Crimson Turns 9

Crimson skipped around the Walmart. Her small face held a huge smile. It was her birthday today.

Eating a sandwich by the checkstands, Marie watched Crimson go skipping by curiously. She swallowed what was in her mouth, then called out, "Hey Crimson, why are you all skippy?"

"It's my birthday!" Crimson cried happily. She stopped skipping for a moment. Her body felt like it was going to explode with energy.

Abel looked up from trying to hit Baby in the face. "Happy birthday Crimson!" he squeaked excitedly.

Crimson beamed at her friend. "Thanks Abel! I'm your age now!"

"It's your birthday?" Marie grinned, excited to have a reason for celebrating. "How old are you turning?" She felt slightly guilty she didn't know the ages of everybody, but it didn't seem to matter; they were all family, united with one goal.

Noah, meanwhile, was at the other side of the store. It was the bakery, and he was looking through the unharmed cakes, trying to figure out which was best for her birthday.

Crimson looked at Marie. "I'm um...." She counted her fingers and held up nine. "This many!"

Marie's eyebrows shot up.
"Wow, you're almost a decade now!" she said, grinning broadly.

Crimson shined back. She looked around. "I'll be right back. Don't tell Noah I left the Walmart. Pleeeeeeeeeease!" Crimson begged.

Becoming more curious, but agreeing, Marie nodded.
"Okay, I'll keep it a secret," she whispered.

"Thank you!" Crimson looked at Abel. "Will you come with me...?"

"Yeah!" Abel agreed quickly, walking over to her side.

Crimson raced out of the Walmart before Noah could see her leaving.

"Noah?" Marie called through the store after finishing her sandwich.

Abel rushed quickly after her, grabbing his staff on the way out.

"Huh?" Noah called. He picked a blank frosted one with frosting roses. It was vanilla, and he also had red frosting. He layed it on the counter, and started writing: 'Happy Birthday Crimson."

Coming around a shelf, Marie saw Noah frosting a cake.
"Oh, sneaky," she joked, coming up and leaning on the counter. "She's going to love this."

Crimson sighed softly and stopped running. "Noah didn't say 'Happy Birthday' to me this morning." she said out loud. More to herself.

Noah grinned. "Not only that. Yesterday, I went to the old house a picked up her favorite toy." he said, revealing a doll that looked exactly like her. "Mom wove it for her. It doesn't seem damaged."

Abel frowned. "He didn't?"

"Ah, she'll love it!" Marie smiled. "Especially the doll."

"Where is she? I don't want her to see this." Noah said.

Crimson nodded. "I guess he just doesn't want to be my bruder anymore... Oh well..." she started picking up her pace. Soon they were at her house. "I need to get something." she told Abel before he could ask. She raced up to her room and started pawing through her closet.

"Oh, uh, well, I think she was playing in the opposite corner of the store," Marie said, not making eye contact. "With Abel, you know, those two are practically inseparable."