That Beautiful Miracle

Happy Surprise Birthday Party

Location: The Forman's Basement

3rd POV

Angel sat on Eric's lap, her head resting against his shoulder as she thought about the present she'd got him for his birthday. She knew his mother would throw him a party and that the appropriate time to offer gifts was during, but she was so excited for him to open it. Angel's small body was almost vibrating with excitement.

"Knock knock," Kitty hollered as she came down the basement stairs with a basket of laundry. "Just me with a load of wash." She laughed as she reached the basement, looking over the five kids she considered her own.

"Mama," Angel squealed, standing from Eric's lap and running to give the only other woman in her life that wasn't her floozy of a mother, a big hug. Angel wrapped her arms around Kitty's waist and rested the side of her head on the womans chest, Kitty smiled as she wrapped her own arms around Angel's shoulders. "Did you pick out the shirt I asked about, Mama?" Angel asked excitedly without raising her head as Kitty began to play with her hair.

"Yes, I did." Kitty replied. She separated from Angel and took a blue checked shirt from the hamper that Angel had suggested Eric wear on his birthday. Partly because she knew it was Eric's favourite but also because he looked so handsome in it. "Eric, Angel thinks you should wear this for your birthday, and I agree. You look so handsome in blue." Kitty simpered.

"Why would I want to look good on my birthday?" Eric asked. He was attempting to sound disgruntled because the idea of a birthday party did irk him, but he couldn't be fully upset when he thought about Angel finding handsome.

"Well, you never know what could happen on your birthday." Kitty responded as she turned with a wink at Angel to put the clothing into the washer.

"Mom, I don't want a party, okay." Eric stated firmly, causing the two women to share a look, Kitty suddenly took off for the kitchen, leaving a giggling, blushing, Angel behind as she went.

"Okay, Mr Popularity!" Kitty mocked. "As if I have time to throw you a surprise party." She shook her head and shared one last look with Angel before closing the basement door behind her.

Angel shook her head, amused, until she glanced around at the somewhat predatory looks on the faces of the boys in the basement. She took slow steps towards the stairs, never taking her eyes off the boys, as her face grew more and more red. Eric bounded over the sofa, Hyde and Kelso each rounding it on opposite sides as Fez stood at the outdoors exit to the basement so she couldn't escape through there if she was herded in that direction when chase was made.

"Listen," Angel giggled nervously. "I don't know anything about a surprise birthday party and I certainly haven't planned out your birthday outfit to match what I'm going to be wearing and I absolutely have no idea about what music I've set aside for us to listen to while we sit around playing games I don't know about and eating snacks that I didn't help make. Oh, and I don't know anything about your sisters visit. That's all on your mom." Angel threw her hands up in surrender as Eric advanced on her. He tickled her sides playfully before tugging her to his chest.

"If you weren't a good friend of mine, I'd hate you so much right now." Eric muttered, digging his fingers into her sides one final time before releasing her. He nudged her back towards the others. "I still don't understand why she bothers inviting Laurie. She hates me!" Eric groaned as he flopped back into his seat and grabbed Angel by the waist to pull her back into his lap.

"Now, Eric," Angel hummed as she began to play with the hair at his nape absent mindedly. "Laurie doesn't hate you. She's just spoiled. She was the first child and the only girl, it happens." She shrugged and met his gaze lazily.

"It didn't happen to you." Eric reminded her.

Angel hated it when they made comments like that because she felt dishonest agreeing. Her circumstances were very different. Sure, she had parents, but they were never there for her, and they never had been. Angel wasn't spoiled because she didn't have anyone to spoil her. She was alone when she wasn't with her friends, and she could only pretend that that didn't hurt.

"Eric, your sister loves you." Angel stated firmly. She stood from his lap and took off for the stairs in a flurry of pink skirt and yellow ruffled shirt. "You need to make more of an effort with her." She spoke, making eye contact as she took the stairs two at a time. "See you tomorrow, boys."