Birthday Problems

"No, don't come down yet," said the mother.

Jayden tapped his curly black hair, spun around and sat on the ground. He could already see the presents downstairs that his mother had carefully set up for his birthday. She sat by the hearth, sipping a coffee. It was cold in the house because Jayden had an inconvenient January birthday.

Jayden's mother and father whispered a bit and his father said, "Come on down, Jayden!" 

Jayden screeched with joy and ran down the stairs in his onesie. He snatched the first present, but his mother yelled, "Wait! We need to get some pictures first." Then she looked at her husband, "Can't you make him wait two minutes?"

"Martha, it's fine," mumbled the father.

The mother rolled her eyes, made a dramatic sigh, and held the camera while Jayden held his present; but he made the mistake of opening his present too quickly.

"No no no!" shrieked the mother snatching Jayden's forearm and twisting. "I need you to WAIT. Now stop crying. Here, Jim help me out and give him this other present. And make him hold still."

Jim handed Jayden another present and patted his head cautiously. 

"Smile," said the mother. Jayden's face crinkled into some gargoylish expression and the mother tapped her foot impatiently. "This is ridiculous." Her hands were shaking and she tossed the camera on the couch. 

Once she had left for the bedroom, Jayden's father followed her and Jayden could hear them talking quietly. He took the risk of opening the rest of his first present: a beautiful new lego set. He smiled secretly and bounced his little feet on the ground. He didn't risk opening the rest of his gifts though.

If he had been old enough to eavesdrop, he would've heard the father question the mother and the mother get defensive. He would've heard her complain to Jim about how tired she was from wrapping the presents and being "the only one doing anything around here". He would've heard his father try to comfort her while she turned away with the dramatic flair of a Hallmark moviestar. 

If little Jayden had been old enough to comprehend, he could've realized that this wasn't about him at all. That his mother had never received gifts worth anything from her parents. She had actually been remembering how she'd wanted a barbie, named Alice, that all her friends had when she was Jayden's age. She could still hear her father's voice after she'd cautiously brought it up to him while tilting her head to one side and grinning at the floor: "You know your mother and I don't have the money for gifts you kids won't even want in a year. Your friends might have rich parents who buy them everything they want but you better believe I'm not going to raise a spoiled daughter."

But Jayden wasn't old enough to eavesdrop or comprehend. He thought this was all his fault. So he knocked on the bedroom door and he apologized to his mother for opening his present too soon. And his mother, through her tears, nodded her head and said she forgave him. 

"Okay let's take that picture then," said the mother.

Jayden felt sick in the pit of his stomach but did as he was told. If walking on eggshells was a sound, it was the sound of Jayden's feet on the wood floor. 

"Your smile looks forced," said the mother. 

"Martha, he's seven," said Jim. 

"Eight now," she said. "If you could remember anything."

Jayden thought she was about to snap, so he tried to relax his face. 

"Better," said the mother. "See, Jim, he can do it."

Jim grunted and Jayden felt relieved to hear the camera snap instead of his mother. 

"Can I see, can I see?" asked Jayden. 

His mother rolled her eyes so Jayden stayed where he was. 

"Let's get some breakfast," said Jim. 

Jayden followed him into the kitchen. Jim placed a hand on the counter, appearing to steady himself from a wave of emotions. So Jayden pointed at the fridge until Jim nodded. 

"Oh cookie cake!" said Jayden.

"I told you to keep him out of the fridge!" shouted the mother from the next room. "That was supposed to be a surprise."

"Ah shoot. Hey Jayden close the fridge. Quick."

"Sorry, mommy," said Jayden.

"It's not your fault," she said, appearing in the kitchen to glare at Jim. She set her coffee mug by the sink with a, "you're washing this." 

And she proceeded to sleep until noon.