12.02.1961: twelve! {Living Minutemen}

[missjuspeczyk]

Today is my 12th birthday!

Mom and I spent all last night baking!  We made our own cake!  Who knew following a recipe could be so easy!  I even frosted it myself.  Well, Mom did help.  A little.  She wrote on it "Happy 12th Birthday Laurie" in pink frosting, and she even added a little heart over the 'I'!  And we put real flowers on the cake!  Roses

Comments

[sallyspectre]

I hang up the phone slowly, a mixture of anger and frustration brewing within me. None - none - of Laurie's friends can come. They're all 'sick', which is bullshit, but there's no use in pushing it. I just don't understand... why? It can't be Laurie; she's the perfect child, and I'm sure she gets along with everyone. Is it me, then? Do the girls' mothers not want them here because of meI glance back at Laurie. She's sitting on the couch, her lips twitching, and I can tell she's trying very hard not to cry. In that moment, I hate those little girls and their mothers. God help them the next time I run into them at some school function or another

[niteowl_i]

I always loved hearing from Sally, and when she asked me to show up at Laurie's birthday party, of course I agreed. Laurie was a sweet kid, looked more like her mother every day. And I'd been planning on dropping by to wish her happy birthday sometime this week. Might as well be today. I forced her present into the back of my car, securing it with some twine and drove to Sally's. If I was going, Byron and Nelly would probably be there as well. Should be quite a party, bunch of retired masks running around, trying to trip over an assortment of twelve-year old girls.

[missjuspeczyk]

Oh no. OH NO! Everyone at school hates me. I know it. I tell Mom this as tears stain my cheeks.

"Mamaaaaaah! This is the worst birthday ever!" I whimper loudly, burying my head into her embrace. "Everyone hates me! I have no friends, and no one even wants to come over for cake!"

I'm so tangled up in my sadness that I don't even hear the doorbell.

[sallyspectre]

"No, Laurie... no one hates you." I speak soothingly, stroking her hair gently. "Your friends just... caught a bug that was going around. It's that time of year, sweetie... it doesn't mean they don't like you." I can't stand to see her cry. I wish I could do more, but all I can do is work with what I have.

"Your birthday is not over yet," I say firmly, gently wiping the tears from her cheeks. The doorbell sounds in the background, and I smile. "C'mon. Let's go see who that is, shall we?"

I rise off the couch and pull Laurie with me. As we walk to the door, I rack my brains, trying to think of anyone else I can invite. Someone who might be able to provide entertainment - not that Hollis and the others can't, but... something a twelve-year-old would enjoy.

The idea comes to me as I pull open the door, smiling down at Laurie.

Moloch.

[niteowl_i]

I laughed, tugging the box out of the backseat and setting it on the driveway.

"Sorry I didn't wrap it, Laurie." I said, knowing that she probably didn't care much in the long run. "But you can get it out the box easier anyways."

I hoped she liked it...and that Sal didn't kill me for giving it to her.

[sallyspectre]

Christ! I was expecting... oh, I don't know. A dress or something, maybe even a puppy, but a vespa? I stared at the box, a picture of the yellow and black vehicle on the side.

I glanced down at Laurie and saw my shock reflected on her face, mixed with joy. I smiled, my throat growing tight, but I knew I couldn't cry in front of her - kids seemed to be embarrassed when their parents showed any sort of emotion.

"Hollis..." I shake my head and laugh. "You're incredible. I think Laurie thinks so too, don't you, sweetie?"

I'd let Laurie scream in excitement over her present, and then I'd give Moloch a ring. I knew I had his address and number somewhere in one of my drawers, partly because of the old days when we were adversaries, and partly because we had a sort of mutual respect for each other.

[missjuspeczyk]

I've never fainted before, but for a split second I almost do right there in the driveway. A vespa?! A vespa!!! I can't believe my eyes! I'm screaming at the top of my lungs, bouncing, shrieking, attacking Uncle Hollis with excited hugs and a dozen kisses on his cheeks, and all the while sputtering my thanks. "Oh my God! Oh my God! You're the best! You're amazing, Uncle Hollis! Thank you! Thank you!"

