Tiger Flame/Birthday Wishes Too

From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

June 13, 2008

Lyrick placed the serving dish on the table and stepped back. She nodded in satisfaction. Everything was ready. She pulled out her cell phone and sent a text to Vic. “I need your help at 325 Maple. Hurry!” She giggled as she hit send. She figured she had about 5 minutes, knowing Vic. She hurried to the front door and swung it wide open, so Vic wouldn’t tear it off the hinges. Martha was doing her a favor, letting her borrow the house for the evening, and Lyrick didn’t want anything to get broken. She went back into the dining room to light the candles and put the finishing touches on everything.

“Lyrick! Where are you? Are you okay?” Lyrick glanced at the clock as she heard Vic yelling. Yep, five minutes on the dot.

Vic raced through the small brick ranch house, desperate to find Lyrick. He skidded to a stop in the dining room doorway as he finally saw her. “Lyrick?”

“Hi honey, how was your day?”

Vic just stared. It was like a scene out of Ozzie and Harriet. Lyrick stood next to the table wearing a pink dress right out of the 1950s. A vase of flowers and two tall taper candles, flickering merrily, decorated the center of the table. Two places were set, with platters and bowls of steaming food in between. Mashed potatoes, green beans, was that meatloaf?

“Dinner’s ready, have a seat.” Lyrick pointed to the chair at the head of the table and took her own.

Vic blinked, confused. “But your message said you needed help and to hurry.”

“Yes, I need help eating all this food, and you needed to hurry before it gets cold. Pass me your plate, I’ll dish up.”

Vic was still confused, but knowing Lyrick as he did, he decided to play along. He took his seat and passed her his plate. She loaded it up and passed it back, then did the same for herself. “Where did all this come from?” Vic asked.

“I made it.”

Vic blinked again. “You can cook?”

“Yeah, Glenda’s been teaching me. She says it’s nice to finally having someone who doesn’t try to burn her kitchen down. Kay’s just as hopeless as Mom in the kitchen. But I love it.”

Vic took a bite and closed his eyes briefly at the delicious flavor. “You CAN cook!” Lyrick just laughed and tucked into her own food. They ate and chatted and when they were through, Lyrick stood up and started gathering the plates. “Why don’t you go into the living room and relax while I clean up? I’ll bring dessert to you.”

Vic offered to help but Lyrick shooed him away. He wandered off, looking around the house. It looked vaguely familiar, and he finally realized why. It was just like his dream. To live a normal life. Do the things normal people do. Not have any powers or need to rush off to save the world. Now he understood what Lyrick was doing, and his heart melted just a little bit more for her. She was such a sweet, special girl, and he couldn’t believe his luck in finding her. He sat down in the recliner and grabbed the remote, flipping through the channels on the TV as he waited to see what she would do next.

A short time later, Lyrick came into the living room carrying two plates. “Dessert time! I hope you like apple pie.” She handed one to Vic and seated herself on the couch. Vic took a bite. It was heavenly. “Did you make this too?” Lyrick nodded. “And just be glad it’s not my first one, now THAT was a disaster!” Vic chuckled and devoured the pie. Lyrick took their empty plates back into the kitchen, and returned shortly with a box. “Let’s play a game. I wanna be the shoe.” She set up the Monopoly board on the coffee table and handed him the dice. “You can go first.” Vic chose the top hat for himself and rolled the dice. Eventually, Lyrick had to mortgage all her properties to Vic. “Okay, that’s it, you win. Let’s watch a movie.” Vic laughed and helped her put all the pieces away. She left the room again and came back a few minutes later with a bowl of popcorn. She put a DVD into the player and curled up on the couch with Vic.

“What are we watching?”

“Pleasantville, of course.” Lyrick grinned.

Vic laughed. “That’s perfect.” They cuddled on the couch, watching the movie and sharing the popcorn. When it was over, Vic looked down at the girl in his arms. “You didn’t have to do this, you know.”

Lyrick smiled up at him. “Yes, I did.”

“Why, because it’s my birthday? I told you it was no big deal.”

“No. Because I love you.”