Part 148: Happy Birthday, Claire
Locke walked toward the path, carrying the cradle he had built for Claire. The pregnant woman strode behind him, holding her stomach the whole time. She smiled at the kindness of the man; a kindness that before long had only been shown to her by Charlie. The one person who wasn’t afraid to look after her. The more she saw such bravery in the people around her; the more she wanted to remember. Remember what happened so she could point the way for them. Perhaps even the way home?
Locke appeared from the woods and onto the beach walking toward her encampment. Claire continued to follow behind, then paused for a second when she realized their was a small group of people standing by her tent area. They had lit up torches all around. It was her new friends, Jenny, Martin and Kristy. Locke put the cradle down near her bed area. “Good job, Mr. Locke.” Martin said, marveling at the craftsmanship even with little supplies.
“Thank you, Martin but Claire helped.” The bald man pointed toward her.
“Guys, wha . .what are you doing here?” she asked.
“Well, there were no curtains to hide behind, “Jenny giggled, then held out her hands, “so . . . . .SUPRISE!!”
“Happy Birthday, Claire, “Kristy said, kissing her on the cheek.
“Oh, guys, “ she blushed, “No . .you shouldn’t have done this.”
“There is an old saying in my family,” Martin smiled, handing her an object wrapped in cloth, “Everybody deserves presents on their birthday.”
“Thank you, Marty,” she hugged him.
Claire slowly unwrapped the heavy object. Then she held it aloft in her hand. It was a palm sized river rock, completely smooth. What was unique about it was the clown-like smiling face, grinning up at the Australian woman. “What is this?” she asked the black man.
“What is that?” he laughed shocked, “That is your pet rock.”
Claire paused and then started laughing profusely. Locke chuckled to himself; remembering the late 70’s tradition. The young pregnant girl hugged him again, thanking him for the clever gift. “His name is Dwayne.” Martin told her, “If Charlie ever gets out of hand, you can throw it at him.”
“Thank you, “ she giggled.
“This is from me and technically, Tony and the others,” Kristy said, handing her an object wrapped in magazine pages.
Already unwrapping it as she spoke, Claire opened up the pages to find herself with a book in her hands. She looked at the strange pink cover with a man with x-ray specs on. “The 505 Weirdest Online Stores?” she pondered.
“Very good reading,” Kristy giggled, “Believe me, it has circulated through nearly all my friends.”
“I want to read that when you are done.” Locke pointed out.
Claire kissed Kristy on the cheek and hugged her for the thoughtful gift. She was fortunate to make so many new and great friends. The brown haired model then turned to her younger companion. “Now for the great finale, Jenny presents her gift.” She said, with a high playful tone.
Jenny just giggled, then walked over behind a tree and picked up her gift to the Australian woman. Claire stared in confusion. It was a backpack but it had been severely sliced a part. The pregnant woman giggled, pointing at it. “Did you find that in the wreckage?” she laughed, “I don’t think I’ll be able to carry much in that.”
“No, not much, “the teenager grinned, “But enough.”
Jenny then demonstrated how the backpack was to be utilized. Instead of flipping it behind her back, she placed it against her chest. She unzipped the main pouch and then stuck her hands into it. Claire noticed her hands where appearing in two cut holes through the bottom. The pregnant blinked. “Hmmmm? Hmmm?” Jenny whispered, hoping she would get what the object was.
Claire then realized that, even though Jenny’s hands could fit through it, it might be meant for something else to slide through. Like . . .two small stubby legs. “A baby carrier?” the pregnant woman gasped.
“There ya go!” Jenny laughed.
“Wonderful, Jenny. Wonderful.” Locke laughed, clapping his approval.
Claire came over and hugged the young blonde. The two friends laughed, happing that she liked the makeshift baby carrier. The teenager took it off and let Claire try it on temporary. As expected, it was a perfect fit. Kristy clapped and then said, “All right, Guys. Now let’s take Claire to her last present.”
Martin and Kristy took the pregnant woman by both her arms and began to escort her away from the encampment. Jenny skipped ahead, leading the way. Locke slowly followed, almost feeling like a fifth wheel to the younger people but he stuck with them anyway. Claire couldn’t stop giggling. She was enjoying the attention for her birthday. “Where are we going?” she asked.
“Ask and ye shall receive,” Jenny laughed.
Before long, Claire realized they were at the area that Charlie, Seth and Shanna were conducting their little concert. As they approached, Charlie was tuning his guitar. His face lit up at the sight of her. Shanna twirled her drumsticks in her hands. Seth was busy gargling water. Jenny waved her hands frantically. “Get to it, people!” she laughed, “The birthday girl has arrived.”
Charlie stood up and looked at them. “One, two . .one, two, three, four.”
The short musician then started to twang on his guitar, slowly followed by Shanna on the drums. The baseline of the music was slow but it was powerful. Claire didn’t notice her mouth was gaping when she realized what the song is. Then Seth began to dance in a particular fashion.
He was dancing EXACTLY like Mick Jagger.
If I could stick my hand in my heart
Spill it all over the stage
Would that satisfy ya?
Would that slide on by ya?
Would you think the boy is strange?
Shanna and Charlie joined in unison, singing, “Ain’t he, strange, ange, ange,.”
