The Birthday      The Birthday

 by Linda

  

 Author's website: http://www.1freespace.com/linda1

 Disclaimer: Barbara, Damien and Ray Kowalski belong to Alliance
Communications

 Author's Notes: 

 Story Notes: A Ray as a boy story.

 This story is a sequel to: The Tree 

 

 Damien Kowalski sipped at his coffee as he watched his younger son.
Crouched down and leaning forward, Ray's gloved hands were pressed up
against the toy store window, his small face full of concentration as he
silently watched. 

 Damien sighed to himself knowing, without looking, what his son was
watching. It had been the same every Saturday afternoon for the last three
weeks. They would drive to the breaker's yard where Damien would spend an
hour or so sifting through car parts for his latest project. Then they
would walk through the shopping mall and Damien would treat himself to an
espresso and Ray to a chocolate ice-cream. 

 Damien smiled to himself - his younger son could never sit still for long
so he had allowed Ray to wander, within his sight, and look in the store
windows. He sighed again - Ray had found a toy store, and every Saturday
while Damien was drinking his espresso, his son crouched in front of the
toy store window silently watching. 

 Finishing his coffee, Damien got to his feet. Shoving his hands into his
coat pockets, he moved to join his son. Ray looked up as his father stood
at his side. He smiled before turning his attention back to the window. 

 "Time to go home champ," Damien crouched down beside his son. 

 "Just one more turn around," Ray looked sideways at his father, a hopeful
expression on his face. "Please Dad." 

 "OK," Damien smiled. "Just one more. Then we gotta get going or your Mum
will wonder where we've got too. And send out a search party." 

 Ray nodded slightly. "Isn't it great?" he grinned pressing his face
closer to the window to get a better view. 

 "Yeah," Damien ruffled his son's blonde hair. "Yeah it is." Damien
followed his son's rapt gaze - ignoring all the new electronic toys, the
brightly coloured robots that talked in tinny voices, the remote
controlled cars and the array of toy soldiers, Ray was staring lovingly at
an old fashioned train set. 

 A circular track had been placed in the store window, complete with
trees, a grey brick station house, and a greeny\brown tunnel which had
been set over the track at the back of the display. Damien and Ray watched
as a red steam engine appeared from out of the tunnel pulling three
pullman carriages proudly behind it. Ray smiled at his father as he
pointed out the engine's name as it passed by them. "Pride of Chicago," he
whispered looking back towards the engine as it disappeared into the
tunnel again. 

 Damien stifled another sigh - he had called the store owners to enquire
about the price of the train set hoping that he would be able to afford to
buy it for Ray's twelfth birthday. But his hopes had been dashed - it had
been too expensive, and he had been forced to settle for a model car and a
jigsaw puzzle of a steam engine. "Come on champ," Damien ruffled Ray's
hair again as he got to his feet. "Time to go home." 

 Ray jumped up. He took hold of his father's hand as they started to make
their way out of the shopping mall. "Can we come again next Saturday?" he
asked hopefully. "And watch our train." 

 "Our train?" Damien questioned. 

 "Yeah," Ray replied shyly. "It's like our train because this is our
special treat," he explained. "You get the stuff for your car. And I get
to look at the train while you drink your coffee," he grinned up at his
father. "So can we come again next Saturday?" 

 "We'll see," Damien squeezed Ray's hand. "Wouldn't you rather do
something different as it's your birthday next weekend?" Damien smiled at
Ray. "It's not every day, you're twelve." 

 "I know," Ray smiled up at his father. "Mum said she was going to make me
a cake. And I can choose what sort." 

 "Now let me see," Damien chuckled. "I bet you choose a spinach or a
cabbage cake," he teased laughing loudly at the disgusted expression on
his son's face. 

 "Dad," Ray protested. "It's gonna be chocolate," he said in a long
suffering voice which made Damien chuckle again. "And Mum says that as I'm
twelve, I get to make a special wish when I blow my candles out." 

