Little Mercury

Birthdays

It's the 3rd of September 1972 and Amelia's third birthday. They decided to have a picnic in the park nothing too extravagant, just Freddie, Mary, Brian, John and Roger it was more them enough for Amelia. It's also a lovely sunny day so that made it even better.

When the young family arrive at the park the three lads have already set up a blanket under a tree near the duck pond and play park with an array of sandwiches, crisps, fruit and of course a birthday cake. Lighting the candles they sing happy birthday to her letting her blow them out before digging into the food.

Freddie wasn't in the habit of indulging his daughter in sweet treats and chocolate since she had recovered for her malnourishment, so he was curious to see how she would react to the chocolate cake, something she'd never tried before.

Freddie took her small piece from John when he cut it and held it on a plate in front of Amelia where she sat in his lap. But she wasn't sure what to make of it.

She looks up at her dad with those big brown eye unsure. Understanding her uncertainty using a fork Freddie takes a bit of it himself to show her.

When Amelia is certain that the cake is safe to eat and hasn't poisoned him, she tries a bit herself eating it off Freddie's fork.

Her eyes widen at the sugary taste, forgetting the fork her hands delve into the cake. The adults snicker at her reaction, "I think she likes it" John comments with a toothy grin. Brian captures every moment with his camera.

By the time she's finished, there's chocolate everywhere, face, hands and even in her hair but she had the biggest grin. After wiping the chocolate away Brian takes her over to the pond to feed the ducks. Letting her food settle before she can run around the play park.

It wasn't long before the sugar rush hit Amelia and she darts off racing up the climbing frames and down the slides multiple times. She ran back over after a while in need of a drink, greedily drinking her juice Mary ties Amelia's hair up for her.

Finished with her juice she turns to John, "Uncle Deaky, will you come to push me on the swings please?" Smiling in agreement he lets her drag him over to the swings. Apparently, he was the best at pushing her, although he wasn't convinced that was true.

Freddie had noticed that his daughter favoured both Roger and Brian with most things and although John hadn't said anything, Freddie knew he felt left out. So he had a word with his daughter and ask her to include John with something that was just for the two of them.

A week after the talk Amelia shocked John by asking him to push her on the swings and to this day if she ever went on the swings it had to be John who pushed her.

After while longer playing they pack up there stuff and head back to the flat so the boys can give Amelia her birthday presents.

Freddie and Mary had already given Amelia her presents this morning, they'd saved their money and brought her an acoustic guitar like she had asked for Brian has promised to teach her how to play.

What Freddie didn't know is that he wasn't the only one that had been saving. He knew the boys had brought Amelia something between them he just didn't know what.

Back at the flat Freddie watches as Roger and Brian struggle with an extremely large and heavy wrapped box up the stairs and through the door.

"You know you could help John," Roger grumbles taking the weight of the box.

"No, no, you're doing a grand job," John smirks following behind them with a much smaller box.

Setting the box down Roger and Brian collapse onto the sofa, the box was bigger than Amelia but that didn't stop her from tearing the paper off revealing a blanket box.