“No,” Arrow whisper-yelled back.
Jagger ducked under Lorhaven’s arm and stepped out into the hallway, looking at all of us before shaking his head. Pulling his phone from his pajama pants, he hit the screen, and seconds later, a muffled ringing burst from behind Trav’s door.
The ringing cut off, and Jagger said, “Just get up already.”
After tucking the phone back into his pocket, he rolled his eyes. “You guys are so lame.”
“Andi,” Trent called toward our daughter’s room, and seconds later, she bounded out, hair floating around her. Sophie came out behind her, and both girls waited impatiently.
Travis’s door handle rattled, and I smacked T in the stomach to get his attention.
It rattled again.
Whoosh.His door pulled open, and all the balloons between him and the caution tape tumbled in, raining over him in a wave of black and neon pink.
“What the f?—”
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” yelled everyone crowding the hallway.
Andi pulled out a confetti popper and pointed it at him.
“Andi, don’t even—”Pop!Multicolored confetti exploded out of the tube and blasted Travis and the balloons piled around his feet.
He folded his arms over his chest and scowled as sparkly confetti clung to his black clothing and the caution tape holding him hostage.
“Is this what you two kept whispering about all day yesterday?” Travis asked, glaring at Drew and me.
“It’s not every day our son turns seventeen,” I said, basically agreeing even though this was definitely not what we were whispering about.
He shot us all an unamused look and then swiped the tape still draped across his door free with a swing of his arm.
Balloons bounced and rolled into the hallway when he stepped forward, and I grabbed him by the shoulder to pull him into a hug. “Happy birthday, son,” I said against his ear.
“Thanks, Dad.”
I pulled back, and Drew moved in, embracing him in his iconic hug. When Drew pulled back, Travis saw his aunt and uncles waiting and let out a groan.
Joey laughed and wrapped her arms around him anyway. “Happy birthday, Trav. We love you,” she said, swaying back and forth.
“Thanks, Aunt Joey.”
Lorhaven offered him his fist, and then Hopper did the same. Arrow hugged him.
“Can I have some coffee now?” he asked.
“Yes, please,” Sophie echoed.
I gestured for them to go downstairs, and they went instantly with Jagger and Andi hot on their heels.
“What is it with kids and coffee these days?” Lorhaven wanted to know.
“They drink it because it’s trendy,” Drew muttered. “We drink it for survival. We are not the same.”
“More balloons!” Andi exclaimed from downstairs, and Drew and I shared a smile.
When we all walked into the open kitchen, Trav turned from the island, a slight flush to his cheeks. He glanced at me, then away. Then to Drew and away. “You didn’t need to do this.”
We’d been decorating for his birthday since he became ours. We did the same for Andi. Every year, we set up the island with balloons, a cake, candy, streamers, and anything else we picked up so it was the first thing they saw when they came downstairs.