 Damien nodded as he steered them towards the parking lot. Lost in his
thoughts, he half listened, a fixed smile on his face, as his younger son
babbled on in his usual rapid fire chatter about everything and nothing.
An empty hollow feeling spread within him, and he couldn't shake the
sadness that threatened to engulf him. Damien worked hard desperately
wanting to give his two sons everything, all the things that he had been
denied as a child. He felt utterly useless that he couldn't afford to give
Ray something as simple as a train set for his birthday. But times were
hard at the moment, and overtime at the plant was a premium. 

 He felt a tug on his hand and looked down at Ray. "You don't have to buy
me the train set," Ray said his face suddenly serious, as though reading
his father's mind. "Whatever you and Mum get me, I'll love. Honest." 

 Damien felt like crying, and bit hard on the inside of his mouth to stop
the tears. "I know you will champ," he smiled down at the earnest little
face looking up at him. "I know you will." Ray smiled up at him again
satisfied that he had cheered his father up.  

 Three days later........ 

 Damien parked the truck in the drive. Turning of the ignition, he sat for
a minute trying to summon up the strength to get out of the truck. It had
been a long hard day at the plant; he was bone tired, but he cheered
himself with the thought that the rare offer of overtime would pay a few
more bills. "Pitter patter," he encouraged himself as he swung his legs to
the ground. 

 He smiled as he entered the kitchen - Barbara was at the sink washing the
dishes talking to Christian, who was lolling in a chair drinking coke. "Hi
honey," he kissed Barbara on the cheek. "Christian," he patted his elder
son's arm. "Am I too late for dinner?" he asked slumping down next to
Christian. 

 "You look tired," Barbara stroke d Damien's arm. "And you're never too
late for dinner," she smiled at him as she set a cup of coffee in front of
him on the table. "It'll just take me a minute to warm up your plate. It's
your favourite, lamb casserole with my special potatoes. 

 "Sounds wonderful as usual," Damien grinned back at Barbara. "Although I
am kinda surprised that Christian and Stanley left me any," Damien looked
around the room expecting Ray to burst noisily into the room at any
moment. "Hey where is Stanley anyway?" 

 "He said he was tired," Barbara shot a look at Christian, who remained
silent. "So he finished his homework and went to bed early. He told me to
tell you that he loves you." 

 "Stanley went to bed early?" Damien raised his eyes in surprise. "He's
not sick is he?" 

 "No love," Barbara put Damien's dinner in front of him. "Just a bit
upset," she patted his arm reassuringly. "Nothing to worry about." Barbara
sat across from Damien nursing her own cup of coffee. 

 "Upset," Damien repeated . "Why's he upset? What's happened?" he looked
from his son to his wife and back again. "Is it trouble with school?" 

 "It's sorta my fault," Christian interrupted as he straightened up in his
chair. "I took him to the shopping mall after school so he could pick his
birthday present from me," he took a sip of his coke. 

 "And," Damien encouraged as he spooned some casserole into his mouth. 

 "Well he wanted to show me this train or something," Christian sighed.
"Said it was special. But when we got to the toy store, it was gone.
Stanley seemed a bit upset so I went in and asked." 

 "It was sold," Damien sighed. Right?" 

 "Yeah," Christian looked surprised. "How did you know?" 

 "I knew that it would happen sooner or later," Damien pushed his plate to
one side, his appetite suddenly gone. "So Stanley took it kinda hard huh?"


 "Well.... he said he was OK, but I could tell he wasn't," Christian
replied. "Even a chocolate ice-cream didn't cheer him up. Sorry Dad." 

 "It's not your fault," Damien smiled at Christian as he got to his feet.
"Think I'll go and see if Stanley is OK." 

 Damien crept into his younger son's bedroom. He perched on the edge of
the bed sensing that Ray was still awake. Leaning forward, he stroked
gently at the blonde hair poking out from the comforter. "What's up
champ?" he whispered. 

 He sat patiently waiting still caressing Ray's hair. Eventually, Ray
rolled onto his back looking up at his father. "I'm OK Dad," he murmured
pulling away from the caress as he stared at the ceiling distractedly. 

 "I've seen better okays," Damien smiled down at his son tracing a finger
down the tear tracks on Ray's face. "So you gonna tell me what's up?" 

 "It's gone," Ray whispered. Damien could see him biting at his lower lip
trying desperately not to cry again. "Our train's gone Dad." 

