Hope Is What We Crave (#Wattys2016)

Chapter One- Mom's birthday party

T-minus two days
Rachel stared out her bedroom window, watching as her dad set up things for her mom's surprise birthday party. Yeah, she shared a birthday with her mom. October 2nd. She didn't mind that one bit. She actually enjoyed it, but she was closer to her dad than her mom. She heard a car, and ran to the front door. Her aunt and uncle, Courtney and Luke, had just arrived with her cousins. Lucy, Jude, and Phoenix. She ran to the backyard, and her dad looked up.

"Is someone here?" She nodded, going over to him. Her dad, known to some as Joel Smallbone, hugged her.
"Yup. Luke, Courtney, Lucy, Jude, and Phoenix. Mom sent me a text saying she'll be here in about two hours, unless traffic gets too nasty." His eyes widened, and he groaned.
"Well, then we'd better hurry up, or this won't be a surprise party after all." She smiled.
"Well, we'll have some extra hands now that they're here. And everyone else will be here soon." He smiled, and the five of them came around into the yard. Lucy smiled at Rachel, running over to hug her, nearly knocking her over. She smiled, hugging her cousin.

"Happy sweet sixteen! You're almost an adult now!" Rachel laughed as the two started putting the a tablecloth on one of the tables.

"Nah. I still got a couple years. I can drive though! And my birthday isn't until tomorrow." While they were laughing and talking, they didn't seem to notice the man who stopped, stared at them, took a couple pictures, and then he was gone. Two hours later, the For King and Country band, Moriah's friend Anna, and Joel and Luke's sister Libby and her fiance, Ethan, had come, and they were all waiting. Moriah's bus pulled up, and she went in the house through the front door. Her band, however, came around to the backyard. She went to the kitchen, their bedroom, and a couple other rooms. Then, she came outside.

"Surprise!!" She nearly fell over, laughing. Joel went up to her, kissing her.
"Happy birthday, love." She smiled, hugging him and Rachel, who came up behind them.
"Happy birthday, mom." Moriah smiled, and then Joel winked at Rachel. He wrapped one arm around Moriah's waist, and he gently lifted her. She nearly shrieked until she realized who it was, and then she kissed him. He set her down, and he and Rachel sat on either side of her. Lucy also sat beside Rachel. As Courtney brought the cake Rachel had spent an hour decorating, two men stopped across the street, talking and pointing at them. The cake was two layers, and it was done in black icing with Brave on it in carefully piped white icing. In the same font, there was also 'Happy Birthday' around the bottom of the top layer. The next two hours were filled with laughter and talking, and Jude getting a hold of the Dr. Pepper, which did not go too well. After the party, and after the yard was cleaned up, Luke and Joel left for a meeting, and everyone else headed home. Moriah and Rachel curled up on the couch, watching Priceless. (A/n- I know it's not out yet, but that's why they call it a fan FICTION)

"I never get tired of watching this." Moriah chuckled.
"No. You know that's how your dad probably would react if something like that happened to either of us, right?" Rachel smiled.
"I figured. He's really protective. I mean, it took quite awhile for him to let me go out with Jacob." They both laughed, and Moriah ruffled her daughter's hair. They watched the rest of Priceless, and then watched Miracles From Heaven. As they finished it, Joel returned home to find both of them asleep on the couch. He smiled, sitting beside Moriah and putting his arm around both of them.

"I said it once, and I'll say it again. I will always love you and I will never let you go."

Author's note- Hey y'all! I changed my mind! I'm not going to wait until I finish another book! So....ta-da! The T-minus two days only makes sense of you read the whole description of the book. Love you guys!