Chapter 2 - Is This Still My Birthday?
Taryn dropped to her knees beside Lula.
“Lula.”
Her daughter looked at her without speaking.
Taryn gently took her by the shoulders and helped her sit upright.
“Are you hurt?”
Lula shook her head.
But she was trembling.
Taryn brushed grass from her dress and checked her face. A red mark was beginning to appear on her cheek.
Her heart sank.
Then she noticed the tables.
There were two of them.
One belonged to Lula.
Or at least, it was supposed to.
The table was completely empty.
Across the yard stood another table.
It was overflowing with brightly wrapped presents.
The giant bone-shaped cake stood proudly in the middle.
Beside it sat the white poodle, receiving more attention than Lula had received all afternoon.
Taryn stared.
She looked back at her daughter.
Lula's lower lip trembled.
“Mom…”
Taryn took her hand.
“What?”
Lula swallowed.
“Is this still my birthday?”
Taryn couldn't answer immediately.
She looked at her mother.
Doreen was already brushing imaginary dust from her dress.
She didn't apologize.
She didn't even look ashamed.
Instead, she calmly stroked the poodle's head.
Taryn felt a strange coldness settle over her.
It wasn't the kind of anger that made a person shout.
It was quieter.
May you like
Deeper.
The kind that made every detail suddenly become important.
