Angered Seasons: The Worst Birthday Ever (Volume One) Read Free

shrugged and pulled herself up a bit
straighter. “Good. Alright, I guess. We manage. My mom and
Charlie’s mom and dad help out a lot. They take turns watching the
kids when I work.” Her smile returned. “But, enough about me.
What’s the occasion? Gabs, you look phenomenal!”
    My face turned red.
    “It’s Gabby’s birthday.” Lane grinned at
me.
    “Ooh! Happy birthday! Do you want me to
announce it? If I announce it, then the cooks come out with a cake
and do a little song and dance.” She leaned in so just I could
hear. “The new cook is on tonight and, trust me, it is worth
it.”
    I couldn’t help laughing. “No, I’m good,
thanks.”
    The conversation turned back to our orders
and Lisa left to get our drinks and to get the cooks on our
supper.
    Supper was a bit awkward for a birthday
celebration. I fairly well ignored Brian and Michelle and talked
shop with Lane. Michelle glared at me while Brian glared at Lane.
By the time our meal was over, I was ready to call it a night. We
ordered one last drink, Lane ordering another coke since he was
driving.
    “I will never be a single mom.”
    I stopped gazing around the restaurant and
focused on Michelle. “Excuse me?”
    “A single mom; I’ll never be one. If some guy
is going to knock me up, he’ll be decent enough to stick around
after the fact.”
    I took a deep breath. “You need to watch your
mouth. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
    Lane was staring at her, shocked.
    “I’m just saying. It’s called a condom.
They’re not that hard to put on.” Michelle gave a flip of her hair.
Ian reached across the table and put a hand on mine, his ‘calm
down’ look on his face. He turned back to Michelle.
    “The reason she’s a single mom is because her
husband was killed. It was a freak accident with some machinery at
the mine where he was working.”
    She had the decency to look embarrassed. “I’m
sorry. I didn’t know.”
    “That’s right, you didn’t. So next time, try
to keep your opinions to yourself.”
    “Gabby, she said she was sorry.”
    “Whatever.” God, what was wrong with me? I
was one of those happy people that rarely got upset. The last few
days, it seemed like I was snapping at everyone and Lane, well, he
wasn’t helping with his half depressed attitude.
    “Ok. Enough, both of you. Here, Gabby, I have
a present for you.” Lane pulled a long box from the inside pocket
of his jacket. It was wrapped in green wrapping paper and a yellow
ribbon. Michelle’s eyes bugged out of her head and I tried not to
laugh. The box looked like something you’d put fancy jewelry in,
but I knew better. Or, should I say, Lane knew better. I loved to
dress up, but it wasn’t something I did very often. For the most
part, the only jewelry I wore was studs in my ears. Jewelry and
power tools were never a good mix.
    The tight look on her face relaxed slightly
as the box turned in his hand and it became obvious that it was too
thick to be jewelry.
    I grinned and took it from him. “What is
it?”
    “Open it.” He smiled as I ripped open the
package and then opened the plain brown box hidden inside. “Try not
to lose this one. You’re not allowed to steal mine on Monday.”
    I burst out laughing and pulled out the
drywall rasp. “Awww… you even put my name on it!” I held it up so
Michelle and Brian could see the ‘Freckles’ in permanent marker
along the side. Michelle smiled politely and Brian looked past me.
He’d told me after he’d had a few too many drinks that he didn’t
approve of the fact I was in construction. Why I hadn’t broken up
with him then was beyond me.
    My mood lifted, we paid for supper and
started back to the vehicles.
    “Let’s go to the bar!” Michelle hung on
Lane’s arm and looked at him lovingly. He glanced at me.
    “Feel like going?”
    “Sure, why not.” I looked at Brian who I’d
found particularly quiet all evening. Not one comment about what I
was allowed to eat (good little