- 8.
Everyone was gone when I woke up.
I went downstairs to get breakfast and
started reading.
They didn’t come back for lunch. I didn’t ask. I
ate lunch.
When I looked at social media, I realized that
it was Ashley’s birthday.
It was also my birthday.
Ashley was adopted on my birthday. Mom and
Dad chose the same birthday so that it would
be fair.
But then they only cared about Ashley.
I was just there at the party.
I looked at the picture of the three of them.
smiling.
く
It was better this way.
I ordered a cake for myself. It was my
favorite.
I closed my eyes to make a wish. Then my
mom texted.
“Autumn, we’ll be back soon.”
“Ashley’s upset. We need to comfort her.
Don’t be mad.”
I wasn’t mad. I wanted them to come back
later.
I was afraid Ashley was going to do
something else to waste my time.
<
Mom and Dad came back with half a cake.
They smiled and pushed it towards me.
“Autumn, today is also your birthday. Happy
birthday.”
I said thank you, but I didn’t grab the cake.
My mom looked surprised. “Cut the cake. We
got it just for you.”
I pointed to the table. “I already ate.”
My dad said, “We got it for both of you. Just
take a bite.”
I nodded, opened the box, and frowned. “I
don’t like blueberries.”
Then abc
lad uilty WAL
く
Mom gasped. Then she looked guilty. “We
forgot.”
Dad said, “We’ll get you another cake. For
your birthday.”
I looked up.
I always hated that Ashley was getting Mom.
and Dad’s attention.
I wanted to have a birthday without sharing it
with Ashley.
From the age of five, I wanted my own
birthday.
But my parents didn’t care.
“You need to treat her like your sister ”
<
“You need to treat her like your sister.”
“Ashley is not even mad! Why are you acting
this way?”
One year I got mad and didn’t go to the party.
The three of them had a fun time, and I was
home all day with no food.
When they came back, I was crying. They
yelled at me.
“It’s all your fault! You ruined everything!”
Now they said that they would get me a new
cake.
I shook my head. “My birthday is today.”
<
They didn’t look happy, but they didn’t push
- it.
They were careful with me for the next few
days.
They woke me up, and they gave me my
favorite dishes.
Ashley wasn’t getting special treatment. She
was upset and her heart started hurting.
But now, Mom and Dad didn’t take her to the
hospital right away. Instead, they asked if she
was really in pain.
