Emily was excited from the moment she woke up. Joel served her breakfast in bed, waffles with lots of whipped cream and strawberries. 

I did her hair up with a rainbow of ribbons, and we headed downstairs where the hallway and all the rooms were done up with themes from different Stray Kids songs. Emily squealed at each new discovery, pretending to faint when she saw the main living room decked out in an array of stills from her favorite member, Bangchan. 

His single Railway was the theme of the room, and I looked around in amusement at the vampire imagery. Fake blood splattered bits of the wall and floor, all of it delightfully macabre. Even the strange jagged new-age art was covered in what was meant to be the bodies of Bangchan’s ghouls.

“Oh my gosh! I love it, Joel! It’s perfect!” Emily squealed again and clapped her hands as Joel beamed beside us. “It reminds me of Uncle Seb!”

“How so?” I asked. 

“Now, the big surprise comes later of course,” Joel said, speaking up before Emily could respond, “but your options now Ms. Emily are a shopping trip, or a special dance party. Birthday girl’s choice.” 

“Ooh, definitely dance party!” Emily said. 

“I figured you might say that,” Joel said. He clapped his hands three times, and several large mascots came running into the room from the next hallway. It took me a minute to realize it was the life-size versions of her little Stray Kids stuffed animals being worn as costumes by grown adults. Emily was giggling in happiness, and I found myself beaming alongside Joel as music started playing, the room darkened, and laser-lights started bouncing off the ceilings and walls. 

Emily had a blast, and by the afternoon, was slowly falling asleep in her wheelchair. Joel dismissed the dancers as I wheeled her up to her room and helped her lay down for a nap. 

She woke up a few hours later, with the sun already setting. 

“Is my birthday over?” she asked, looking up at me with her sleepy little eyes.

“Not even close,” I said, helping her get ready and go back downstairs. I had gotten dressed in a  sleek purple gown that had been laid out for me by Joel. We made our way to the dining room, where Sebastian and Joel were standing in anticipation, wearing stunning purple suits, all of us decked out in Emily’s favorite color. 

“Happy birthday, Sweetheart,” Sebastian said, gesturing to the large pile of gifts on and around the table. Emily rushed over to them, giving Sebastian a questioning look, then digging in once he nodded in approval. 

She soon found herself with brand new purple wheels for her chair, with Stray Kids wheel covers, one side Bangchan, and the other side the whole group together. She received a beautiful necklace of turquoise stones that Sebastian handed her personally. There were a number of other things, including earrings from Joel and a promise that they would finally have someone in to pierce her ears. 

Finally, Sebastian handed her a card. Her face lit up as she held it. 

“I know what this is!” she exclaimed. 

“Oh do you?” Sebastian teased. 

She ripped open the card, and let out a scream so loud that the three of us covered our ears. 

“I knew it!! Stray Kids tickets! Thank you Uncle Seb!”

She pulled Sebastian into a tight hug, and I saw the huge grin on his face even as he was bent at an awkward angle to embrace her. I happened to glance at Joel, who had a look of concern on his face. I shrugged it off. We would make sure she was safe at the concert. No one would lay their hands on her while I was around. 

Joel gestured to the cake on the table, and hurried over to light the ten candles on top of what looked like the prettiest dessert I had ever laid eyes on. It was a two tiered cake with purple and teal icing that looked like an incredible waterfall cascading down the sides and ending on the tray with chocolate dipped fruits.

“On the count of three then?” Joel asked, looking around. 

Without even thinking, I found myself singing to Emily, feeling so much love and gratitude for everyone in that room just then. 

“Happy birthday to you.”

I didn’t even notice that the others weren’t singing. 

“Happy birthday to you.”

I put all of my emotions into my words, all of my love for Emily, Sebastian, and Joel. 

“Happy birthday dear Emily.”

That love vibrated out with my words, and I grinned up at Sebastian, who was looking at me with mouth agape.

“Happy birthday to you.”

It took a moment after I had stopped to realize that Sebastian and Joel were looking at me as though in a trance. Emily glanced back and forth between the three of us, glaring in confusion.

“What’s happening?” Emily asked.