Legacy Project

17

Piper's birthday was a day she dreaded every year. It's cliche for a girl to hate their birthday, but pipers disdain for her birthday didn't stem from the fear of ageing, it all stemmed from what Emma called "Pip's great big daddy issues". 

We know Piper's father is an arsehole. But there's one story that only Emma knew which fucks up Piper's birthday every year, simply by remembering.

Pip was 12, in Invercargill with her dad for a karting race. It didn't matter to her dad that the day of the race was also her birthday, and she might want to be at home. Piper was annoyed that he was making her race on her birthday, so of course, like any 12-year-old girl, she got sassy. Her dad didn't like that. He screamed at her, telling her he wished she'd never existed and that she was tarnishing her grandfather's legacy and far worse insults that do not deign to be written. Piper spent every following year hating her birthday and hiding away, remembering those vile venom-tipped words.

So, on the eve of her birthday, dread and anxiety kept her awake. She stayed up most of the night on the phone with her mother, grandmother and every other kiwi friend and relation. New Zealand being 12 hours a head, and thus already her birthday there, meant she had a perfect excuse to look exhausted when she met with Emma for birthday breakfast.

"Respectfully, because it's your birthday, and I say this with all love, you look like shit."

"What can I say, granny wanted to talk all night and fill me in on the gossip from bridge club"

"That woman is iconic!"

"So, how many people have you told it's my birthday today."

"Not many, you should be more worried about Alex, Liam and Marcus..."

"WHAT WHY" Piper shrieked 

"Because they're walking this way, holding balloons and pancakes with a candle on"

Piper's head whipped around to look over her shoulder, and there they were, Lily trailing shyly behind.

"Happy 20th Birthday, Pippy," Liam shouted, giving her a hug.

"Ugh" Piper groaned into her hands.

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When Piper and Emma got back to her hotel room, Georgia and Jane were waiting in there, surrounded by a pile of presents that would have overwhelmed Dudley Dursley.

"What is going on here?" Piper peered around shocked, "there must be hundreds of presents here! How many people have you guys told about my birthday!"

"A lot of them are PR gifts or presents from the team!" Jane raised her hands in surrender.

"Your mum also sent me some presents to bring for you, and the boys gave me some as well" Emma added gesturing to a smaller pile.

"Theres also some little gifts from some other drivers" Georgia pointed to a table with flowers and little gift boxes.

Piper started by opening the PR presents. There were gifts from Dior, Versace, Prada, Cartier, Van Cleef, and Mecca Maxima. There were also gifts from brands that she didn't have partner ships with. Piper gasped as she opened a Dolce and Gabanna box.

"Ooh Pip, you should wear that dress to dinner tonight"

Piper held up the dress and a small card fell out, stating the dress was the sacred heart embellished brocade cocktail dress from the spring/summer 2015 collection. 

"Yes, Lily will die over this, I'm definitely wearing it!"

She then opened the presents from her family. Sam had bought her a Vivienne Westwood handbag and earrings. Her mum had brought her a bunch of books she wanted. Liam and Marcus had bought her a box set of Hercules Poirot books. Her grandmother had knitted her a scarf in the williams colours, and had stitched a patch with #30 on it.