Falling for Autumn | Jacob Black

Chapter 39 [edited]

"Chloe?" I called out as I opened the front door, peeking into the hallway. "Margaret?"

The faint sound of the Little Mermaid soundtrack playing wafted through the air, followed by sounds of thuds and echoed "Ow!" Following the noises, I headed for the rec room in the basement where the sight of Chloe hanging multiple shades of purple and green streamers from the ceiling met me.

"Good morning, sunshine!" I grinned, scaring Chloe who nearly toppled over the step stool she was standing on. She threw an unopened package of streamers in my direction.

"You almost gave me a heart attack, Leaf!"

"Sorry. I rang the doorbell, but nobody answered." I pointed towards the staircase over my shoulder as I walked over to her. "Where are your parents?"

"Mom's at the bakery with your mom and Dad took Casey with him to the airport to pick up my grandma." Chloe wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. "Did the guys come with you?"

"No," I said just as the doorbell rang, "but I have a good feeling that's them."

"It's about time," Chloe sighed. "My arms are just a little too short for these dang streamers."

"Anyone home?" Jacob's voice carried through the house.

"Basement!" I hollered, leaning over the banister to peek at the door at the top of the stairs.

A few seconds later, Jacob appeared. Behind him stood Seth and Quil, both grinning as they followed Jacob into the basement. Seth immediately headed to Chloe, reaching for her hand to help her off the step stool.

"Tell us what you need to be done, boss." Jacob said to Chloe as he looked around the room.

"These streamers need to be hung like this across the ceiling," Chloe pointed to her handiwork. "Jake, you can probably do that since you're the tallest."

"On it." Jacob gave Chloe a salute before giving me a quick kiss on the forehead.

"You two," Chloe nodded to Seth and Quil, "can finish the balloons. There needs to be at least three to a table. The weighted sand thingys are on the gift table, next to Jacob."

"What do you need me to do?" I asked as the boys got to work.

"Help me blow these tiny pools up? Mom says to put ice in them and then any cold food."

"Like your mom's macaroni salad?"

"It wouldn't be a birthday without it!"

Grinning, we quickly set to work on blowing the six pools up like balloons while the boys finished the decorations. By the time Chloe's parents returned home, the basement had been transformed into a beautiful underwater paradise.

An old fishing net Sue gave to Chloe hung on one of the walls, clothespins revealing photos of Casey over the last year. A small rectangular table placed under the net was wrapped in a lilac tablecloth, topped with a white fishing net and a "Happy Birthday" banner attached to the front; white starfish were placed accordingly, leaving room for gifts.

Another small round table was set up for the dessert Mom made in a similar style a few feet away, with the addition of different shades of green and purple tablecloths layered on top of each other to look like the scales of a mermaid's tail. In the middle of that table sat a brown treasure chest, overflowing with gold coins, strands of fake pearls, seashells, and a small blue and purple stuffed animal octopus sitting on top. Beside the chest stood a silver antiqued picture frame with a photo of Chloe and Casey I had taken the night before, dressed in matching mermaid patterned pajamas with their hair in a braid.