The Birthday Present by Ditika S. (read aloud .txt) 📖

“But why, I mean, everyone would be so excited and happy to meet you, you should meet them, I mean, it will be great! Mrs. Render, Mr. Craig, your old pals, I mean whomsoever would be coming, um, you should meet them” Serena who was so excited jumped off couch they were sitting at and confronted Alex face-to-face.
“But mom, it's 1 pm, and all we have done is cry and nothing more, can't we do something else?” Alex asked.
“So what sweetie? Don't worry, we will take out time, I mean, you are here for at last some days right? And now that our differences are finally over I guess you can come here more often if possible” Serena asked with her kid-like innocent and pleading eyes. Alex blanked out, she became distressed and could feel the feverish feeling set-in and her mother understood something was wrong with her she quickly sat down with her and rubbed Alex's shivering shoulders.
Looking at Serena, her face blank with no expression; she fell silent thinking deeply. “What happened, okay sweetie, if you don't wanna go I will cancel the party, happy?” Serena asked trying to read her expression.
“Don't do that mom, don't, we will have fun now, and you can go to the party too, um…lets cook” Alex said, her voice should have been fun and excited, but it wasn't...
“Cook? You wanna cook?” her mother asked in amazement
“yeah, I mean, we can cook and make braids like we used to do when I was small, and then we can sing songs and record idiotic voices and after that I will get you ready and then I will-”Alex said, words trailed off as her mother giggled a little
“Fine, what do you wanna cook?” Serena asked, “Anything” Alex replied
“OK, I will get something ready” her mother chirped and went away.

Chapter Three- Mother and Daughter

“What happened to your hair? Sweetie they are so…dull, and lumpy and so moist” Serena asked worriedly as she tried to make a braid of Alex's hair. “You have such beautiful hair, don't you oil them anymore” she asked, swiping her hands through Alex’s hair trying to lessen the knots formed in them.
Alex couldn't utter a word; she went mute again as a tear drop streamed down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and turned towards her mum who was still trying to make her dull hair look nice.
“My turn, Ma” she said politely getting up from where she was sitting.
“But at least, let me apply oil” Serena protested, but Alex stood next to her with her arms crossed at her chest.
“Fine” she said and sat where Alex was sitting.
"Mom, where are our voices, um the recorder in which we recorded our voices?" Alex asked combing her mother's hair.
"Oh! In the living room, you wanna hear them?" Serena asked back, turning a little to face Alex.
"No, mom, no, I just, wanted to ask you if you can hear them when I am gone, uh, for my meeting." Alex said, moving her fingers through her mother's hair.
"OK?" Serena said, it was more of a question then an answer.
"Yes, ma lets continue!" Alex replied, relieved.

Chapter Four- The Shocking Realization

“Mom, you look fantastic, cheesier than your triple cheese pizza” Alex said, standing behind Serena as they stood in front of the mirror,
“Oh really! As if you ate it, not even a single bite” her mother complained looking at her through the mirror, Alex gave her a weak smile and hugged her from the back.
Serena turned and hugged Alex tightly. “I am sorry sweetie, I shouldn't have ever forced you to stay, I knew you wanted to leave this place but I was, I was mean enough to lie to you, to make you stay. We ruined so many years of our lives, fighting and, and god knows what, but you know I love you right? I am your mother, and you are like a part of a me, a huge part of me. I should have said sorry a long time ago, but I thought I didn't need to say sorry to my own child" she stopped in the middle, interrupted by Alex-“you are right, you don't need to say sorry to me I am the one who should be guilty. I should apologize, I only thought about myself and never cared about anyone else, I am sorry mom, for all the lost years” Alex spoke with tears in her eyes, Serena stared at her and wiped the tear away; both of them had tears burning at the rims of their eyes
“But never mind, you have your whole life in front of you. We will not miss the fun now, OK, now where is my pearl drop earrings” Serena changed the topic. She went away looking for her earrings. Leaving a devastated Alex.
She almost forgot about it, but now she remembered. Alex ran towards the living room quickly, and froze in front of the huge wall clock; she could feel her blood pressure turn up and felt the world around her spin. She began to hear all sorts of voices and there were black spots in front of her eyes. Just when the spots started to form figures, she blacked out.

Chapter Five- Saying Goodbye

“You have to come with us, come with us now, your time is over, you have to come with us. Wake up and come with us, right now wake up now, come with us…wake up...Alexandra!“leave me alone” Alex shouted as she sat upright on her bed, it was almost an hour after she had fainted.
She looked around her, and knew she was in her own room, the place she felt most safe; it was the same as she left it but a lot cleaner now. She closed her eyes, the voices started to come again out of nowhere, the spots were visible but now they formed figures all of which pointed towards a white door; she opened her eyes and ran fingers through her hair which were wet, she examined them when suddenly, some of them broke and came apart in her hand, scared she hopped off the bed and ran down the stairs towards the front door.
"Are you fine, dear” Serena stopped her from the back.
“Mom I gotta go” she said in a panicked voice.
“But why you just came, and I won't, I won't let you go, not so soon, you are not well too” Serena said adamantly as she was freaking out.
“Mom I am fine, I really gotta go, and mom I love you so much, and no matter what happens, please listen to the recordings” Alex said calmly, speaking the last words in a really low voice.
“No Alex you can’t go, I have made you something and I'll just get it” Serena said and went running inside the kitchen.
When she returned, Alex was gone leaving a letter on the front door which said “happy birthday mommy, I love you and sorry for the delay, Jessica was right, I regret every wasted moment of my life in my pride, please if possible, forgive me”.
Serena opened the door as fast as