LEMONADE|| Keith Powers

Chapter 56: U with me?

Josie woke up to jumping on her bed. "Happy Birthday Josie" Morgan said jumping on the bed. "Thank you" she laughed taking the pillow from off her head. Her eyes were heavily red from crying last night. She always gets depressed on her birthday, its never a happy time for her because she doesn't have stability and she no longer has strong relationships with her loved ones anymore. "I made you breakfast," Morgan said handing her a plate. She looked down at toasted bagel with strawberry cream cheese topped with sprinkles. "Wow this is nice," she said taking a bite. "Mmm this is good," she said. "Good," she said tending back to drawing on the floor. Josie placed the bagel back on the plate shoving it to the side. She grabbed her phone looking at multiple messages filled with Happy Birthday messages. She unlocked her phone going to her Facebook to see Happy Birthdays on her timeline from old friends and family members she hasn't seen in years. Her scrolling was interrupted by a phone call. She smiled listening to Erica screaming on the line

"Happy Birthdayyyyyyyy Bitch" she yelled. She began singing Happy Birthday to her. "Thank you boo" she laughed.

"So what're the moves for the 25th? She asked. "You're 25, mid 20's now" she added. That made Josie feel so much better. "Mmhh I don't know" she sighed. "I don't want to party or turn up, I don't want to go to the beach," she said. "Uhh you never want to go out on your birthday" Erica sighed. Josie hasn't celebrated her birthday since she was 18 ever since her family joined the cult. Her whole life changed and she stopped celebrating it. The most she'll do is go out to eat with Erica. "Its just not that important to me" she looked over at Jace. "Uhhh is this because of-

"Please stop everything doesn't revolve around him" I rolled my eyes. "You're right; if that's the reason you can talk to me," she said. "Life isn't how I want it to be, everything is a hot mess so you can't expect me to be jumping for joy right now," she said. "Be ready in an hour, I'm taking you all out for breakfast" she said.

"No surprises please," she said. "I'm not damn bitch... pucker up. You're alive to see 25, unlike others remember that" she said. "As soon as she said that Josie thought of Ronnie. He was 26 but he wouldn't live to see 27. "Okay I'll be ready," she said getting up.

45 minutes later

"Close your eyes," Erica said. I was halfway finished my pancakes and bacon. "I said no surprises," she said. Josie covered her eyes. "Okay open," she said. She opened her eyes seeing a big metallic bag. She stood up taking out a big box turning it over. "Aww, you got me a steamer" she laughed. Josie hated ironing and needed a steamer for her clothes. "Keep looking," Erica said. Josie dug her hands further. She picked up a gift card to Joanne's fabric store for 100 dollars. "Oh my gosh, thank you so much" she smiled. She was feeling much better already. She dug deeper. "Don't pull that all the way out" Erica laughed. She looked at a vibrator. Josie's eyes widened "I hate you," she said. "You need to cum" Erica mouthed. "Stop it" Josie said placing her gifts back in. She continued eating her pancakes drinking her mimosa. "You like your food? She asked Jace watching him stuff his mouth with his pancake. Josie took some birthday selfies to upload on her account. She got a text from Mia and Kamaya

Mia: Happy Birthday Love, Enjoy! Stay in touch ❤️

Kamaya: Happy Birthday Josie! 🎉🎉Where are you located now? Just wanna send a gift 🤭

Josie scrolled through her phone debating on a picture to upload. She had several nice pictures for the gram.

She went back on Instagram and saw a story from Dreux and opened it. It was a post from 13 hours ago of him and the guys what looked like LA turning up. Ricky looked better they all looked in better spirits because they were around women as usual. "What are you watching? Erica asked. "Nothing," Josie said glued to 300 of his insta stories.