Chapter 5: Birthday Girl

“Oh, wait!” Trinity tried again, “I think I smell burgers, are we headed to the Westin?”

I smirked into the rearview as I drove a roundabout way to our destination. My 18-year-old, no-longer foster kid, was seated in the back of the Jaguar between Kevin and Rachel to make sure she didn’t cheat and pull off her blindfold.

“If that was a burger, I’m not eating it,” Rachel replied with a retching sound.

“C’mon Carter!” the birthday girl exclaimed frustrated, “you are trying to confuse me! Just get us there already! I’m starving!” She had managed to deduce (incorrectly) that we were taking her somewhere very special for her birthday celebration meal. And since the Westin was the best of the best ... and since Kev and Rachel owned the penthouse...

I was satisfied that she had thoroughly outsmarted herself enough to be utterly clueless, so I turned at the next intersection and headed back to the University district. Five minutes later I pulled into the duplex parking lot and shut the car down. A rusty silver Dodge RAM was in the neighbor’s carport with the front driver’s tire missing. It was resting on a jackstand. At the former owner’s insistence, the yard was picked up and mowed so that the property would be presentable to potential buyers. The For Sale Sign next to the mailboxes was covered with a SOLD banner.

As the Jag became quiet, I could feel the subtle vibration of Trinity’s knees bouncing in the seat behind me. She was humming in an off-pitch distressed tone that had me grinning.

“We better hurry or she’s gonna shake herself apart!” Rachel mused and opened her door. By looking at the stout little Asian woman, you would never be able to tell that she had just had a baby 2 weeks previously. I don’t know if she had just stopped eating entirely or spent every waking minute either on a treadmill, at the Y pool, or all of the above — but she had shed enough of her baby weight that she was able to cover the rest up with her old clothes and look as slim and petite as the day I met her.

“I smell pizza!” Trinity exclaimed, “Pizza works. Although I will forever think you are all a bunch of cheap asses! Can I lose this blindfold now?” She reached out and found Rachel’s hand to help her out of the back seat. Kevin joined me at the front of the car where we waited while the engine quietly ticked as it cooled.

“Do you smell pizza?” he asked softly.

I shook my head, “Lo Mein maybe...”

Rachel stood Trinity in front of us facing the empty apartment and stepped to the side. “Should we let her go ahead?” she asked us with a grin.

For her part, Trinity bounced away nervously. Part of her wanted to be rebellious and rip away the blindfold but her more logical brain kept her grounded with the knowledge that the woman she loved (and feared) most on the planet stood right beside her.

“Yeah, I supp...” I managed before the head scarf went flying and she stood gaping at the house in front of her. I could see the confusion and emotions playing across her face even from behind her.

She stood quietly taking in the view and slowly realizing that we weren’t at a restaurant or some extravagant soiree. Her shoulders drooped a little until the rest of her brain kicked in and she realized what she was looking at. She turned around in a circle as she gauged roughly where she was located and then she looked back at the apartment. I noticed the front door to the adjacent flat open and a stocky middle-aged woman stepped out carrying a baby with a young boy in tow. Trinity was too absorbed in the scene to notice them as she turned back to us, shyly.

“Is this?” she asked on the edge of another Tigger attack, “Is this my apartment?”

“All that and smarts too,” Rachel mused. Kevin held out a set of keys and was rewarded by a well-choreographed bounce-step as she bounded eagerly towards him and embraced him with an ironworker’s hug before politely relieving him of the keys. She then bounced excitedly over to Rachel and planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek before dashing up to the front door. “Aren’t you forgetting someone?” Rachel called behind her.

She had the temerity to turn back and wave. “Thanks, Carter!” as she began sorting through the keys to figure out which one worked. Kevin snorted and walked over to the neighbor with a shake of his head.

Rachel and I walked up to the porch as the front door finally gave way. “Woohoo!” I heard echoing from inside the empty flat as we followed her in. She dashed from room to room exclaiming how awesome and big it was. Her bedroom had an adjoining master bath with a large tub and a separate tiled shower. “You could play hockey in here!” she blurted before moving on to the next room. “Check out this Kitchen! Holy crap! I’m gonna need a woman who knows how to cook!” She turned and winked at us as we regarded her antics.

Finally, she stopped long enough to come and wrap her arms around my neck and pull herself up til her legs were latched around my hips. “Oh my God! I love you so much!” she gasped as she kissed me. “Thank you!”

“That’s better!” Rachel asserted before turning and going to find her husband.

“I’m going to thank you in every one of these rooms Sir!” she growled in my ear when we were alone. Then she nibbled on my lobe as she ground her pelvis into my crotch. “So, you had better bring your Fuck on!”