A vespa! One of my very own! Oh my God, those dumb girls at school are going to be sooooo jealous!

I want to tear the box open right now, take the thing out for a spin. But December in New York probably isn't the best time or place to try out a new scooter...Guess I'll have to wait till the snow melts.

"Uncle Hollis, will you help me bring it to the garage?"

[niteowl_i]

I laughed, blushing a bit at her excitement. Who knew twelve-year-old girls got so excited over Vespas? At least she'd liked it.

"Of course, Laurie. And there's a helmet and everything in the box. Keep that noggin safe." I tapped my knuckles lightly on her forehead, grinning at Sally's expression. And thank god, Sally seemed happy about it. I'd been worried she would have been a bit put out by me giving her baby something like a Vespa. They weren't dangerous, but half the mothers in my apartment building seemed to think they were.

[sallyspectre]

"Laurie, sweetie, slow down a bit," I said, watching her as she digs into the ice cream, chocolate smearing across her mouth. As usual, she doesn't pay me any attention, but I decide to leave her be. It is her birthday, and the poor girl had to deal with her friends backing out on her. "I... I'll be right there," I call, turning towards the phone. I should call Moloch first, before she eats through all the ice cream and her attention shifts again. A Vespa she can't use yet and two adults aren't much entertainment.

I glance at Hollis, wondering what he'd think. Oh, well. I'll call him first, then let Hollis know one of our former adversaries is coming over... that is, if Moloch even agrees to come. I think I may need to swallow my pride here, just a little.

I find the black address book in the back of one of the cabinets in the living room. Part of me can't quite believe I'm calling Moloch - but it's for Laurie. He was a damn good magician from what I remember, and I'm sure Laurie'll love him

[niteowl_i]

Sally came back into the kitchen and asked me to help her with something in the other room. I frowned in confusion, but followed her, and when we were safely out of Laurie's hearing, she told me that Moloch was coming. I was distinctly unimpressed with this news.

"What?" I asked, crossing my arms. "Sal, you can't just invite someone like him into your house, it's not--"

There was a knock on the door. I wouldn't be surprised if that was Moloch. Damn magicians, must have magicked himself here or something.

[mystical_moloch]

It's amazing how a commute is shortened by being in the same area of town. I'm still somewhat shocked that Sally thought to call me and even more so that it had worked. I could be a complete bastard, but didn't have it in me to disappoint a kid just because of old grudge's and pride...Actually it'd be different if it were The Comedian's kid--they'd probably be a monster. But any kid of Sally's had to be okay.

When Sally opens the door, I am in my full tuxedo already, adjusting the cuffs slightly, a black duffel bag over my shoulder. Currently I am clean shaven and without the additional make-up which I wore during my most public years. I smile at her, "Hello Mrs Jupiter, still look as lovely as the day you arrested me."

I can see a man standing behind her, glaring at me. Probably another of the Minutemen, though I can't tell who immediately. "Why don't you refer to me as Mr. Bright for this afternoon?" I say as I step in. "No sense in ruffling any feathers. Is there a room I can use to set up a moment?"

[sallyspectre]

I hadn't seen Moloch in who knows how long, so when I answered the door I was expecting him to be in his old costume, with the turban and makeup and all that. The man on my doorstep, however, barely even resembled the Moloch I'd known.

In fact, he... well, he didn't look half bad, actually. Not that I'd ever admit it, never mind say it, but he actually looked kind of handsome. Huh.

"Uh... well, thank you, Moloch." I step back and let him in, aware of Hollis glaring at him. "I mean... Mr. Bright." I'm not quite sure how to introduce Hollis, so I gesture towards him vaguely. "This is Hollis..." I trail off, deciding to let Hollis figure out his own introductions.