 "I know," Damien replied stroking his hand down Ray's face wiping at a
tear as it ran down his face. "I know." 

 Ray sniffed loudly wiping at his face. Turning anxious blue eyes towards
his father. "I didn't want you to buy the train. Honest," he murmured "But
I liked when we looked at it. It was neat." 

 "I know you did," Damien pulled Ray into a hug. "I did too," he rubbed at
Ray's back soothingly. 

 "You did?" Ray muttered into his chest, his voice slightly doubtful. 

 "Yeah I did," Damien whispered. But we still got our Saturday afternoons.
Just you and me. No one can take that away from us," he drew back from his
son looking into the clear blue eyes. "We can find lots of other stuff to
look at together. And may be you can even help me with building my cars.
OK?" 

 Ray bit at his lip. "OK," he nodded slightly. 

 "Good," Damien smiled at his son. "Now why don't I tuck you in so you can
get some sleep. Gotta save your strength for blowing all those candles out
on your birthday cake," he joked as he eased Ray back down onto the bed. 

 Ray turned on his side snuggling down under the comforter as Damien
pulled it up higher. "Can I really help you with the cars?" Ray asked. 

 "Of course you can," Damien smiled as he tucked the comforter around the
small body. "I just said so, didn't I?" Ray nodded, a small smile creasing
his face. Glancing sideways Damien noticed that Ray's favourite teddy bear
was sitting on the night stand. "So," he picked the battered bear up
waggling it at Ray. "Why isn't old bear in there with you?" 

 "I'm too big," Ray replied quietly looking up at the bear wistfully. 

 "Nobody's ever too big to have a friend when they feel upset," Damien
smiled at Ray as he tucked the bear under the comforter. "OK?" 

 "OK Dad," Ray smiled as he pulled the bear close. "Love you," he murmured
as he closed his eyes. 

 "Love you too," Damien leant forward kissing his son's forehead. He
remained on the edge of the bed, his hand idly stroking Ray's hair,
watching his son's breathing even out as he descended into sleep. 

 "Damien," Barbara whispered from the door. "Your dinner's getting cold." 

 "Be right out," Damien turned towards Barbara. Ray murmured in his sleep,
twitching slightly, as Damien kissed him again. "Night son," he said
carefully getting to his feet joining his wife at the door. 

 "You alright love?" Barbara put a hand on her husband's arm. 

 "Yeah. I'm fine," Damien replied as he kissed Barbara lightly. "I
suck.... but I'm OK," he started down the stairs. "Can't afford to make my
son happy," he mumbled to himself as he went. "But I'm OK." 

 Barbara stared after her husband, a worried look spreading across her
face. She quickly checked on Ray before hurrying downstairs to talk some
sense into her husband.  

 Ray's birthday...... 

 "Do you think Dad will be long?" Ray bounced into the kitchen, a grin on
his face. "I want to blow my candles out, and Dad's gotta be here." 

 "He won't be long love," Barbara answered her excited son feeling glad
that he seemed to have recovered from the upset over the train. "He just
had to meet someone about some parts for his car." She placed the last
candle in the cake. Wiping her hands on her apron. "Well... what do you
think?" she asked waving a hand towards the cake. 

 Ray stood next to his mother gazing down at his birthday cake. He counted
the candles to make sure his Mum hadn't forgotten any. He smiled - twelve
blue candles had been positioned in a circle on top of the cake. The cake,
decorated with chocolate flavoured icing and brightly coloured candy stood
on his mother's best china cake stand. 

 "It's wonderful," he breathed as he hugged his mother. "You're the best
Mum in the world. And you make cool cakes." 

 "Why thank you young man," Barbara kissed the top of Ray's head. "Now why
don't you go and see if Dad is here yet." 

 "OK Mum," Ray turned hurrying out of the room. "Then I can blow my
candles out. And we can all have some chocolate cake," he shouted over his
shoulder as the door slammed behind him. 

 Barbara shook her head smiling at Ray's boisterous energy and excitement,
but had decided long ago that she wouldn't change him for anything. She
cast a look back at the cake counting the candles, not really being able
to believe that her youngest had reached his twelfth birthday. 

