That Bit Extra - Farah's Surprise Birthday Party

“Hm…” Nate tilts his head to one side and squints. “It looks a bit unlevel still. Try it more to the left.”

Morgan growls and almost crushes the vividly bright paper party banner in her grasp. “If you say that one more time—”

“Just do it, Morgan,” Adam calls from the other side of the room where he’s—a little unsuccessfully—trying to arrange party décor across the mantlepiece into something cheerful. “This is for Farah. She deserves to enjoy her day.”

Morgan blows out her cheeks before slouching. “Fine.” She then shifts the banner a little to the left.

“No. You were correct. It was better where it was,” Nate announces.

Morgan shoots him a glare so hot it’s a surprise it doesn’t burn a hole right through the tall vampire.

Nate shrugs in innocence.

“How did you get Farah to stay out of the house today anyway?” Morgan asks after fixing the banner in place, watching Nate tie some balloons and curl ribbon around them.

Adam stands back and swallows down a cringe at his failed décor attempt. “Tane took her out for a ride on his new motorcycle.”

Nate frowns. “Another one? Where does he keep them all?”

“You do realise that’s every parent’s worst nightmare?” Morgan interrupts with a smirk as she climbs down from the ladder. Nate shoves a bunch of balloons into her hands and gestures at the ceiling. She climbs back up and doesn’t bother to bite back her annoyed groan.

“I am not Farah’s parent,” Adam states, though the words feel wrong as he says them. Farah is no child, but Adam certainly feels the same need to protect her from the world as a parent might.

It’s not that Farah can’t handle herself, and she has certainly been through her own share of loss and pain to be as experienced in it as the rest of them. It’s more that, even after all of that, Farah retains amazement at this world, her lust for life, and Adam won’t let that be tarnished or her heart to be bruised.

…Maybe Morgan is right. Letting her out with Tane wasn’t such a good idea.

“Tane will have her here by four o’clock,” Nate says, angling one of the presents spread on the gift table a little to the left.

Morgan leans against the steps of the ladder casually and gestures at the grandfather clock. “You mean right now then?”

“What?!” Nate blurts, swinging around and going wide-eyed when he notices the time.

The front door clicks open.

“I’m back!” Farah calls, her footsteps skipping across the wooden floor of the hallway towards the living room.

Nate goes into overdrive, speeding about the room trying to throw trash into bags and hide all the equipment they’d been using to decorate. He even manages to swipe the cigarette Morgan was about to light from her fingers leaving nothing but thin air for Morgan to puff on.

When Farah’s entrance is announced by the creak of the door, Nate almost falls over with how fast he halts.

“Surprise!” he yells. The garbage bag in his hand whirls across the room and slides with precision beneath the buffet table.

“Surprise…” Adam and Morgan add in much quieter voices.

“Aah!” Farah yells, staring about the room, her hands slapped to her cheeks as her jaw falls open. “I was totally, not-even-a-little-bit expecting this! What a surprise! A major surprise!”

Nate sighs. “Who told you?”

Farah grins and walks into the room. “Maaka, just before I came in. I swear he was more excited than I was.”

Nate frowns and pinches at the bridge of his nose. “I’m sorry. It was supposed to be far more organized than this.”

“I don’t need organized, I need fun. And look at all this!” She gestures to the room which is about as bright as a frosted cupcake. Just Farah’s style. “It’s perfect.”

“Well, happy birthday, Farah,” Nate says, squeezing her close before sweeping her towards the gift table.

Farah’s eyes widen and when she claps her hands together this time it’s with true excitement. “Now all of this I really wasn’t expecting!”

Morgan and Adam walk closer as Farah grasps for a wrapped box and begins tearing off the ribbon.

“Was it worth the effort?” Adam asks Morgan as Farah tries on the gold-ribbon bracelet from Nate, her eyes glimmering with as much sparkle as the precious metal.

Morgan shrugs but can’t help but smile. “I suppose.”

Nate listens in on their conversation as happiness blooms with warmth through him. If not for Farah, the group of them would never stop to make memories like this. The young vampire has changed their family more than any of them might admit.

And all of it for the better.