Miranda closed her eyes tight letting the tears flow down her cheeks. As she pried her lids open again, she threw another look towards the small chocolate cake on which stood seven little candles. Through her blurred vision, she again saw the words written in dark chocolate paste. She felt her heart being squeezed hard inside her chest as sadness tore her down.

Miranda took a deep breath and swallowed, trying to calm herself down. She nearly choked due to the dryness of her throat.

"Mum, are you okay?" asked little Maddox, still holding his mother's hand.

Miranda kept looking at each of the letters. She stared blankly at that name lying there. That name which Maddox learned to pronounce even before he could properly utter his own name. That name which kept echoing in her house day and night. That name which belonged to none other than her son's best friend. His past best friend. His twin sister.

Elisa.

'Happy Birthday Elisa' were the hurtful words written on the cake which little Maddox ordered.

Miranda could not fight off the memories which suddenly engulfed her. She remembered how Maddox and Elisa shared their birthday each year. They would not have any birthday parties but would instead spend their special day enjoying the delicacies which Miranda would prepare for them. They would gift each other anything they would find, be it some wildflowers which they plucked from the neighbourhood or the cute handmade cards which they crafted on their own.

Maddox and Elisa were inseparable. They would go to school and walk back home together. They had the same tastes and hobbies. Unlike other siblings, they would never even get into the smallest tiffs. The only thing that would make Elisa groan would be when Maddox would tease her by wearing her pyjamas and she would not be able to wear his as she was slightly taller and much chubbier. Maddox and Elisa never had any other close friends except each other. They lived in a little world of their own which was crushed down one horrible night.

It was two days before their birthday - the 10th of July 1996. Maddox and Elisa would be turning six. That night, Elisa was lying in her bed, sick. Her dull and lifeless eyes never left Maddox's face.

"Elisa, please get well soon! We have to celebrate our birthday the day after tomorrow," sobbed Maddox as he held her hand innocently.

Maddox had no idea of the illness which Elisa was suffering from, and the latter as well did not know much about it. The two innocent souls were not even told that Elisa's days were being counted.

"Maddox, how can we celebrate our birthday? Even if I get well, we will not have enough time to prepare for it baby bear," said Elisa out of breath.

"Sssshhh, don't talk a lot mama bear," Maddox uttered as he placed his little hand over Elisa's forehead, caressing her wavy hair. "Close your eyes and sleep."

"It's okay for this time, but, promise me that we will celebrate our seventh birthday properly next year," whispered Elisa and these were her last words.

"I promise," Maddox squeezed Elisa's hand gently as she fell into an eternal sleep.

Miranda could not stop her tears as a deep grief overwhelmed her. Memories of that fateful night were still as fresh and still hurt as much.

"Hey, mum!" Maddox called, pulling his mother's hand, bringing her out of her flashback.

"We have to cut the cake," said Maddox as he jumped onto his bed so that he would be able to reach his mother's face to wipe off her tears.

"Okay, honey!" 

Maddox jumped off the bed, grabbed a knife which he previously brought from the kitchen and handed it to Miranda.

"Here you are," said a cheeky Maddox. "You cut the cake."

"Why me, honey?" asked Miranda.

"B-because today is my old best friend's birthday, but...but she is no longer here. And you are my new best friend, mum!" said Maddox, his voice shaking with emotions.

"Today is your birthday as well, baby. So, let's cut the cake together," said Miranda as she gave Maddox the knife and she started singing.

🎶Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to Maddox and Elisa. Happy birthday to you. 🎶

Maddox hurriedly blew off the candles in excitement as it was the first time in his life that he was blowing off birthday candles. Deep inside, he wish Elisa was here to blow off the candles along with him, but he was also relieved that he kept his promise; that of celebrating their seventh birthday properly.

Miranda held Maddox's hand and moved the knife towards the cake. Just as they were about to cut it, they heard the front door creak. Maddox felt his mother's hand sweating as she tightened her grip.

The footsteps approaching Maddox's room were familiar to them.

"What's going on here?" yelled Mr Howard as he barged into the room.

"Evan, w-we didn't know you would be back early this Saturday, else we would definitely wait for you," said a panicked Miranda trying to smile.

"For what?" shouted Mr Howard even louder than before.

"We've organised a small party for Maddox, it is his birthday today and..." Miranda could barely complete her sentence as an enraged Mr Howard grabbed some decorative papers hanging above his head and pulled them off. He threw them on the floor, smashing them with his feet.

Maddox was traumatised at this sight and let out a loud cry.

"You want me to celebrate this day?" Mr Howard shrieked. "That cursed day? The day which ruined me even more? How could you dare prepare a party?"

"D-dad, it's not mum, it's me who prepared all this," said the seven-year old boy in a low, barely audible voice.

"What? You dirty little..." started Mr Howard as Miranda intervened.

"Evan, please! Please..." cried Miranda. "Stop saying such harsh things to Maddox. Please, let's leave his room."

"Why?" shouted Mr Howard, "if he is old enough to prepare this filthy party, he should be old enough to bear the truth, the bitter truth."

Mr Howard kept shouting but Miranda took little Maddox and left the room. All Maddox could hear was his dad shouting, "I hate the day he was born."

Since that day, Maddox promised himself that it was the first and the last birthday 'party' he ever had. He promised himself never to celebrate his birthday again.

Yet, Maddox felt he had to know the truth. No matter how bitter it was. He wanted to know the reason behind his father's hatred. He did not know that knowing the truth would inflict him with a lifelong damage.

Because some truths are not only bitter, they are poisonous. They question your existence. They destroy you.