 Barbara stared out of the window, lost in the past, as she remembered the
tiny underweight baby she had brought home from the hospital a month after
his birth. Barbara loved Christian dearly and although Ray had looked
scrawny, he had been the more beautiful of her two sons with a shock of
blonde hair and the most mesmerising blue eyes she had ever seen. Of
course, she and Damien had fell in love with him instantly but had then
spent months fretting, wondering whether he would live to see his first
birthday. But even as a baby, Ray had been a fighter battling against the
illnesses that seemed to dog the first few years of his life. Even now, he
still suffered from serious bouts of illness, but as each year passed he
seemed to get stronger.... and noisier, Barbara laughed to herself. His
energy and noisy enthusiasm for life never ceased to amaze her, and she
wondered idly what it would be like to view the world through his eyes.
She laughed again deciding that she wouldn't be able to keep up the pace.
Bringing herself back to the present, she glanced down at her watch
wondering where her husband could have got to as it didn't usually take
him long to collect car parts. 

 "Dad's here," Ray poked his head around the door. "So we can have some
cake now." He grinned at his mother. 

 "Just coming," Barbara smiled back as she picked up the cake to take it
into the living room where her three men were waiting for her. 

 "Hello love," Damien kissed Barbara. "Sorry I was so long." 

 "It's alright. You're here now," Barbara placed the cake on the table.
"Although I did think that Stanley was going to burst with impatience at
one point," she whispered nodding towards her son. Christian and Ray were
sitting together on the couch looking through the book on classic cars
that Christian had bought Ray for his birthday. 

 "You shoulda started without me," Damien whispered back. 

 "Oh no," Barbara pulled a face at her husband taking his hand. "Stanley
wanted you to be here when he blew out his candles." Damien smiled at
Barbara as he squeezed her hand. 

 "So Stanley," Damien turned to his son. "Shall we light these candles for
you so you can make your special wish?" 

 "Yay," Ray leapt up hurrying to stand next to his father, watching as
each of the twelve candles were lit. Damien put his arm around Ray's
shoulders as his son gazed at his cake. "Make a wish," Damien whispered in
Ray's ear. 

 "Yeah. Come on shorty. Hurry it up and make a wish," Christian encouraged
as he dimmed the lights. "So we can all have some cake." 

 "I'm just thinking of my wish," Ray said turning back to the cake. He
looked up at his father and mother and smiled happily. "OK. Got one," he
leant forward, his eyes closed. With a deep breath, he leaned further
forward blowing out all the candles. Damien, Barbara and Christian
applauded his effort as Ray giggled at their out-of-tune rendition of
Happy Birthday. 

 "What did you wish for?" Barbara kissed her son lightly. 

 "It don't come true if you tell," Ray looked up at her, the expression on
his face serious. "Isn't that right Dad?" he turned to his father. 

 "Yeah," Damien replied. "Didn't you know that?" he teased his wife
grinning. 

 "Of course I knew," Barbara replied mock-punching her husband's arm. "I
was just checking if you men did," she teased back. Ruffling Ray's hair.
"And I am sure your wish will come true." 

 "You think?" Ray asked as he looked up at his mother. 

 "Yes I do," Barbara replied. "Now let me cut some cake for all us. And as
you're the birthday boy, you get to have the biggest slice." Ray grinned
happily at her. 

 "Now you're talking,"Christian laughed moving towards his mother. As
Barbara turned her back to get a plate, Christian swiped a finger through
the chocolate icing, licking it. "Mmm," he giggled as he slung his arm
across Ray's shoulder. "Good choice shorty. I love chocolate cake." 

 "Christian," Ray protested slapping at his brother's hand. 

 "Stanley," Damien interrupted from the door. "I've got another surprise
for you. Here," he offered Ray a large box wrapped in red paper. "Happy
Birthday from Mum and me." 

 "But you already got me a present," Ray said doubtfully looking towards
his mother, and back to his father. 

 "I know," Damien grinned. "But this is an extra gift for you." 

 "Come on shorty," Christian encouraged. "Open it... so we can all see
your gift. Or shall I do it for you?" he teased moving towards his father.


