Happy Birthday, Twiggy

“Twiggy! Rise and shine.”
He opened his eyes to find Marilyn, John, Ginger, and Pogo all crowded around him.
“Happy birthday!” Pogo yelled at a volume that would’ve startled a deaf person.
Ginger produced a cake, and they were all singing before he’d even had a chance to sit up.
“Presents!” John said excitedly, while Twiggy was still blowing out the candle.
“Pace yourself,” Ginger laughed, backing away with the cake.
Twiggy tore into the package John had dumped onto the bed. He anxiously pulled out something wrapped in a mile of bubble wrap. When he’d finished, he found a small shot glass with an intricately painted devil on it.
“I hope you like it. I’m not much of an artist,” John said softly.
Twiggy’s eyes widened. “You painted this?”
John nodded.
“It’s so good! You should be an artist.”
John’s cheeks reddened with a deep blush. “So, you like it?”
“I love it,” Twiggy grinned, passing the little glass around so that his friends could see.
“Me next,” Pogo demanded, dropping a heavy box on Twiggy’s leg.
This present was a book for sure. He tore it open, and looked up at Pogo in wonder. “A scrap book? You took the time to make me a scrap book?”
Pogo nodded. “Remember when I was taking all of those pictures when we were in Europe and Australia? Now you know why.”
Twiggy grinned, looking through the book at the pictures Pogo had taken. He laughed at a few, and then felt his heart melt at a picture he hadn’t even known was taken. He and Marilyn were pressed together backstage, hands clutched, Marilyn kissing his temple. “Thank you, Pogs. It’s really amazing.”
Pogo smiled. “Ginger?”
The drummer handed Twiggy a small box.
Tearing through the wrapping, Twiggy opened a small white box to pull out another shot glass, this one with Jesus painted on it. The drawing wasn’t as good as John’s, but he instantly knew that Ginger had done the painting. “Ginge, I love it. Thank you all so much.”
Ginger beamed. “I know it’s not as good as John’s, but I thought that you should have a set, for whichever mood you’re in.”
Marilyn was the last to go, putting a very long, wide package down on the bed.
Twiggy carefully pulled away the wrapping, and gasped. His fingers gently touched the glass and the frame, words unable to say what he thought of his gift.
The others gathered around, obviously knowing what Marilyn had given as a gift, but wanting to see it for the first time, too.
Tears stung Twiggy’s eyes.
“Are you okay? Do you not like it?”
“I love it,” he murmured softly, still staring at it in awe. Marilyn had painted a portrait of the two of them, based on the picture Pogo had taken of them backstage. The picture was so lifelike that it amazed him. Marilyn mostly painted abstractly, or crudely. This was careful, and lovely.
“Good,” Marilyn smiled, kissing the top of Twiggy’s head.
“You all made me things,” he smiled, looking at them all. “Thank you. It means so much to me.”
“Well, we love you. You’re our brother,” John spoke, his hand in Ginger’s.
“Okay, let’s let him get up and ready for the day,” Pogo said, trying to break up the sappy festivities.
Everyone left to go to the living room while Twiggy went into the bathroom to wash up, shower, and put on a fresh dress. When he joined the others, Marilyn handed him a piece of cake, and placed a little tiara on top of his head.
“We’re doing stuff all day,” Marilyn explained as soon as Twiggy was seated. “We have a group lunch, and we’re going to see a movie. Then, we’ll go to the park and play with some stuff Pogo got yesterday. When we’re done with that, we have your party, and then we have dinner reservations.”
Twiggy nodded. “Sounds good.”

The day progressed slowly. By the time it was starting to get dark, they were still at the park, and Twiggy was growing restless for his party.
“Time to go,” John nodded to his watch.
They boarded the small van that John had rented for the day, and Marilyn relaxed with his arm around Twiggy’s waist, careful of his new pink pleated dress.
Twiggy adjusted his tiara, and grinned.
When they came to a stop, Pogo graciously let Twiggy out first for once, and they gathered in a circle.
“Lights!” Marilyn commanded, and suddenly, everything that had been enveloped in darkness became brilliantly lit.
