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For her sixtieth birthday, Dorcas did not want a party. She did not want a big deal to be made about her increment into old age, the fact that her first digit would now be six instead of five.
Sixty was proper old. If she told someone she was sixty, she may as well be telling them that she was old-fashioned and confused about the times. Not not with the times out of choice, but genuinely perplexed, with a worn-out brain struggling to process things. Obviously, she knew sixty year olds weren’t like that; in fact, most of them, if not all, were like their fifty-nine year old selves but more educated, like their fifty-eight year old selves but with a broader range of understanding, like their fifty-seven year old selves, constantly growing and learning new things. But according to society, it was impossible for old people to grow, apparently.
The younger generation. Dorcas hated calling them that. There wasn’t even time for evolution between her and the so-called younger generation. They were all homo sapiens, humans with emotions and reason, people who could relate to each other, except for some reason, they chose not to.
Old people were too old. Therefore, Dorcas would simply not declare herself as old.
With this in mind, she’d requested her wife, Marlene, not to throw her a party. (Honestly, how could someone call her backward when she was a woman married to another woman, who’d adopted all their children to make their beautiful family?)
Dorcas’s present would be the gift of ignorance, the fact that suddenly, the whole world seemed to forget it was her birthday. Surely that meant she wasn’t ageing. Surely that meant she was just living another day in her good old fifties. Perfect, not too old. Fifties sounded so good.
- - -
“Fifty is too old,” Marlene hissed in an imitation of Dorcas ten years ago. “Dorcas always says this. I’m throwing a party anyway.”
Lily bit her lip sceptically. “But won’t she suspect it then? She’ll remember that every time she says this, you go and do it anyway. What if she disappears for the whole day?” From worried to playful in an instant, Lily smirked, “I would, if I knew you were planning my party.”
Marlene scowled. “Well, I’m not the only one planning this party. You’re here to help me,” she grudgingly admitted.
Lily smiled, “For obvious reason.”
Marlene flipped her the bird, but instead of leaving, Lily got to work. She was so good at reading body language. Perfect party planner. Marlene wasn’t going to tell her that though.
- - -
“Okay, fine, you’re the perfect party planner,” Marlene gushed after five hours, because this party was going to be through-the-roof spectacular thanks to her best friend.
- - -
Dorcas was having an ordinary day, one like any other. She was happy. No mention of birthdays anywhere.
Then why did she feel so gutted? She wanted this! This was perfect!
Dorcas felt a bit hollow. Someone just acknowledge her! Just… remember she existed! But she didn’t want that!
When she got home, the house was exactly as it had been in the morning. Her grandkids hadn’t even thought to at least visit her! She raised them!
Marlene wasn’t even home yet! That was her wife! Could she not even kiss her wife on her… well, not birthday, but shouldn’t she at least get a kiss from the love of her life?! Was this too much to ask for?!
She shouldn’t even have to ask! Their love should be one hundred percent unconditional, but no, apparently, everyone had forgotten her existence.
Sulking, she stormed through the corridor and into the living room, reaching to switch on the light—
“SURPRISE!”
- - -
Marlene grinned at her wife, holding up a huge cake decorated with icing sheets of Dorcas’s face through the ages, a celebration of the life of the most amazing person on the planet, who lived in the terrains of Marlene’s heart so comfortingly and comfortably.
Their children and grandkids and friends and family surrounded her, all cheering, “Happy birthday!”
Marlene stepped closer to Dorcas and whispered, “No one cares how old you are. All we care about is the fact that you’re here with us.”