Laurie was still in the kitchen, virtually oblivious to what was going on. "Yes, here... you can use the living room. I'll keep Laurie occupied in the kitchen." I look at Hollis and motion for him to follow me, and I head to the kitchen, dragging the sliding door that separates the two shut.

[metropolis_usmc]

The call came as a bit of a surprise, I must admit. It isn't that Sally and I hadn't kept in touch, we were certainly both on each others Christmas cards lists. It's just that after she retired, our paths never really seemed to cross. And after HJ

[sallyspectre]

I usher Laurie into the living room and head to the door when I hear the knock. It has to be either Nelson or Bryon... and here I was starting to worry that they wouldn't show up.

I pull open the door, smiling when I see Nelly on the doorstep, clutching a bottle of whiskey. "Nelly!" I exclaim, ushering him in. "I was starting to think you might not be able to make it."

I glance back at Moloch, and lower my voice. "Before you say anything - yes, that's Moloch, and no, I haven't lost my mind. It's for Laurie, okay?" I resist the urge to laugh at his expression and take the bottle of whiskey from him, putting it on the kitchen table. "Hope that's not for Laurie," I laugh.

[metropolis_usmc]

"Ah, yes, heh heh, well, I wouldn't miss this for the world." I'm probably frowning. Moloch. Really, Sally? Really? Has she gone completely insane? "A magic show, eh? Well, sounds like a gas."

And there, peaking out from behind her mother and Hollis, is Laurie. She's so tall, and skinny, like a little fawn on those stick legs. She's got to be six inches taller than the last time I saw her, maybe even seven. She's practically a woman now, so grown up. And so much like her mother. And so much like...him.

"Hollis," I say loudly, most sincere smile plastered on my face as I shake his hand, "Why am I not surprised to see you here too?"

[niteowl_i]

Nelly's expression probably mirrored mine. I shook his hand, clapping him hard on the shoulder.

"Yeah well, some things don't change, I guess." I said with a shrug. "It's good to see you."

Good that he was here. Now I had back up, in case Moloch tried anything.

[mystical_moloch]

Smirking slightly at Hollis, I lift one up one of the cups, "Orange," a bright perfect orange rolls out, "you glad I didn't say banana?" I lift up the opposite and a real banana tumbles out. I bow slightly to Laurie's applause and then throw Hollis the banana. "Here you go, some nice potassium--I'd offer you the orange, Nelson, but I imagine you're fruity enough."

I say that last as throw away while I deftly clear the table of everything except the orange, which I pick up and roll back and forth between my hands. "Well, what can we do with this?" I ask, winking at Laurie as I toss it in the air. The crystal ball lands back in my hands.

[sallyspectre]

I press my lips together, trying not to laugh. Hollis and Nelly look like they're sulking, and I bet they're regretting coming - just a little. But Laurie's laughing, no trace of her previous sadness left, and that's worth anything. Besides... Moloch is pretty good. Looks like I made the right choice after all.

Ever since I was a kid, I used to watch the magicians when they did this sort of trick, determined to catch their method. I knew it wasn't real magic, since my parents informed me that didn't exist soon enough. Even now, I try to follow the cups, but Moloch moves so swiftly - his movements blur together, and it's nearly impossible to follow

[missjuspeczyk]

I can't stop laughing and squealing. Maybe I'm acting like a toddler, but I don't care! Who knew a magician could be so much fun? He turned an orange into a crystal ball! This guy is incredible!

"Do another trick!" I command, bouncing on my tiptoes with anticipation.

[mystical_moloch]

I wink roguishly at Sally before laughing at Laurie's demand. "I am yours to command, I say with a deep bow. There's a deck of cards in my hand when I stand back up and I begin to shuffle them expertly.

I run her through a series of card tricks, each growing more and more complex until it culminates with Hollis pulling the selected card out from his back pocket across the room.

I couldn't resist using him as a mark--he was just so uptight. Christ I was never a violent criminal really, and there's a kid here. Guess that's what happens when you've been a villain for this long. At least Laurie and Sally are happy.