Authors: Letícia Kartalian
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday
The best birthdays are those we spend with the ones we love
Letícia Kartalian
––––––––
Translated by Caio Bonatti
“Happy Birthday”
Written By Letícia Kartalian
Copyright © 2014 Letícia Kartalian
All rights reserved
Distributed by Babelcube, Inc.
www.babelcube.com
Translated by Caio Bonatti
Cover Design © 2014 Letícia Kartalian
“Babelcube Books” and “Babelcube” are trademarks of Babelcube Inc.
Your Review and Word-of-Mouth Recommendations Will Make a Difference
To Jaymes and Thomas.
Happy Birthday, babes!
W
hen John parked inside the gated community, right in front of the big house in which I lived most of the time, I smiled and let out a soft and tired sigh, already opening the car door, going out and walking to the front door, my keys in hand, he at my heels.
I was exhausted, everything I wanted was to hug my bed and black out. My feet hurt. No, they throbbed with each step, in a clear and painful reminder that they were not designed to walk around all day long on a heel that should be forbidden to exist. Not to mention the strings of the sandals constricting my calves, which made switching to shoes every time an impossible task. Finally, my head was about to explode, and I hated feeling pain. But I’d done everything, even recording almost ceaselessly, without rest for me nor my staff, to be free on the 9th, so here I was, coming back home at three A.M.
"Thank you for driving me." I gave him our usual hug, and he gave me his secret kiss on the forehead. People usually think bodyguards are serious, usually silent and impersonal, even with the ones they are bound to protect. So it was with John in the beginning, but as time went by, he got more and more... accessible.
“Good night, Panda. And happy... never mind! I’ll call tomorrow.” I smiled at the ‘codename’ because I knew he loved that kind of thing, while I thought it was unnecessary.
“Good night, John.”
It was only when I stepped home and closed the door that I heard the engine starting. John. Always taking care of me, even when he did not need to.
The house was completely dark and in a silence that was not familiar anymore, and aside from the light from the hallway – something Doug and I used to do for the dogs, not because it was necessary, since they can see much better in darkness than humans, but because we treated them as if they really were our kids – it looked like nobody was home.
The silence, however, was broken before I could even step into the living room by a couple of dog paws striding towards the door. I took off my shoes, stretching my fingers before seating on the floor and getting hugs from my three little fellows. Licks, sniffs and wagging tails were some of my rewards for being home after some time. Resisting the urge to simply lie down on the rug and stay there, I got up and the dogs followed me to their water and food bowls, each with their names and completely full; then I headed to my bedroom, saying good night to Barney, Belle, and Connie.
When I got into the room, the sliding door ajar, I breathed a long sigh at one of the sweetest views. After so many days away from home and him, that was everything I could wish for tonight.
Doug was sprawled on the bed with arms wide open, taking more than half of the space, his bare chest, the sheet tangled in his feet, and just a boxer covering the forbidden zone, snoring very softly.
I know I’d said to not wait for me awake, after all, I didn’t know how long we’d be in the studio, and he also should be tired of shooting the new movie; nevertheless, I expected he’d be awake to hug me. Anyway, I was happy for just being here tonight.
I dropped my purse somewhere high, away from the “children’s” reach – since Doug had left the bedroom door ajar and they themselves had probably brought their beds in and placed them strategically around the bed – I got a headache pill from the drawer in the nightstand which, technically, would be on my side of the bed, and took it without water. Soon after, I opened the closet door and got one of my baggiest panties, a t-shirt from Doug’s, and went to our bathroom. I would be much better after a shower.
He was lying in the same position when I got back; the dogs, already on their beds, only raised their heads as they saw me coming out of the bathroom.
“You know you’re not supposed to be here,” I whispered pointlessly, as Douglas would not wake up even if the house were on fire. Barney whined, but did not get up, and for a few seconds, I felt bad for him. His and Belle’s peace ended when Connie arrived. When you have a dog, it can do whatever it wants. When you have two, things change, but you can manage. When you have three...
I climbed into bed, already smelling the sweet and faint smell of Doug’s soap, and lay down on the tip of the bed, with my body facing him, inevitably touching my body against his. In a few seconds, I felt his body move away some inches, giving me the space I needed to be comfortable, and then he nested his head in my chest, putting his arm over my stomach. Like he always did. Unconsciously, he knew I was there, and was giving me the hug I wanted. Before closing my eyes and letting the weariness win, I heard the noise of paws on the floor coming to my side. Barney.
“Good night, boy,” I whispered. Feeling Doug’s warm breathing on my lap, I feel asleep.
S
omething wet and warm was touching my face – my cheek, in fact – and the smell was not as pleasant as it should be.
I sat down and opened my eyes to see Belle on the bed, wagging her tail and showing her tongue.