Twiggy’s eyes widened into saucers as he took in the whole scene. “You got me a carnival?”
Marilyn smiled. “You like it?”
Twiggy was already running around, arms flailing as he darted here and there to see things up close. His eyes settled on the Ferris wheel. “Will you ride with me?”
“We’ll all go.”
And so, they boarded the Ferris wheel, Twiggy and Marilyn in the first basket, John and Ginger in the second, and Pogo alone in the third. Marilyn whispered something to the attendant, and slipped a bill into his hand.
“This is so cool!” Twiggy laughed, as Marilyn pulled the safety bar down.
They went up and around several times before coming to a full stop at the very top.
“It’s so clear up here,” Twiggy said softly, looking up at the stars.
“Mmm.” Marilyn leaned over slightly, rather anxious to get down.
Twiggy was so enamored with it all that he barely noticed when the ride came to an end, and they were back on the ground.
They played bumper cars for a bit, and then a bottle toss. Everyone was having a good time, and it became obvious that the whole thing had been very worthwhile.
“A ball pit?” Twiggy eyed the large plastic tank.
“Yep. Just for you,” John grinned, watching Twiggy take a flying leap into the plastic balls.
“Come on!” he urged, giggling.
One by one, they all got in, chasing each other and diving beneath the surface. Twiggy was always easiest to catch in his bright dress, with his long hair.
Marilyn had him pinned to one side of the tank while Pogo and John tickled him silly. “Had enough, Ramirez?”
Twiggy panted with laughter. “Yes, yes! I give up.”
Marilyn released his grip, and let him sink down into the balls.
Ginger and John climbed out, saying something about wanting to go for another ride on the Ferris wheel. After a while, Pogo went to get some cotton candy, and it was just Marilyn and Twiggy alone again.
“Thank you, for this party. I know it must’ve been expensive and a lot of work. This is so much fun.”
“That’s all that matters. I thought that we could all use a night off to just have fun, you know? This has been a long tour, and we all need a break.”
Twiggy was twirling around, looking at everything he’d yet to fully take in. “What should we do next?”
“Whatever you want.”
“Can we stay here as long as we want?”
“Well, yes, but we‘d have to miss dinner.”
“Can we ride the merry-go-round?”
“Sure.”
Twiggy pulled Marilyn’s arm, willing him to hurry up. He wanted to do everything, and there was still a lot to see.
Four rides around on a zebra, and Twiggy was bouncing like a little kid. He leapt off while the ride was still moving, tumbling onto the grass.
“What are you doing?” Marilyn asked curiously from his seat on a black horse.
“I want some cotton candy!”
“Okay, okay.”
As soon as the ride stopped, Marilyn climbed down and headed off in search of his best friend. When he finally caught up, Twiggy was holding three huge bundles of the pink sugary treat, and had a fourth with most of his face stuck in it.
“Twiggs, slow down. You’re going to have sugar shock.”
He laughed gleefully, and shoved one of the puffs into Marilyn’s face.
“Ew. Did you lick this?”
Twiggy only smiled, a big chunk of the candy puffing out from between his lips.
“I can never stay mad at you. Hell, I can barely manage to get mad at you.”
After the cotton candy, Twiggy was more wound up than ever, spinning in circles like he’d just consumed ten pounds of raw sugar.
“Calm down,” Marilyn panted, having chased him all the way back to the Ferris wheel where John and Ginger were still up at the top.
Twiggy nodded, feeling Marilyn’s arm circle his small waist.
Together, the two walked to the teacup ride.
They played for another hour or so, until Ginger and John finally came down from the Ferris wheel, looking a bit happier than either of them had looked in quite some time.
“Ready for dinner?” Marilyn asked. They had just enough time to make it, if they hurried.
“Where’s Pogs?” Twiggy asked, fidgeting with his tiara.
Before anyone responded, Pogo showed up out of nowhere, as he often did.
The five of them hurried out of the party and made their way to the van.
In the back seat, Twiggy rested his head on Marilyn’s shoulder. “Thank you, for today. I think this has been the best birthday I’ve had in a very long time.”