Junk and Other Stories

One Glorious Year

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!"

I slowly open my eyes and blink in the sudden ray of sunlight shining through my bedroom window. I can see the bright blue sky outside, and lots of fluffy white clouds slowly meandering across it. I love lying in my cot, watching the clouds roll by lazily. It's very soothing and lulls me to sleep. Daddy knows this and often leaves my curtains open during the day so I can watch the world go by. 

"Happy birthday, dear Serenity. Happy birthday to you!"

I giggle delightedly and clap my hands together. Daddy smiles at me, leans into the cot and picks me up, holding me close to his chest. I burrow into him, breathing in his warm, musky scent. Daddy laughs and cuddles me close. Then he reaches into my cot and pulls out my favourite teddy bear. She's pink (my favourite colour) and soft and squishy. Daddy says my teddy's name is Rose Petal because of her colour, but I know she's really called Ribena - because I like my special Ribena drink so much.

Daddy makes Ribena bop around in front of me. She speaks in a high, squeaky voice and sings 'Happy Birthday' to me. She only ever talks to me when Daddy's in the room. It's like she's shy unless he's there with her. I understand how she feels. I'm shy when my daddy isn't around, too.

"More!" I cry, shrieking with laughter. "More Ibena!"

"I think your teddy is all tired out," Daddy says. He looks at Ribena, like he's expecting an answer. She suddenly nods her big, pink, plushy head enthusiastically.

"Yes, Reeny!" Ribena squeaks in that funny voice of hers. "I was up all night helping Dad plan out all the special surprises for your birthday, so I'm really sleepy. I'll see you again later at bedtime, okay?"

I can't tell Ribena that I'll definitely see her later - I'm not old enough to talk properly like she and Daddy can - so I smile at her, wrinkling my nose. Ribena bobs around a bit more, kisses my nose, then retreats back into the cot. She sits limply against the wooden bars, suddenly silent, no more than an inanimate toy, but I know she loves me.

I love her too.

And I love my daddy.

"Da-da!" I say, gently patting his stubbly face and grinning at him with my pearly baby teeth.

"Hello, little darling," Daddy replies cheerily. "Ready for your big day?"

I don't answer, and instead settle for a big smile, nodding my head for good measure. Daddy understands, laughs, then takes me over to the changing table in the corner to get cleaned and dressed. He puts me in my best outfit: a pretty pink dress with lots of ruffles and a full skirt, tiny strappy white shoes with pearly buttons, and a beautiful garland of roses placed on my head. It slips down over one eye but I don't mind. Daddy puts it back into place and smiles.

"Oh Reeny," he says, tears in his eyes. "You look so lovely. Like a real little princess."

I beam at him, absolutely thrilled by his remark. 

Daddy sighs and picks me up. "One year old already. You've grown up so much, love. Do you know that? I remember when you were born. You weren't much bigger than a loaf of bread."

"Bah!" I say, stretching up tall to show him just how big I can be. I stretch a bit too far and lose my balance.

"Whoops! Careful, darling!" Daddy says, grabbing hold of me before I topple out of his arms and land on the bedroom carpet. He chuckles softly and kisses my forehead. "I can't believe that you came into my life an entire ear ago. I remember that day so clearly..."

Little does Daddy know, I remember it too. It's only a very blurry memory, but I can just manage to recall it. All I can remember was pitch blackness, then a sudden blinding flash of light, a loud scream, then everything suddenly shifting into focus. I squinted into the fuzzy white mess in front of my eyes. There was a face staring back at me, their lips turned upwards in a broad smile.