Their doll 2

41- Long way home

Suffolk County, MA, USA
       Monday, 1st November
     

( Aurora P.O.V. )

"Happy Birthday to You,
Happy Birthday to You,
Happy Birthday, Dear Astrid,
Happy Birthday to You~"

Looking down at the cake with a big number eighteen candle on top, I closed my eyes briefly and made a wish. As the candles were blown out, the light in the kitchen was turned back on and my eyes did a quick tour of the room.

My heart swelled with joy and appreciation at the sight of everyone.

"Thank you guys so much for doing this but you really didn't have to." I said, humbly as I exhaled.

There were ten people standing in a circle around me. Molly, one of the girls who I had grown close with over time, was hovering over the countertop, handing me the small knife that is to be used to cut the cake.

"Of course we do!" Romano, the man who was standing slightly behind Molly exclaimed. He ran his hand through his dark hair before he plopped down, sitting slumped on one of the empty counter stools.

"Turning eighteen is a big deal, Astrid." Zac, my old co-workers from the third floor reminded. He's now working on the fifth as a bartender after our boss's right-hand man, Dante had discovered his skill.

"Right." I nodded my head to agree, trying not to look too uncomfortable.

A silver kitchen knife in my hand and I proceeded to divide the fluffy pound cake in half before cutting them into twelve pie-shaped pieces to feed everyone. Meanwhile, Molly made good use of herself and began passing around plastic cutleries and paper plates. We ate the cake scattered about the shared common area. Everyone was active. Engaged in the conversation, yet I found myself preoccupied, my mind making it's getaway.

Today marked November 1st, the end of all the whirlwind fun and getting away with making silly mistakes in life. Today, in the eyes of the law, I'm legal. I had imagined celebrating my eighteenth birthday much differently than how I was. But instead of wishing this and that, I was more than grateful for the life and the emotional state I was in.

It had been over six months now since Aurora died and Astrid was born. Yet, no matter how many time people had called me by my new name, it still felt unfit. Unfamiliar. I mean I was Aurora for the past seventeen years of my life and suddenly I became someone else overnight. I guess sometimes the road of life takes an unexpected turn, and there's not much you can do but to roll with it. Sometimes those things we can't change end up changing us. But coming out weaker or stronger, that's up to you entirely.

Threw back six months ago, if someone were to come up to me and tell me how my life would look like six months later on, I would probably laugh in their face.

Back then, every day felt like torture. I wasn't at all myself and I had only realized that once I became me again. I regretted almost everything I was. Everything I did. With, and without them. Both intentionally and accidentally. I let their darkness get the best of me. I was weak. Constantly being taken advantage of and manipulated by men who believed I was their property and persuaded me into believing the same thing. Eventually, when it all came to light, in the real world where humanity was still alive, I learned that love is no ownership and an ownership is even further from the feeling of love.

For the past six months, I had experienced life differently. Good or bad. It doesn't matter because I love every single minute in every day. The idea of waking up every day in bed all alone and living life independently at such a young age would scare the crap out of the old me. But now, I saw I wasn't the only one.