𓀬
Imogen Halstead (age 8)
Word count: 1284
Jays POV
I'm not really sure what's gotten Imogen so quiet today. It's her birthday and usually she'd be running around screaming the house down, letting the whole world know she's a whole year older. Not today though, today she's the most quiet I've ever seen her. The second she woke up and found out about the party we had planned, she went back to her room to change but hasn't said a word since.
She didn't seem too pleased about her friends from school coming over to spend the day here either, in fact she actually told me to cancel the party. I was a little confused at first, but she's always been difficult to understand. We're having the party, how could we not celebrate this amazing tiny human?
I decided to send her outside to play with the new toys she got this morning, just while we finish up cooking the party food. Wills on pizza duty since I can't make one without burning it, whilst I prepare the picky bits.
I check on Imogen again to see her sat at the head of the long table, her head hung low and her toys laying on the grass untouched. I frown and head over to the patio door, sliding it open and walking over to her where I crouch down, "what's up, baby?" I brush the hair away from her face. She folds her arms, "nobody's gonna show up" she shrugs. I frown, "yes they will, they still have ten minutes before they should start arriving" I state, assuming she's concerned for timing, or maybe just disappointed that nobody's turned up early yet.
She shakes her head adamantly, "nobody's coming" she looks down at me with a frown. I stand up and plant a kiss onto her forehead, "they will princess, I promise they will" she keeps her head down as I walk back into the house. I'm instantly greeted with a confused Will, "what's wrong with her?" He enquired curiously. I sigh, "she's certain nobody's gonna turn up" I shrug. Will frowns, "maybe she's just sad nobody's here yet" he suggests and I nod, "my thoughts exactly" I sigh as I help him plate up the food.
~
Around half an hour later, and nobody has turned up yet, me and Will are currently stood on the patio watching Imogen play with her new gadgets on her own, people should be here by now...
Will sighs, "you think they're just late?" He frowns. I shrug, "I'm not sure" I sigh. Why wouldn't they show up to Imogen's party? Everyone loves Imogen... You can't not love her. The last time I checked, Imogen had dozens of friends. I look at my brother sadly before Imogen chimes in, "I told you they weren't coming..." she announces with her back to us. Will walks over to Imogen and crouches down, "why'd you say that, kiddo?" He smiles. Imogen drops her things, "because" she states. I shake my head, "did something happen?" He adds
She doesn't answer his question and instead stands up, "i don't have any friends, I told you nobody was coming!" She runs past us both and towards the stairs. I hear her bedroom door slam before I look back over to Will in confusion and shock, "what was that about?" He rubs a hand on his neck. I shake my head, "I'll go find out" I walk over to the stairs. I quickly run up the stairs and enter Imogen's bedroom to see her face planting the bed.
"Hey..." I sit down next to her. She rolls over, "I don't want a party" she sobs as she buries her face into my knee. I frown, "why not? You were so excited last week..." I sigh. She shakes her head, "I don't have any friends..." she repeats. I brush her hair out of the way, "what do you mean? I thought you had lots of friends" I enquire. She sobs loudly as I let her cry it out, knowing she'll get frustrated if she can't talk whilst crying.
"They're all mean to me now, ever since fathers work day they started being mean..." she sniffles. I frown, "fathers work day? When was that?" I sit up. Did the school really not send us the information just because we're her brothers? This has to be a joke. She sniffles again, "Monday" she sighs. How did we not know about this? It was five days ago...
"Awh honey, c'mere..." I pull her onto my lap. She soaks my shirt with sad tears on her birthday, and my heart clenches at the thought of anyone hurting her. I sigh and rub her back, "they're not your friends, okay? And you'll know exactly what I mean when you're older" I wipe her tears away. She sighs, "my birthday's ruined..." she frowns, pouts even. I shake my head, "no it's not princess, we're gonna figure this out" I smile sadly. She nods and wraps her arms around my neck as I pick her up, I carry her downstairs and tell her to go play with her toys so I can talk to Will.
~
"Thank you so much, everyone. Imogen was heartbroken when no one turned up" i smile thankfully as the whole intelligence unit, plus trudy, a few members from med and mouch from firehouse 51, stand willingly in the garden whilst Imogen runs wild. I smile down at our sister who's busy showing Natalie, hailey and Kim her new hair jeweling device.
After ten minutes, hailey wanders over to me with at least a dozen gems in her hair. I smile, "looking very snazzy" I sip on my beer. She chuckles, "why thank you, Immy really knows how to make a woman feel confident" she flaunts her new hairstyle. I smile and look down, "I can't believe the school didn't tell us about fathers work day" I shake my head. Hailey frowns, "go in and talk to the principal, he can't ignore you when you're stood in front of him" she shrugs. I nod, "I will do" I look over at imogen who's now attempting to jewel mouch's very short hair. Trudy is in fits of laughter...
Voight walks over to me a few minutes later, "she's a bright character" he signals to my sister. I smile, "yeah she's great" I sigh. He smiles back, "she reminds me of you" he adds. I raise an eyebrow curiously, "you both love to lead a group" he nods as we watch Imogen telling Ethan Choi and my brother to do things whilst she makes a fake stage so they can perform their routine for us.
Roughly ten minutes later, she attempts to whilst and grabs everyone's attention, "we have a show for everyone!" She calls out with her hands in the air. I chuckle at her carelessness and move to stand in the designated box she made with teddy bears.
A full garden watches will, Ethan and Imogen prance around for a whole two minutes, before Imogen drops down into the spilts and tells the other two behind her to follow suit, "unfortunately we don't have that superpower" Ethan smiles as he looks at Will with a laugh. Imogen smiles and holds her arms out, "tah-dah" she announces. We all clap and she fake bows as she makes my brother and Ethan do the same. Imogen runs up to Voight, "did you like it?" She smiles. Hank nods, "I loved it" he tilts his head. She smiles and runs around everyone else asking if they liked their show. It's in times like this, that I remember what family really means...
