Crushed Dreams & Fresh Starts

Julia throws a fake birthday party to comfort heartbroken Cait

Prompt for 6/15
Write a story that includes someone getting a birthday present when it isn’t their birthday.
W/C 300
----

The front door opened before Julia could knock.

“Hi, Mrs. Cait’s Mom!” Julia beamed, striking an action pose.

“Hi Julia,” a tired smile tugged at her lips as she glanced at Julia’s crooked party hat. “Cait’s upstairs, she could really use… that.”

“Thank you!” Julia flashed a toothy grin, squeezing past and towards the stairwell, knocking her bag against the door, slamming it into the wall. “Sorry!”

“Hey Cait! It’s meeeeee,” Julia sang.

A creak, a sniffle. The door flew open, revealing Cait’s tear-streaked but confused face.

“Surprise!” Julia declared, waving the sad balloon. “Happy birthday!”

“Uhh…” Cait wiped her cheeks, staring at the saddest balloon she’d ever seen. “It’s not my birthday?”

Julia feigned shock. “This is so embarrassing for you. I threw this whole party for you!”

“Party? Julia, please. Not now.”

Julia ushered her inside, plopping the hat on Cait’s head. Cait slumped into her chair.

Julia pulled out a grotesquely wrapped box. “How is it possible you’ve wrapped worse than a blind elf?” Cait chided.

“Pfft. You don’t even know, Cait.”

“Open it!”

Cait unwrapped the box.

“A candle?”

“Read the label,” Julia urged.

“Crushed Dreams and Fresh Starts…How… cruel.”

Cait retrieved the second item.

“…a potato…with googly eyes?”

Cait sat, rolling the potato in her fingers. Julia’s signature smile softened, eyes staring just past Cait - at nothing in particular. Completely motionless. “I’ve been rejected too.”

“… and that’s why you need to read the letter!”

Cait removed the handwritten letter. Immediately tears welled in her eyes. Julia rocked back on her knuckles, silent.

“Okay -
Yes, this is ridiculous.
Yes, I made this candle myself.
Yes, the candle smells amazing.
And YES, Yale is a potato because they’re blind and also probably delicious with butter.
You’re amazing, Cait. Their loss.
Happy Not-Your-Birthday!
Love, Julia“