“Open it, silly.”
Olive tears apart the wrapping paper, revealing the box portion of the gift. “You got me Lucky Charms?” she asks with a goofy smile, like she’s unsure if I would really give her something like this for her birthday or if it is a trick. I’ve never questioned her wit but she would never do anything to hurt my feelings, either.
“Maybe there’s a lucky charm in the box?” I tell her.
She shakes the box around a little and pulls apart the tabs on the top. Peeking inside first, she then reaches her arm down into the opening, which swallows her arm up to her shoulder. Her hand fishes around for a minute before she pulls it back out holding Ellie’s bracelet with three little charms on it. One represents Olive, one for me, and one for Ellie. “It’s so pretty,” she says, slipping it onto her wrist.
“It was your mom’s. I gave this to her when we found out you were going to be a part of our lives. I know it’s a little big, but I want you to have it.”
“This is the best birthday gift I’ve ever gotten,” she says through only her breath, admiring it. “I love it so much.”
“I also got you something else, but I didn’t want to bring it upstairs.” I have a tendency to go overboard with Olive’s birthday, especially with Christmas the day before, but a part of me has always felt like I have to in order to make sure the day is only filled with good memories.
“You did?” she shrieks, ripping the covers off.
Running out of her bedroom and into the hallway, I hear another loud scream of excitement followed by words bubbling from her mouth so loudly that they make no sense. I follow her out into the hall, seeing Charlotte and Lana at the bottom of the steps holding Jasmine, our new puppy.
Surprisingly, Olive makes it down the steps without falling and slows her speed just before reaching her hand out for the little four-pound powder-puff. “What’s its name?” she asks.
“Jasmine,” I tell her, walking down the steps.
“Like mom’s favorite flower?” she asks.
“Yes,” I grin.
Charlotte is beaming as she lovingly watches Olive talk to the puppy under her breath.
“You girls play with the puppy and I’m going to finish up breakfast so we can take it to Ari,” Charlotte says as she steps out of the front door, giving me a quick wave as she jogs across the street and into her house. I thought she had started cooking here but maybe she’s not done getting ready. I did wake her up early, seeing as our Christmas family dinner went until midnight last night.
I take the opportunity to straighten up a bit more but I only get as far as unloading the dishwasher when the front door opens. “It’s just me,” AJ shouts from the door. “It’s birthday girl time!”
“Hey sweetie, Happy Birthday,” Tori, AJ’s new girlfriend says to Olive. I like Tori. We just met her for the first time a few weeks ago since AJ kept this relationship under his hat for almost three months, which is very unlike him. I get the sense he did it because things were actually going well and he was probably scared to mess it up in any way. Plus, Olive, with her little trade secrets, is not always helpful. She has enough dirt on AJ to destroy any and every future relationship.
After finishing up in the kitchen, I hear Charlotte return. “All set!” she calls out. “Let’s get going!”
We pile into Charlotte’s SUV and drive the four miles down to Brookside Hospital. Ari is expecting us today since she was excited to see Olive on her birthday, which also happens to be the very same day she was given a second chance at life—a short second chance, but a reason for celebration nonetheless.
Charlotte grips my hand in the elevator, squeezing it tightly. Neither of us likes being in this hospital. Too many people know Charlotte and of her failed marriage to a man who could have buried this places with his unlawful actions; and for me, the smell alone is like sarin gas attacking all of my senses.
We reach the nurses’ station on the tenth floor and I wait for one of the nurses to greet me so we can check in. “Hey guys,” one of the nurses says. “Right on time. She just woke up.”
“Great, thank you!” I say, ushering Olive and Lana ahead.
“Mr. Cole,” the nurse says gently, which grabs only my attention as the others are already walking down the hall. “It’s getting close. I might keep the visit on the shorter side today.”
I clench my jaw, feeling the familiar burn of tears behind my eyes. This is what Ari didn’t want me to go through. These words, while foreign, feel way too damn familiar. “Thanks,” I tell her.
I meet up with Charlotte, AJ, Tori, and the girls as we continue down the hall. “What was that all about?” AJ asks.
All I can do is give him a look, a look that should say it all without speaking out loud. I’ve run through my options of either keeping this from Olive or being honest with her. I’ve debated about whether or not to allow her to see the sight of Ari’s declining condition, but Olive and her sixth sense knew something was wrong without me having to tell her. Her words to me were: “We should be there for Ari like we’re her family. That’s what mommy would want for her heart.” Hearing Olive say that made my decision a little easier. She brings happiness to Ari, and Ari has a very special place in Olive’s heart—a connection she may never understand.
AJ clears his throat as he comprehends my look and squeezes Tori’s hand a little tighter. Charlotte, who must have noticed the look I gave AJ, reaches back for me and takes my hand within hers.
As we approach Ari’s room, I squeeze Charlotte’s hand a little tighter. It has only been a week but her skin is considerably paler than it was last time and her cheekbones are more prominent. The darkness of her hair washes out her eyes and she looks like...she’s dying. She has looked like she’s dying for weeks now but today, I’m not sure if there will be time for another visit.
“Hey,” she says weakly, forcing as much excitement through her broken voice as she can. “How’s the little birthday girl?”
Olive, fearless as always, climbs right up onto her bed and snuggles under her arm. “I feel so old today,” Olive says again. “Can you believe I’m seven? That’s like,” she pops her fingers up as if she were counting. “Three years away from being ten. I mean, I’ll be driving soon, which is good since I’ll be able to come visit you whenever I want.” And just like that, every ounce of understanding I thought Olive had brings me back to the realization that she is only seven and might not grasp this situation as much as I thought.