 "No," Ray beat him to Damien accepting the gift with a thank you and a
happy smile. Dropping to the floor Ray sat cross legged, the gift balanced
across his legs. Ripping at the paper he threw it to one side quickly
revealing a large box. He stared at the box transfixed, for once silent. 

 "Don't you like it?" Damien asked. 

 Ray lifted his head slowly to look up at his father, his blue eyes wet
with unshed tears. "It's our train," he whispered quietly. Putting the box
carefully to one side, he jumped up flinging himself at his father. "You
got me our train," he hugged Damien. 

 "So you like it then?" Damien kissed the top of his head hugging Ray
back. 

 "Oh yes," Ray pulled back. "You're the best Dad in the whole world. Thank
you," he hugged Damien again before moving across to his mother to hug her
hard. "Thank you Mum." 

 "You're welcome," Barbara said as she kissed the top of his head. 

 "So shorty," Christian said. "Do you want me to help you set the track
up?" 

 "Yeah," Ray replied twisting in the embrace to face his brother. "Mum,"
he turned back to Barbara. "Can we put it up in here today? Please Mum." 

 "Of course you can," Barbara replied. "As it's your birthday." 

 "Yay," Ray bounced towards Christian. Crouched side by side on the floor,
the brothers began to set out the track. 

 Barbara moved to stand next to Damien who was watching his two sons, a
smile on his face. "I thought you said the train set was too expensive,"
she said in a low voice so Ray couldn't hear as she watched her son
carefully putting the track together. "And I thought Christian said it had
been sold." 

 "It was.... and the one in the store window had been sold," Damien smiled
at his wife as he tugged her into the kitchen. "But I called the toy store
owner and asked him to get me a set the same." 

 "Can we afford it?" Barbara asked anxiously. 

 "We don't have to,"Damien took Barbara's hand squeezing it gently. She
shot him a confused look. "I sold my car," he said as he brought Barbara's
hand up to his lips, kissing it gently. "And I have some money left over
that we can put away in Christian's college fund." 

 "You sold your car," Barbara repeated in surprise pulling her hand away.
"The car you have been getting stuff for over the last few months. Oh
Damien," she took hold of his hand again squeezing. "But it was your dream
to own a car like that." 

 "I know love," Damien replied. "But seeing Stanley's face," he waved
towards the door. "When he opened his gift was worth more than fifty old
cars." 

 "Oh Damien," Barbara pulled her husband close kissing him. 

 Damien pulled back smiling. "And any way there will be other cars," he
grinned at Barbara. "But for Stanley there would have never been another
train set like the one from the store window." 

 "Dad," Christian popped his head around the door. "Stanley says that
we're ready for the inaugural run of his new train, and he wants you and
Mum to be there." 

 "We're just coming love," Barbara smiled at Christian. Christian
disappeared back into the living room. "Damien," she said pulling on his
arm. "I promise that one day you'll get your dream car." 

 "I know,"Damien winked her. "I got my eye on a beat up GTO in the
breaker's yard that they wanna give away to make room for some other
stuff." He swept his hand in the air mimicking the shape of a car. "Think
she'll look good all shiny and painted black," he winked again. "What do
you think?" 

 "I think," Barbara kissed the tip of his nose. "That you're a wonderful
man." 

 "Dad," the door burst open and Ray appeared, a wide grin on his face.
"Come on. Hurry up and bring Mum," he said impatiently tugging on his
father's hand. "Our train's ready to go." 

 With a mischievous grin and without warning Damien grabbed Ray picking
him up and throwing him over his shoulder. "Dad," Ray giggled as Damien
ran his fingers up and down his side, tickling. 

 "Come on champ," Damien laughed. "We got a train to catch," he moved
towards the door Ray still slung over his shoulder still giggling. 

 Barbara joined in the laughter following them into the living room. She
smiled at the sight of her husband and sons sprawled across the floor
together watching a red steam train as it disappeared in and out of the
tunnel on its way around the circular track. Smiling again Barbara turned
to cut the birthday cake into slices. 

 THE END 

 Views to: linda18@ntlworld.com 

End The Birthday by Linda: linda18@ntlworld.com

Author and story notes above.