Chapter 18
It was a sunny day but that didn't burn off the smile on her face. For the past seven years, that day had been filled with tears and pain. But this time, she had a smile on her face. She was remembering her father with her best friends.
The day had started with the same gloom feeling like every other day. She had glanced at her father's picture and shed tears. But she had school, so she dressed up and left for school. With the intention of going to her father's grave at the end of school.
On getting to school, she found her friends giving her extra attention and love, but she couldn't understand why. Though that made her feel calm on that terrible day. The classes went by slowly from the beginning and later ended. As she motioned to leave after class. Zion had jumped after her.
"Let's go!” He had said.
"What? Go where?” Zoe had asked confused. She was sure she had taken permission to leave school early with the excuse of not feeling too well.
"To where you are going,” Julia responded with a smile as she threw her school bag on.
"I don't understand?” Zoe asked, ignorant of what they were doing.
"Zoe. We know you are going to your dad's remembrance. We don't want you to go alone this time,” Zion said in the softest voice Zoe ever heard. Her head dropped at his words.
"Oh,” she sighed.
"Zoe. Six years now, you've mourned Uncle Gbemiga all on your own. We are your friends now, please let us be there for you even at a time like this,” Matthew who had been silent said. While Julie held her shoulders.
A tear dropped from Zoe's eyes as her head remained bowed.
"I miss him too,” Julia said. Her words melted Zoe's heart. She had been carrying the burden alone all along. And one fact that hurt her most was the fact that. Everyone moved on so easily after his death. That had hurt her a lot, it was as if she had been the only one to have truly loved her father. He had been quite dispensable in their lives, but not in hers. Hearing Julia talking about how she missed him too made her happy. "I miss him every time I pick a pencil to draw on. Every time I try to paint. Every time I feel discouraged, I always remember his words that I should never give up. Zoe, I miss him too,” Julia said in a teary voice.
Zoe pulled her into a tight hug as she is crying on her neck. Julia cried too while the boys watched, after a while they joined the hug, and it became a squad hug.
"Err. I think we have to go now before it gets late and dark,” Matthew announced as the other broke the hug
"You guys ready want to come with me?”
"Yes, what do you think?" Zion started. "The flowers are in the car where Corper Gbenga is waiting for us.”
"Wait! You bought flowers for my Dad?” Zoe asked as her eyes widened.
“Yeah.”
“Thank you!!!” Zoe exclaimed and hugged Zion, placing a kiss on his tender cheeks.
"Wow.” The others teased.
"I didn't expect that!” Zion said giggling.
"Let's go!!” Zoe said excitedly as she dashed out of the room.
They walked into the cemetery, while the driver stayed outside. Zoe leads the way to her father's grave. And they chattered as they walked.
"I didn't get to come for your dad's burial,” Julia said.
“Yeah. I thought you would!” Zoe said coldly.
"I was ill that day. My parents said I should stay back,” Julia said. Her words triggered Zoe's memories, which was the main reason why she had been very meant to Julia all the while. So, she didn't even mean to.
"You mean…So you didn't intend to leave me like the rest?” Zoe asked stopping in her tracks. Everyone else doing the same.
“Why would I do that. You were my best friend, u cried me to sleep when I heard about your dad's death,” Julia said.
“Oh,” Zoe looked broken.
“Wait. Was that the reason you've been so off with me all this year's?” She asked.
“Maybe! But I thought you hated me just like everyone else. I thought you had also left me,” Zoe confessed.
“No, I didn't! No, I won't!" Julia said.
“I'm really sorry Julia. For being so mean to you all these years,” Zoe apologized.
“I understand Zoe.”
They walked to the grave. Only to find a flower on it.
"That's weird,” Zoe said.
"What?” Gbenga asked. He had been holding her closely all this while.
"Seems someone's been here. There are never flowers here. And this one is fresh,” Zoe explained.
“Maybe it's your mom,” Julia said.
“That's not possible. Not like she remembers today.”
