it, Paba," Noor rolled his eyes. "I was just looking at it."

"Noor, baby. Let Birdie make her wish first," Nora said as she balanced Zuri on her hips.

The little dark haired girl leaned forward from her mother's arm and tugged at her father's shirt. Hayden looked up and beamed at his daughter as she climbed onto his lap.

"We should get her ears pierced," Maya said, looking at Zuri.

"No," Hayden said immediately.

"It's not that bad," Maya insisted. "She won't remember it. And it will look so cute."

"Thank you," Hayden reached for his cup. "But no."

"Let the girl learn how to talk first and then you can go around piercing her," Heyder said. "The diamonds can wait."

"What diamonds?" Nora asked.

Heyder laughed as he looked over at Maya, "Maya bought Zubee a pair of diamond studs."

"She's too young for diamonds," Hayden muttered.

"They're little hearts!" Maya said. "They would look so cute on her."

"I like hearts," Zuri's big brown eyes sparkled with excitement.

"I know you do, pretty girl," Maya said, leaning forward across the table and kissing Zuri's nose. "That's why I got them for you. But your daddy is being a pain in my ass."

"Language," Hayden reminded his mother.

"Ass is a body part," Noor said, licking the frosting he had successfully stolen from Birdie's cake. "Ew, vanilla. Who picked vanilla?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Heyder turned to the little boy dramatically. "Was I supposed to ask for your approval first?"

"Yes," Noor said. "You should have. No one likes vanilla."

"I like vanilla," Heyder said.

"Is it because you're old and chocolate makes you gassy?"

"Okay!" Birdie clapped her hand and yelled loudly. "I know what my wish will be!"

"About time," Noor muttered under his breath as he got ready with his fork.

Everyone around the table turned to look at Birdie as she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Zuri began to clap her hand impatiently as Heyder got ready to command the confetti cannons to burst.

"No! Wait!" Noor shrieked just as Birdie leaned forward and blew out her candles.

"Happy Birthday to me!" Zuri yelled as the confetti cannons went off with thundering booms all over the living room.

"What? What?" Birdie said in alarm, looking at Noor's disappointment.

"The average human mouth has more germs than a toilet bowl," Noor took a seat. "You just blew all of your germs onto the cake."