Claire laughed, clapping her hands. If she could jump for joy, she would. The friends playfully danced around her, to the tune of the Rolling Stones It’s Only Rock and Roll. The pregnant woman grabbed Locke, forcing him to slow dance with her. The Australian woman enjoyed the company of her friends and the sounds of one of her favorite songs
Her birthday party may have been simple but it was one of the best she ever had.
Locke appeared from the woods and onto the beach walking toward her encampment. Claire continued to follow behind, then paused for a second when she realized their was a small group of people standing by her tent area. They had lit up torches all around. It was her new friends, Jenny, Martin and Kristy. Locke put the cradle down near her bed area. “Good job, Mr. Locke.” Martin said, marveling at the craftsmanship even with little supplies.
“Thank you, Martin but Claire helped.” The bald man pointed toward her.
“Guys, wha . .what are you doing here?” she asked.
“Well, there were no curtains to hide behind, “Jenny giggled, then held out her hands, “so . . . . .SUPRISE!!”
“Happy Birthday, Claire, “Kristy said, kissing her on the cheek.
“Oh, guys, “ she blushed, “No . .you shouldn’t have done this.”
“There is an old saying in my family,” Martin smiled, handing her an object wrapped in cloth, “Everybody deserves presents on their birthday.”
“Thank you, Marty,” she hugged him.
Claire slowly unwrapped the heavy object. Then she held it aloft in her hand. It was a palm sized river rock, completely smooth. What was unique about it was the clown-like smiling face, grinning up at the Australian woman. “What is this?” she asked the black man.
“What is that?” he laughed shocked, “That is your pet rock.”
Claire paused and then started laughing profusely. Locke chuckled to himself; remembering the late 70’s tradition. The young pregnant girl hugged him again, thanking him for the clever gift. “His name is Dwayne.” Martin told her, “If Charlie ever gets out of hand, you can throw it at him.”
“Thank you, “ she giggled.
“This is from me and technically, Tony and the others,” Kristy said, handing her an object wrapped in magazine pages.
Already unwrapping it as she spoke, Claire opened up the pages to find herself with a book in her hands. She looked at the strange pink cover with a man with x-ray specs on. “The 505 Weirdest Online Stores?” she pondered.
“Very good reading,” Kristy giggled, “Believe me, it has circulated through nearly all my friends.”
“I want to read that when you are done.” Locke pointed out.
Claire kissed Kristy on the cheek and hugged her for the thoughtful gift. She was fortunate to make so many new and great friends. The brown haired model then turned to her younger companion. “Now for the great finale, Jenny presents her gift.” She said, with a high playful tone.
Jenny just giggled, then walked over behind a tree and picked up her gift to the Australian woman. Claire stared in confusion. It was a backpack but it had been severely sliced a part. The pregnant woman giggled, pointing at it. “Did you find that in the wreckage?” she laughed, “I don’t think I’ll be able to carry much in that.”
“No, not much, “the teenager grinned, “But enough.”
Jenny then demonstrated how the backpack was to be utilized. Instead of flipping it behind her back, she placed it against her chest. She unzipped the main pouch and then stuck her hands into it. Claire noticed her hands where appearing in two cut holes through the bottom. The pregnant blinked. “Hmmmm? Hmmm?” Jenny whispered, hoping she would get what the object was.
Claire then realized that, even though Jenny’s hands could fit through it, it might be meant for something else to slide through. Like . . .two small stubby legs. “A baby carrier?” the pregnant woman gasped.
“There ya go!” Jenny laughed.
“Wonderful, Jenny. Wonderful.” Locke laughed, clapping his approval.
Claire came over and hugged the young blonde. The two friends laughed, happing that she liked the makeshift baby carrier. The teenager took it off and let Claire try it on temporary. As expected, it was a perfect fit. Kristy clapped and then said, “All right, Guys. Now let’s take Claire to her last present.”
Martin and Kristy took the pregnant woman by both her arms and began to escort her away from the encampment. Jenny skipped ahead, leading the way. Locke slowly followed, almost feeling like a fifth wheel to the younger people but he stuck with them anyway. Claire couldn’t stop giggling. She was enjoying the attention for her birthday. “Where are we going?” she asked.
“Ask and ye shall receive,” Jenny laughed.
Before long, Claire realized they were at the area that Charlie, Seth and Shanna were conducting their little concert. As they approached, Charlie was tuning his guitar. His face lit up at the sight of her. Shanna twirled her drumsticks in her hands. Seth was busy gargling water. Jenny waved her hands frantically. “Get to it, people!” she laughed, “The birthday girl has arrived.”
Charlie stood up and looked at them. “One, two . .one, two, three, four.”
The short musician then started to twang on his guitar, slowly followed by Shanna on the drums. The baseline of the music was slow but it was powerful. Claire didn’t notice her mouth was gaping when she realized what the song is. Then Seth began to dance in a particular fashion.
He was dancing EXACTLY like Mick Jagger.
If I could stick my hand in my heart
Spill it all over the stage
Would that satisfy ya?
Would that slide on by ya?
Would you think the boy is strange?
Shanna and Charlie joined in unison, singing, “Ain’t he, strange, ange, ange,.”
Claire laughed, clapping her hands. If she could jump for joy, she would. The friends playfully danced around her, to the tune of the Rolling Stones It’s Only Rock and Roll. The pregnant woman grabbed Locke, forcing him to slow dance with her. The Australian woman enjoyed the company of her friends and the sounds of one of her favorite songs
Her birthday party may have been simple but it was one of the best she ever had.
posted by Jason | 6:26 AM
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