“Damn, Belle,” I complained, “I think we’ll have to start brushing your teeth, girl.” I petted her, which made her lick me again.
I heard his laughter before watching him coming in, bringing a giant tray on his hands, with more food on top of it than I would be able of eating alone.
“Belle, get out of bed,” he said, and threw a dog biscuit shaped like a bone, which made her promptly go away.
“You know she can’t eat inside,” I said frowning and using my fake warning voice while I cleaned my face with a random cloth, but he laughed and blew it, making me giggle. How I missed hearing that laughter soon in the morning... Live, not through a phone.
“Later I’ll get a broom and clean her mess, ok?”
“Hum, if you say so.” I winked. He knelt on the bed, placed the tray on my feet, leaned closer, and stole a kiss from me. His lips tasted of coffee.
I quickly escaped from him, running towards the bathroom to brush my teeth. I knew he didn’t mind kissing me with my morning breath, and neither I minded kissing him, but it was not a reason to make it a habit – like if in all these years that hadn’t happened a million times.
When I got back to bed, there was no sign of dogs around, so I sat in the same position I was before, and the first thing I did was touch his lips with mine again. Just going on with what he had tried before.
“Good morning,” he said when our mouths parted, after making his tongue play with mine for a few moments. Good moments. “And happy birthday.” He got one of the plates on the tray, one of the covered ones, and opened it, revealing a chocolate cupcake decorated with three dog paws, my initials, and a little candle in the center.
I cupped my hands in front of my face, between my cheeks and my mouth, in a failed attempt to hide my smile and my delight for that little cake which I would feel bad for eating. A typical gesture from me, and he knew it very well.
“Well, I think the candle is pointless, I didn’t mean to light it, but I thought it’d look cute,” he said, handling the little candle.
“It’s beautiful and perfect. Thank you.” I hugged him so tight, my arms around his neck.
“So, the cupcake was my idea, but Suz knew a confectioner and Courtney brought it earlier today. There is more in the kitchen and a cake for tonight.” He made me look to him, held my face with his hand, and when I saw the shine in his eyes, I smiled. “Happy birthday and thank you for one more year by your side, for all the happiness, the dogs, our love... I love you. I love you so much. With the force of my life, of my being.
“I love you, too.” Then he kissed me again, this time with more need, a tender and demanding kiss, showing how much he had missed me, and once again proving that every moment we spend together becomes intense. His hand, which I hadn’t even noticed was touching me, climbed from my back to one of my breasts, free inside the t-shirt I was wearing, but as soon as I sighed, he moved away.
“Doug,” I protested. “I miss you.”
“I miss you, too, baby. I do. But we need to have breakfast and dress before people arrive.” He made me get out of the bed and, with a pat on my ass, pushed me to the bathroom, pointing at my hair.
“People? What people?” I said a little bit louder from the bathroom, opening the cabinet to get a hairclip. “I refuse to believe they can’t wait until the afternoon to start coming...”
“Kirs, it’s already past four, darling.”
“What?”
“You were tired, you needed to sleep. We voted, and letting you sleep won.”
“You’re kidding, right?” I said when I got back to the bedroom, tying my hair in a loose bun. “Did you really vote to let me sleep late?”
“BJ’s idea. Only one person voted in favor of waking you up.”
“Oh, sure. Something like that would only come from you or him. Who voted to wake me up earlier?”
“Katy.”
“Shit, even she is a part of this?”
“She called two hours ago,” he said with the mouth full of cookies, and I sat on the bed with the tray in front of me.
“What did she say?”
“That I should wake you and call everyone after having sex.”
“Of course, that’s so typical of her. And the others?
“They said basically the same thing, but John said you didn’t eat much yesterday and Suz told me to make you eat some cupcakes before the
action
,” he said so easily with a naughty smile.
Sometimes I was amazed at how much our friends would put their noses in our intimacy, but that smile....
“You’re lying!”
“Yeah, I am,” he laughed, showing his dimples, and I saw myself laughing together. “We really voted, and Katy said that, but the others just said they would be here later. But you know, that’s what they wanted to say.”
“Oh, sure,” I laughed. “How about my parents?”
“Your dad’s already called, and, like all fathers, said he would call again later, and your mom posted something on Instagram.
“She’s all connected now,” I laughed.
Only then I analyzed the tray full of things I love. Strawberries, chocolate, some cookies, which Doug had already eaten half, waffles, toasts, eggs and bacon, and two covered plates.
I opened the one I knew contained my birthday cake, got it with one hand and, before the first bite, asked Doug to take my phone from the purse and took a picture of it in order to post on the IG with the caption “24, yeah!” After that, I hold the cup of pure and hot coffee with my other hand and took a big gulp.
