She wiped tears from her eyes and then reached toward me with a card in her hand. "Here's your real gift."
I snatched the envelope from her hand and tore it open, pulling out a card—something silly about getting so old my body was starting to fall apart. Yeah, right. Inside the card were small colorful slips of paper with writing and drawings on them. I examined them more closely, reading each one. Realization dawned on me slowly as I looked over them: coupons. About ten coupons that Lily had made, each promising me something different. One was redeemable for a late-night pick-up, no questions asked. Another was to be used in place of an apology. Shit, she probably should've given me more of that one. There were coupons for a free hug, for an accomplice in crime, for a corny joke when I needed a laugh. And as I sifted through them, it dawned on me what the real gift was. Her friendship. Lily was offering me another chance to be close to her. Not romantically, but still intimately. I suddenly realized why I felt such relief when she’d walked into the party. It was because she was my friend—probably my best friend—and things just weren't as good when she wasn't around. I decided in that moment that this would be enough. I wouldn't screw up with her again by trying to force things to go in a direction that we didn't both want. If friendship was what she was offering, then that's what I would take. And that was all I would take.
I sifted through my pile of coupons and handed her one.
She looked down at it before smiling sweetly at me. "Since it's your birthday, I guess I can let you slide with a free one." Then she slid her arms back around my neck and I inhaled her as I wrapped my arms around her, speechless at the gift she had given me and confident that it would be the best one I would receive this year. Especially since I was pretty sure no one else's tits would feel this good against my chest. Friends be damned, I was still human. The fact that I restrained myself from running my tongue down her neck should've spoken volumes to my dedication to our new relationship.
We broke apart before the embrace became awkward, as if there was a set amount of time a hug between friends should last. Trevor cleared his throat beside me and I wished that he had gone the hell away. "Lily, this is my good buddy Trevor. Trevor, Lily."
Trevor extended his hand toward her, and Lily shook it, but her face was cool and impassive. Huh.
"Nice to meet you, Lily. I would've spoken up sooner, but I didn't want to ruin the Hallmark moment."
"You too." Her response was clipped and she looked away from him quickly, dismissively. I stared at her strangely for a moment, but before I had time to dissect her behavior, I heard another familiar voice over my shoulder.
"There's the person I've been waiting all day to see."
I watched my father approach, wide-eyed and beaming with his arms outstretched, ready to give me a big hug. Even knowing that it wouldn't be as fulfilling as the one I got from Lily, it did always feel good to get a hug from my dad. He somehow always managed to convey so much with it: his love, his pride, his devotion. When he got closer, I moved slightly toward him to receive the embrace, but he simply pushed my arms out of his way.
"Out of my way, Max. I need to hug this pretty girl."
This man did not just diss me on my birthday. But when I looked over at Lily, I couldn’t say I blamed him. I'd have gone straight for her too.
"How are you, my dear?" my dad asked as he wrapped his arms around her.
I turned toward my mom, who had been following right behind him. She simply shrugged her shoulders at me and let a soft giggle escape from her lips.
I reached my hand up to my dad's shoulder and gently ripped him away from Lily. "Listen, old man. Don't forget who chooses what home you go into when mom gets tired of your cranky ass."
He laughed that hearty laugh that I loved and smiled. "Stop threatening me and get over here."
He pulled me into a strong, chest-constricting embrace that made me feel so loved I could barely stand it. I stored this memory into the recesses of my brain so that I could one day pull it out and remind myself to hug my own child exactly like this.
"Sorry we're late," my mom said as she edged my dad away from me so that she could move closer. "I give your father one thing to do, and does he do it? Of course not."
"Aww, come on, doll. Max would've understood if we hadn't brought him a card."
"You forgot to get me a birthday card? What kind of father are you?" I asked, acting insulted.
"Listen, if I had to remember to get all of my children birthday cards, I'd have little time for anything else."
"Dad, I'm your only child."
"Semantics," he declared as he waved a hand at me.
"Did you forget to take your pill or something?" I asked, trying but failing, to keep the amusement from my voice.
"You mean my Viagra? No, I made sure to take that," he replied as he wagged his eyebrows at my mother.