We rejoined Kevin, Rachel, and the neighbor woman in the front yard. She was probably in her mid-30s and would have been attractive if she bothered to put any effort into it. The baby girl in her arms looked about 1 year old and the boy standing beside her looked about 9 or 10.

“Trinity this is Mandy Blevins, your neighbor,” Kevin introduced, “and her one-year-old daughter, Abby, and 9-year-old son, Spencer.”

Trinity beamed as she took the woman’s hand and gripped it warmly. “Hi, neighbor!” she said excitedly.

Mandy nodded back and glanced at all of us curiously. “You are going to be our new landlord?” she asked skeptically with a hint of worry in her tone.

Trinity glanced back at Kevin and then at me with a confused expression, “Whadda wha...?” she murmured.

Kevin nodded, “That’s correct. Trinity you are the new owner and Mandy here is your tenant, along with her husband Drake.”

The birthday girl’s eyes lit up as she glanced back at the duplex. “So, I don’t even have to pay rent?”

I snorted at her observation.

“No sweetheart,” Rachel answered patiently, “They will be paying you rent ... well they will pay the property manager rent and you will receive a monthly payment, minus their fees.”

Trinity began dancing around us all as she realized the full scope of her birthday present. “I’m a slum lord!” she sang as she grabbed the uncertain tenant and began bouncing next to her. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that! I’m just so excited! This is going to be great! We are gonna be best neighbors ... ohmygod! I’m so excited!”

Mandy’s eyes got bigger as she held her baby tightly against the wild energy of Hurricane Trinity. “Um, I hate to ask,” she said quietly, “but does this mean that our rent is going to go up again?”

Trinity froze mid-bounce and stared at her in astonishment. “What? Why?”

Kevin rescued her by assuring the woman that there was no reason to expect any changes at this time.

Rachel added that they had reservations waiting at The Westin and had to get going. Once we were back in the car and headed for our dinner, Trinity began squealing excitedly. “When can I move in? Oh wait, I own it I can move in whenever I want. I’m moving in tonight!”

“Trin baby, you need a bed,” Rachel replied.

“I’m going to Murdock’s and getting me an air mattress!” she answered after a moment’s thought, “And a sleeping bag! And a pillow ... yeah problem solved! Oh my God, you guys! This is so freakin’ awesome!” She squeezed Kevin since he was the only body in her vicinity (Rachel moved up front as we drove to the restaurant).

Suzy, Jenny, Randy, and Gil were waiting for us at the Imperial Grill, along with a few other younger acquaintances of Trinity’s, when we arrived and were escorted to one of the back rooms. There was room for many more guests than were present but I knew of a few others who were still pending their arrival and I smiled to myself. Each of her friends was holding a wrapped gift which they set on the banquet-sized table at the end where she was led and invited to sit.

“Ohmygod!” she squealed as she took it all in, “ohmygod! You guys! You all came!” She was so spun up she couldn’t sit still and decided to run around and hug everyone instead, including several astonished wait staff who were mingling about filling water glasses and taking drink orders.

Suddenly the double doors opened and several familiar faces entered pushing a cart with a large cake on it. Trinity spun around and squealed excitedly as she dashed across the room to hug the taller brunette woman who led the procession. “Allison!” she cried. It was only the second time I had ever seen Trooper Sergeant Allison Mercurio in civvies, and I had to admit she cleaned up nice. She was wearing a pair of casual slacks, sensible shoes, and a thick patterned fleece sweater. Her gun and badge were just visible peeking under her sweater on her hip. At her side was a fair-complexioned man in his mid-30s, whom she introduced as her husband, Phillip. She was accompanied by Deb Porter, Jeff March, and Billy Majors who was still in uniform. After them came Freddy Red Eagle and his young brunette wife Millie. Freddy was walking on his own with the help of a cane and smiling broadly at everyone. He was unfortunate to be in the way of a hired gunman who tried to assassinate me and took a bullet to the chest for it as he stood guard outside my hospital room.

“We meet again pale face,” he greeted me jovially and gripped my handshake firmly, “Another expensive meal to bribe me with for taking that bullet for you.”

“Freddy,” I smiled back, “if I thought I could pay you back with a thick steak, I’d buy you a Ranch.”

“Phil, can I call you Phil?” Trinity chattered as she shook the man’s hand, “I just want to tell you that I am in love with your wife. She can be a big meany head sometimes—like when she took away my gun, but I still love her. She is a rock star and a total badass and I want to be just like her when I grow up!”

“If you ever grow up,” Mercurio muttered fondly to a chorus of chuckles.

The cake was pretty impressive. It was three layers thick and rectangular with marbled chocolate and vanilla frosting with HAPPY 18^th BIRTHDAY TRINITY written across the surface. It was signed in icing by over two dozen troopers using their call signs (March was ‘two papa thirty’). She paused to gaze at it in wonder before her face clouded and she turned abruptly to burrow into me. I caught her in my arms as she broke down and began sobbing and kissed her head as she shook against me. The room fell quiet and I rested my cheek against her head as she clung to me. “It’s alright, sweetheart,” I murmured as Rachel came over and joined in the hug.