After a while. They left the place after Zoe and Julia talked about him. Gbenga felt good to be there with his little cousin. They dropped Zoe at home first while the driver dropped others.
"We are surprising her tomorrow, right?” Matthew asked as he was dropped off.
"Yes, we are. Just make sure you bring a gift tomorrow!” Julia hollered.
“That's no problem,” Matthew waved as the car zoomed off.
~~~
Another lonely birthday. The alarm went off and Zoe rolled on her bed. She smiled at herself, a year older again. Saying a short prayer, she stood up from her bed and went straight to her bathroom. Planning all she would the day, as she brushed her teeth. She made a mental note to stop at the mall on her way home. She would buy herself a cake, ice cream, and chicken. She would also buy drinks and a gift for herself. Just like every other year, she was spending Christmas all alone, and the plan had not changed.
Dashing out of the bathroom after bathing. She rushed to her room as she was running late for school. She dressed up and packaged all she would be needing. After that, she left the apartment for school.
Walking briskly, she got to school in no time. The assembly was already over. She chided herself, as she ran to her classroom. On getting to the classroom block, she slowed down as she was already panting. She walked slowly to the classroom.
Her eyes widened in shock as she entered the classroom.
"Happy Birthday!!!!”
A smile found its way to her mouth. She couldn't hold back the laughter bottled in and the tears that had started to form. Her hands flew to her mouth as she saw what her friends had done for her.
“Happy Birthday, Zoe!” Zion said as he walked towards her. He hugged her tightly and gave her a peck.
"Happy Birthday, best friend,” Julia said in her tiny voice as she joined the hug. Matthew joined in as they had a squad hug.
“You know my birthday?” Zoe asked as the rest of the class watched them. They had not seen Zoe as lively as she had been lately. Many had started to get jealous of the friendship and live between the four. And seeing them pull this through for Zoe, it was one of a kind.
"Hello?!?! Have you forgotten how long we were best friends? How could I forget?” Julia said "Thank you,” Zoe said as she hugged Julia.
~~~
Zion watched as Zoe acted like a child when she opened her gifts. They had persuaded her to check it at home, but she refused. The celebration galore happened after school. Corner Gbenga had joined in the celebration.
He had planned the whole thing. They had designed the lawn in a beautiful but small design. It was like a princess's birthday. Zoe had made sure to enjoy every part of it. Including fighting to wear a birthday cone even when they had thought it was childish.
Zion saw the childlike part of Zoe as she devoured her cake and danced to birthday songs. It was beautiful to see. It was like she was having her very first birthday. Zion couldn't help but think of her as a sister, who he could care for and cherish. This feeling might have developed because He noticed Zoe looked so much like his Younger sisters. Emily and Gloria. But still, he couldn't help but want to care for her.
She opened her gifts and gasped at the contents. Matthew had bought her white sneakers and a teddy bear-shaped like a rabbit.
“How do you know I love teddy bears,” she had chirped. Hugging the inanimate teddy with all her strength.
"I don't know. I think I guessed right!” Matthew said, happy that he had made the right choice.
Zion's big birthday box was filled with different things. Journals, water flasks, a sandal, a box filled with earrings. Perfume and cookies.
Zoe hugged him tight as she could not stop staring at the contents of the box. Gbenga gifted her dresses and expensive Jewelry, he bought her high heeled shoes too.
"You want me to look like a princess,” Zoe said in a tiny voice.
“Yes. Cos you are my Princess.” Gbenga said.
"Aww. Dad always says that,” Zoe said. She opened Julia's package. She gasped as she saw a framed picture of her, Julia, and her late father. A tear dropped from her eyes as she rubbed the picture.
The picture was taken at Zoe's 9th birthday. The picture meant a lot to her. Next to it was a small, wrapped box. The box held a photo album of most of their childhood pictures. And some of the pictures they had taken days ago.
Zoe couldn't contain her joy as she started at her gifts. She had not experienced this kind of love before, and this meant the world to her. Knowing that people still loved and cared for her. A different birthday and she was lucky to have different people as her friends.