Birthday
Waking up in the middle of the night, I wake up mama, “Mama…”
“Hmm…Yes my dear, what is it?”
“My wings and tail are back and they hurt.”
“Eh!? Again!? My~ What perfect timing! Here let’s get you out of these clothes.”
“Okay.”
“Now…Where did I put your pajamas? Ah! There it is…And…Perfect all nice and snug again.”
“Thank you mama, I’ll go to sleep some more now.”
“Of course, dear…Happy Birthday.”
I wake up again later in the day to sunlight entering our room and Melina’s sing songy voice, “Good morning your Majesty and to our little Birthday Princess~”
Still a little sleepy I rub my eyes and ask, “Is it my birthday already?”
“Yes Princess, today is you- Ooooh! You’re not affected by your curse today either! Truly what a beautiful day!”
Mama picks me up and holds me tightly, “Happy first Birthday, Rose. I’m so glad you are my daughter.”
“I’m also glad you’re my mama!”
“As your first birthday gift, I’ll tell you your new full name.”
“New full name?”
“Uhuh, listen closely alright?”
“Gao!”
“Your full name is Rose Carmen Carmilla Heather Resplandor.”
“So auntie and I have the same name now?”
“Yep, I named you after her. As for Carmen, it is a name I really enjoy and it fits in well with the rest of your names. Carmen means garden and Carmilla actually means fruit garden. As for Heather, it was actually Rayla that gave me that name. It is a type of shrub that grows pink flowers just like you.”
“Pfft So I’m Rose, Garden, Fruit Garden, Brush now?”
“Chuckle If you want to say it like that, sure.”
“By the way mama, what does Resplandor mean?”
“It means something bright or shiny. You could also translate it as blaze.”
“So I’m a bright garden full of roses, fruits and brushes?”
“Only if you want to be Kikikiki.”
“Sure! That sounds nice, Kikikiki.”
“Now Ms. Garden, how about we eat breakfast in the dining room today?”
“Gao!”
Melina then carries us through the long hallways to a regular sized door and crouches down so mama can easily float down with me.
At the bottom, an energetic looking maid with frizzy orange hair appears.
Whispering to mama I ask, “Where did she come from? I didn’t see her before.”
“Hmm, what are you talking about, dear? That’s Melina.”
“Eeeeh!? Melina!?”
“Yes Princess? Is something the matter?”
“I didn’t know you could polymorph too!”
“Eeeeh…Princess, I know I might not be the brightest flame in the kitchen but even I can polymorph. I attended to you a few times like this, don’t you remember?”
Trying to remember flashes of times with Melina in her polymorphed form suddenly come to mind, “That’s right! I even gave you the leaf like this, right?”
“Hihihihi, that’s right Princess! I have it framed inside my home!”
“Gao?”
“Yep!”
“Hey, hey, mama?”
“Yes, dear?”
“I have a question. What am I like when I’m not fully awake like this?”
“Hmm basically the same but you seem a bit happier and you don’t talk with words. Sometimes you do get really bad nightmares though.”
“Huh…Okay, thank you mama.”
We then enter inside where auntie, uncle and my cousins are already waiting. The room is beautifully decorated and full of color.
“Mama, mama, look, it's sooo colorful!!!”
“Oh~ Do you like it?”
“Gao! It’s so pretty!!!”
Emillia sounds excited as she exclaims, “Look mama! We got lucky, Rose isn’t cursed today!”
“Oh~ You’re right!” Auntie then comes over to me, “Happy Birthday, love.”
“Thank you! Auntie, can you carry me?”
“Sure!”
Putting my arms around her I say, “Hey, hey, auntie!”
“Yes, love?”
“We’re both fruit gardens now!”
“Hmm? I’m not sure I understand.”
Mama answers, “I told her that originally Carmilla meant something like fruit garden.”
“Oh! I see. But why are you a fruit garden today, love? Did you eat a bunch of fruits?”
“Nope! I’m a Carmilla too now!”
“You are?”
Mama answers, “It’s one of her middle names now.”
“Gasp You didn’t.”
“Well, you two seemed really close and I thought why not honor my manya for all the times she’s helped me out…”
“Eeeh!? I…I sniff .Thank you, Ruby.”
“Eh? Auntie are you crying?”
“Yeah…But these are happy tears. So, what’s your full name now, love?”
“It’s Rose Carmen Carmilla Heather Resplandor, which means I’m a shiny garden full of roses, fruits and pink shrubs, kikikiki.”
“How lovely, that sounds like a beautiful place and a beautiful name.”
Uncle then comes over and licks my cheek, “Happy birthday, Rose. Congratulations on surviving your first year.”
“Kyyyu~ Thank you uncle!”
“Mama, can I carry Rose too?” prima asks.
“Sure, here you go.”
Emilia picks me up and I give her a big hug while she licks my face, “Happy Birthday, Rose!”
“Why do you always get to hold her first Emi?”
“Because I ask first, idiot. It’s not my fault you’re always so slow.”
“Tsk Hand her to me now then, I want to hug her too.”
“Eh!? At least ask nicely!”
“Okay…Can you please let me hold her too…”
“Pfft I didn’t think you’d actually do it. Here ya go.”
Miguel picks me up next and also licks my face, “Happy Birthday, Rose! I hope you like my present! Auntie said we’ll open them after your siesta.”
“Siesta?”
“Oh um…What is it called again…Ah! Your nap, yes after your nap.”
“Okay!”
Mama picks me up again and starts laughing, “Kikikiki, you’re all covered in love.”
Taking out a handkerchief, mama wipes my face dry and we go have breakfast together and play a lot until I fall asleep for my nap.