“Hey hey...” she murmured as she kissed her micro braids. “You gonna be alright kiddo?”

“Mmmhmm,” Trinity mumbled against my chest, “I’m sorry. I just lost it there,” she sniffed after a few minutes and stepped back. She found a room full of smiling faces regarding her with nothing but warmth and affection. “I’m sorry everybody.” she sniffed again, wiping her eyes. “It’s just...”

“We know,” Jenny said, speaking for everyone as she came forward and wrapped her in a loving hug. “We love you, beautiful girl.”

“Thanks,” Trinity wiped her eyes again and regarded the room full of guests. “Thank you so much for all of this guys.” She squeezed her pixie Besty back and smiled brightly. “And if any of you are wondering who did this awesome do,” she played with her braids and gestured to Jenny, “this is your girl right here! She is a wizard as a stylist.”

As the afternoon progressed and everyone was enjoying their meals, an occasional interruption would unfold as Trinity was presented with one or more presents to open in front of her audience. Her absolute favorite was from the State Troopers who pitched in and presented her with an Iron Man welding helmet that automatically opened and closed with a voice command. She was over the moon and couldn’t stop playing with it until Rachel adroitly removed it from the table and her immediate grasp. Gil was seated three chairs down from her and leaned forward with mischief in his eye.

“Ah’d hold off on openin’ that pink wrapped package ova yonda’ on account of all the fuzz around heh,” he drawled with a wink.

Trinity’s eyes bulged and she jumped up and down in her seat.

Allison who was seated directly across from him snorted and shook her head disgustedly, “Really?”

He just smiled at her and winked again.

Rachel decided to head things off by tapping politely on her water glass, drawing everyone’s attention. She stood and smiled her radiant smile before stepping away from her chair beside me and moving around the table.

“I know this occasion is all about Trinity,” she began, “but Carter asked me to say a few words and mention another very special occasion coming up.” She punched me in the arm as she passed me by. “Since he has the eloquence of a grizzly bear, I thought I’d spare you all and speak on his behalf.” I caught a good ribbing for that. She circled the end of the table and paused, standing between Jenny and Suzy who both went pale and then flushed as she placed a gentle hand on each of their shoulders. “Several of you may not know these two wonderful ladies, but they are very close to Carter, Trinity, Kevin, and I. And in exactly one month Jenny here,” she indicated the short younger blonde with the pixie cut hairstyle, “and her gorgeous fiancé Suzy,” she indicated the older woman who looked like she wanted to crawl under the table, “will be getting married in this very room.” Loud applause interrupted her speech and I grinned at both of them.

Rachel waited for the applause to die down and went on. “I am also very proud to announce that I will be presiding over their ceremony.” More applause and I gazed at Kevin surprised.

“Can she do that?” I said to him under my breath.

“Certainly,” he replied as he clapped, “She is a JP.”

“Wow!” I muttered as the cheers quieted once more, “I knew she was judgy but not ‘that’ kind of judgy...” I looked up to find everyone staring at me. Rachel seemed particularly focused as she regarded me with a severe expression.

“There is a very strong chance that Carter will not be able to attend the nuptials however,” she continued with an icy tone, to the chuckles of everyone around the table, “and seeing as how these two beautiful nincompoops won’t let me throw them a wedding shower,” she regarded each of the girls with a baleful stare, “we wanted to take this time to present them with one of their wedding presents. Carter?”

I stammered as she threw me under the bus and gaped at everyone watching me intently. “Um. Uh yeah,” I gulped as I stood and reached into my coat pocket for the foil-wrapped envelope with a bow on it. I thrust it across the table at them, “Here.”

Jenny reached for it tentatively and took it from my hand.

“Oh, sweet Jesus!” Rachel growled, “You are such an ape!” She then smiled at the two ladies and held them tightly. “You don’t need to open it here. Just know that we are sending you away for your honeymoon, on a two-week Caribbean cruise. You will be flying out the next morning. So now you have something else to plan for besides your wedding!” There was more applause and both Suzy and Jenny looked utterly gobsmacked at the gift. “And everyone here is cordially invited to the wedding, Carter decided to be a cheap ass and save postage so your invitations will be waiting for you on the table outside the banquet hall. Now back to the party girl...” She turned and found the chair empty. “Um ... Trinity?”

“Yo!” the 18-year-old replied with her mouth full. We turned to find her helping herself to a large corner slice of the birthday cake. She straightened and regarded all the eyes that were suddenly upon her. She had a finger in her mouth as she licked the frosting from it. “What?” she asked innocently, “it’s not gonna eat itself.”