“Oh, so it’s a group outing,” Trent said.
“Well, it didn’t start out that way,” Kodi told them. “But I think it being one makes her more comfortable. So, I don’t really mind.”
He watched Kodi take a sip of her drink and wondered if she had casually just come out to them, or if it was something that Jalen already knew. Regardless of which one it was, he was happy that she trusted him enough, his family enough, to do so. Not that any of them cared what her dating preference was as long as she was happy.
“Have I met her?” Jalen inquired. “Is she one of the girls who come over to get their hair done?”
“No,” Kodi responded. “I feel like dating clients would be messy. But I’ll introduce you if it goes well.”
They sat and talked for a few more minutes until Jalen announced it was time for cake. The movie they were going to see started in an hour, and she wanted them to have time to cut the cake, enjoy it, and for the girls to turn in their tickets for prizes.
Rohan and Trent went to round up the kids, while Jalen, his mother, and Kodi set up the birthday cake, decorative plates, and noisemakers. Landon had opted to open gifts at home after the movie.
When everyone was together, they sang Happy Birthday and blew the noisemakers while Landon blew out the candles.
Slices of cake went around, and the twins told everyone about the battle they and Maria’s sons had gotten into in the ball pit with some other kids. Let them tell it, they’d gone to war and come out on the other side as veterans. He was sure he wasn’t the only one at the table trying not to laugh because it was very clear to all of them that they were serious.
After the cake, they headed to the ticket booth so everyone could turn in their tickets. Everyone except for his mother, who he was more than aware had snuck off to settle the bill for the table. She’d told him when they arrived, it would be her birthday gift to Landon, though he was sure Jalen would try to protest.
When each of the kids had the prize they wanted, Rohan ushered Jalen towards the door. They didn’t get very far before she stopped him.
“Wait, I have to go pay.”
“I’ve already taken care of it,” his mom informed her as she joined them. “And before you attempt to protest, be warned that I will take it as backtalk, and I’m not accepting any of it.”
He bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing as Trent tried to cover his chuckle with a cough. Vega and Maria didn’t seem to care and outright laughed.
“Yes, ma’am,” Jalen responded quietly as if she’d just been scolded when they all knew that his mother was messing with her, but was still in no way going to let her pay.
They all made their way outside, got into three separate vehicles, and headed towards the movie theater.
Once they’d watched the movie, which Vega paid for to Jalen’s dismay, they all headed back to her apartment, minus Maria since both of her sons had fallen asleep during the movie. Trent and Vega had carried them out to her car for her.
Now, they were seated around the living room as Landon opened her gifts. So far, she’d received two cards with moneyin them from his mother, Trent, and Alynn. The twins had gotten her an organizer for her sketch pads and pencils. Mikal had gotten her comic books. The cover and inside were blank with preset panels. She’d stated that if Landon ever wanted to draw her own comic, she’d have what she needed. Kodi had gotten her a pair of earrings, which Landon had apparently been eyeing for a few months; Vega had paid for her to spend a week at a pretty prestigious art camp over the summer which she’d almost strangled the breath out of him for as she hugged him in gratitude, thanking him.
She was now opening Jalen’s present, and she hadn’t even taken it out of the box before she was surging forward, landing in her sister’s lap and hugging her tightly while chanting thank you.
“You’re welcome,” Jalen responded. “But let me be very clear. If you let your grades drop, if you get in trouble in school, if you become disrespectful, I will take that phone from you.”
Landon nodded along to everything Jalen said. “I won’t, I promise.”
She removed herself from Jalen’s lap and went back to where she’d been sitting in the middle of the floor. Rohan had half expected her to open the phone immediately since she’d been so excited about it. Instead, she placed it to the side and grabbed her last present, which was his.
She untied the bow around it and removed the wrapping paper. The gift had come in a box, but Rohan had placed it inside a plain one as well to give her a little extra work to do. When she removed the top from the box, she stared into it for a moment before he found himself attacked. He chuckled to himself, hugging her back. He shouldn’t have been surprised; she’d been sure to show everyone who had given her something that she appreciated their gift.
“Well, show us what you got?” Kodi stated from the arm of the couch where she was sitting.
Landon got up and returned to the box, pulling the tablet out and holding it up. Rohan had done extensive research on the different brands and found that this one was most often used for drawing, and the pen that came along with it was seamless.
Jalen turned to look at him, and he had an idea about what she was going to say. So, he stopped her before she could.
“Fuss at me about it later,” he told her quietly, not wanting to interrupt Landon’s time.
“Thank you all again,” the teenager stated as she gathered everything up with Kodi’s help.
“Why don’t you girls go get ready for the sleepover?” Jalen suggested.
“I think that’s our cue to leave,” Trent responded.
