11 – Stellaluna’s Disappointing Birthday (3)

Stellaluna marched through the hallways, towards her bedroom. Not bothering to close the door, she collapsed on her bed, and cried into her pillow. For how stupid she felt, believing Barry would ever plan anything big for her. For how her birthday had been overshadowed by Waylon’s stupid run for governor. For this alone, Stellaluna would vote against him. Too bad she wasn’t allowed to vote.

Why had she ever thought marrying Barry was a good idea? Not that she had much of a choice in the matter, but she didn’t put up a fight either. She’d heard stories of women who did. Some ended wonderfully. Others ended tragically. What would her life look like if she had spoken out against marrying Barry? Stellaluna sniffled.

Footsteps approached the bed. Probably Barry, trying to find some way to make it up to her.

Whoever it was sat at the foot of the bed. “I’m sorry.”

That wasn’t Barry’s voice. Stellaluna turned to see Yannick. She wiped her eyes while avoiding his, embarrassed to have been caught in such a state of upset.

“I heard people this morning. They say the party for the mayor was. I tried to you earlier say.”

“But Barry dragged me away.” Stellaluna sighed. “I was stupid for assuming it was for me.”

“Master Callahan is stupid. He forgot your birthday.” Yannick handed over a small, plastic bag. “Happy birthday.”

Stellaluna took it from him, mouth parted in surprise. A servant spending his hard-earned paycheck on someone who had more money than she knew what to do with? Someone who didn't even have enough money to spare for a proper gift bag? “You didn’t have to get me anything.”

“I wanted to. I had a bad feeling about today.”

Even the servant had suspicions. And the servant was also the only person to have given her a gift. Though she had a hard time believing Zailey didn’t have something for her somewhere. Stellaluna reached into the bag, and pulled out a box of cream-filled chocolates. She smiled. Now she knew why he asked her that question. But she didn’t recall telling him the exact kind of chocolate she preferred. “These are my favorite! How’d you know?”

“I asked around.”

Stellaluna needed a piece. She opened the box and helped herself to one, then offered one to Yannick as well, who accepted.

“When’s your birthday?” Stellaluna asked him.

“You must no worry make.”

“It’s only fair for me to get you something too.”

Still, Yannick didn't divulge. Stellaluna would have to find out some other way. “Can you at least tell me how old you are?”

“26.”

She suspected him to be a little older, but 26 wasn’t a surprise, though the fact they had a large age gap between them hit her. “That’s almost ten years younger than me.”

“You are over 30?” Yannick studied her. “You look young.”

“I do not.”

“You do. I thought, you 28 are.” Yannick continued staring at her face.

Stellaluna felt a blush creeping up on her. “I’m not.

“You look so.” Yannick patted her shoulder. “I must go, before Barry comes.”

“Good idea.” Stellaluna didn’t want to think about what Barry would do if he saw a male servant comforting her. “Thank you!”

~~~~~

Sebastian and his parents arrived home. His father unlocked the front door, and they all stepped inside.

At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. His parents went off towards the kitchen, while Sebastian went straight to his room to check on Tibby. There, he stumbled upon a huge problem.

His bedroom door was wide open, Tibby nowhere to be seen.

How was that possible? Did he not shut the door all the way? Did Tibby somehow learn how to turn doorknobs? Most importantly, where was Tibby?

Sebastian desperately searched the rest of the upstairs. The spare rooms were empty. The bathrooms were empty. His parents’ room was empty. He clutched at his hair. If Tibby wasn’t upstairs, he must be downstairs.

With his father.

Sebastian ran down the stairs. He roamed through the living room. The family room. The dining room. Where was that dog?

“What’s wrong?” Celine asked him, when he wandered into the kitchen.

“I lost Tibby,” Sebastian whispered.

Celine pursed her lips. “I haven’t seen him down here.”

“Where’s dad?”

“He’s in the bathroom.”

Off in the distance, someone screamed. It was then when Sebastian realized he had missed a bathroom. There was a sinking feeling in his chest, but he tried to keep his hopes up. Just because he missed the bathroom, didn’t mean Tibby was in the bathroom. Maybe his dad saw a spider. That would make Sebastian scream too.

Waylon stormed over with Tibby sulking behind him. Sebastian’s heart pounded. A lump formed in his throat. This was it. He was going to have to say goodbye to Tibby.

“Why was this beast hiding behind the shower curtain?” Waylon shouted.

Celine gasped. “What is that thing?”

Per their agreement, Sebastian didn’t call his mother out on faking it. He stared at Tibby, wondering if there was any way his father would let him keep the dog.

“You tell me! I go to use the bathroom, and this thing pops his head out from the shower curtain. Scared the piss out of me!”

Good thing you were already in the bathroom, Sebastian wanted to say. Tibby bumped his head against Sebastian’s waist. Sebastian scratched his ears.

“I take it you have something to do with this?” Waylon glared at him. “You know how I feel about dogs!”

“Please don’t make me get rid of him!” Sebastian pleaded. “He needs me.”

“He needs you?”

Tibby sat down, and raised his front paws up, whimpering.

“Don’t try pulling that shit on me!” Waylon shouted at the dog.

“Don’t yell at him!”

“Okay,” Celine said, “both of you calm down.”

“Don’t tell me what to do!” Waylon narrowed his eyes at Celine. “You knew something about this, didn’t you?”

“I think a dog is good for Sebastian.”

“He can get a dog when he moves out.”

“He cares about this one. Let him have something that makes him happy, for once.”

Waylon gaped at her. Sebastian did too. What had come over his mother recently, to make her defend him so often?

“Sebastian was perfectly happy without the dog.”

“You seriously think that?”

“Of course.” Waylon looked at Sebastian. “You’re always happy.”

Sebastian wasn’t sure how to respond.

Luckily, his mother did for him. “You haven’t noticed how miserable he’s been, ever since he came back from that camp?”

“You’re looking for things that aren’t there. Sebastian’s better than ever. And he’s cured. Or would you rather him run off with a boy? Is that why you don’t want him getting married?”

“I want him to get married when he’s ready.”

The conversation was getting way too awkward for Sebastian to be present for. He pet Tibby’s head, and stepped away. His father stopped him.

“I’m not done with you!” Waylon glowered at him and the dog. “You really want to keep that dog?”

Sebastian’s heart thumped. Where was he going with this? “Yes.”

“Then ask Ellie to marry you.”

Marry Ellie? Sebastian couldn’t marry Ellie. It wasn’t fair to her at all. He was supposed to break up with her in a week.

“Waylon!”

“What? I think it’s a reasonable request. And I’ll only have to put up with the mutt for a few months.”

Tibby rubbed his snout against Sebastian’s side, looking up at him with sad dog eyes. Sebastian refused to give up Tibby. If that meant he had to marry Ellie… But Tibby would die eventually, and Sebastian would be stuck with Ellie until death do them part.

“We’ll go up to the cabin next weekend,” Waylon said. “Invite Ellie. You can propose to her there.”

Sebastian could only manage a nod. Maybe Ellie would say no. It was his only hope.