July 30

Loon Call Island, Lake Rosseau, Muskoka

"Happy birthday Ellie! Ohmygod! I love you and will always celebrate the day you came into this world, but I hate that your birthday is in the summer, I can never be there to celebrate with you."

I can practically hear the pout in Vi's voice.

"Honestly, Vi, I couldn't imagine a better start to my birthday. Hunter brought blueberry muffins to work, Hud skied by with a massive bunch of balloons, his entire team singing happy birthday. Mum made my favorite dinner, the maple glazed salmon you like, and we gorged on Nanaimo bars. Now, I'm waiting for Greyson to pick me up and talking to you. I can practically imagine you're here with me."

"Good. Now, since I'm there, pretend I'm pulling out that sexy, navy backless sundress you love, but are too chicken to wear. Change into it before Grey gets there."

Laughing, I do as she says, laying it on the bed and stripping. I bite my lip, though hesitating.

"Stop biting your lip, Ellie. You'll look stunning. A best friend knows these things."

"I'm putting you on speaker, so I can change."

I slide into my sexy sundress, with a criss-cross back, this one in navy blue. It stops a few inches above my knees, leaving my entire back nearly bare but offers a relatively modest neckline, spanning across my collar bones. The sides plunge low down my ribs though. It's at least lined in the front, so it's easier for me to skip a bra. It feels sexy, but still a little scandalous.

"So, did Diana and Linc spoil you rotten for your sixteenth?"

"Yes, but they do it every year. They can't help it. Mum and Dad picked out the most perfect pearl studs for me. They're to die for, and I'm dying to wear them, but can't tonight because we'll probably swim and use the hot tub."

Vi sighs, "Oh, I bet they're beautiful. Your mom has the best taste."

That she does. My mum never has a hair out of place and is perfectly polished all the time. I used to sit in her wardrobe, watching her pick her outfits, trying clothes on with her when she was in a more playful mood.

"Anyway, Vi, tell me about Gretta and Sofi, are you still riding every day? Are you still dating the hottie, Dante?"

I touch up my makeup while she tells me all about her riding adventures with her pony Gretta. I reapply just a touch of tinted moisturizer to my sun-kissed skin, mascara, and lipstick, adding my favorite rose and vanilla perfume. Over the days spent outside, a small dusting of freckles is visible across the bridge of my nose. I don't cover them up, I've become rather fond of them.

"But, Dante is officially old news. I gave it one last try, but that whole camping overly woodsy bro vibe got old. I'm seeing someone named Mats, now. He's just started studying at KTH here, he's going to be an engineer or something."

"What type of engineer?"

"Does it matter? I'm moving home in a few weeks, so it's just a fling."

Laughing, I shake my head, continuing to touch up the loose curls in my hair as she tells me story after story of her family and their adventures.

I've missed the sound of her voice so much.

"Anyway, that's pretty much all my interesting news. Now, I want to hear your news."

I smile over the abrupt shift, Vi isn't the most patient person in the world. "Well, you'll be happy to know Hudson's managed to get me water skiing. On the regular." I giggle, remembering Hudson's infinite patience and encouragement, even though I knew he wanted to pull his hair out by the end of it.

I take the time to fill her in on the details of my summer, Hudson and water skiing, Theo. Greyson, Liam. I can tell she's sad for Liam, but since she doesn't know him, she quickly pulls me back on track to talk more about Greyson.

"What's the plan for the fall? There're only like five weeks of summer left, you know. You wouldn't be my Elle if you weren't thinking and stressing long term."

"Well, we've only had one actual conversation about it, but he said that he wants us to stay together. It feels real. I want that too."

Her squeal pierces my eardrum through the phone. "I am so happy for you, Elle. I know how special he is to you."

"I think I love him, Vi. Like really love him."

"You think?"

"It's sometimes hard to tell, like is it the big love? The one all the books and movies talk about? Or is it just an extension of my love for him that's always been there, tangled with all the new physical stuff? I don't know how to tell the difference. I do love him, though."

"That's a lot of questions, Elle. Considering I'm more in love with the idea of love, I am one hundred percent not qualified to give any advice. I say follow your heart, it's the best part of you, and probably won't lead you too far off the path."

"That's reassuring."

"I'm not a magic eight ball, babe, I can't give you a straight answer."

I laugh, pretty sure that's not how magic eight balls work, but how would I know? I don't think I've ever used one. Maybe I should try.

"Anyway, what I really want to know is whether you talked to him about upping the steam factor in your lovely little summer romance? I still can't believe you went to Theo before you asked me."

"He still wants to wait, and God, don't remind me. Theo was surprisingly sweet about the whole thing like I said, but he keeps asking me how it's going. He even offered to talk to Greyson when I admitted nothing has changed. But I asked him to wait. Now, he just wiggles his eyebrows at me all the time. It's a bit embarrassing."

Vi's laughter makes me smile, even as weeks of embarrassed reactions to Theo's teasing flood through me. I can only pray he'll cut me a break on my birthday.

Glancing over at the clock, realizing I'm running behind, "Oh, shoot, is that the time? I have to go, Vi. Call you later?" With about ten 'I love you's' back and forth, while we argue over who will end the call, I finally hang up after promising to call her with more details later, laughing.

I have fifteen minutes before Greyson's supposed to pick me up, so I dash over to the main cottage to say another thank you and goodbye to my parents.

"Before you run off with your friends, we have one more gift for you." Mum tugs me into the screened-in porch where Dad's waiting with an envelope and three full champagne flutes. Well, a half flute for me.

He offers the envelope, then the flute to me with a broad smile. "Happy birthday again, baby. After this one, you have to promise to stop growing up on me, now."

Smiling, I sip the bubbly drink first, enjoying the feel of the small crystalline bubbles on my tongue as they pop and fizz. "I'll always be your baby girl Daddy, you know that." It always unsettles me to see my dad overcome with emotion, normally so reserved. As he blinks away the slight mist in his eyes, I rub his arm before I turn my attention to the envelope. Tearing it open, I'm delighted to find a funny little card that plays a silly 'Happy Birthday' tune with a short note marked as an I.O.U.

I read the folded paper in the card. The I.O.U. is for the Young Driver's driving lessons in September. Grinning at my parents, I do a little dance, squealing excitedly as they laugh. I can't believe I'll be able to learn to drive soon.

"Now, don't be upset, but we decided you should have the maximum number of driving lessons, plus some, so it will be up to you to schedule them and fit them in on your timetable, but you will do all of them. Your track record with motorized vehicles hasn't been the smoothest."

"Now, your mother and I can't force you to use all the extra sessions, since the legal requirement is lower, but if you want our help to buy a car, when the time comes, this is a sticking point."

I know Dad is thinking back to when I learned to boat. But honestly, I was eleven. I've gotten so much better, it's only parking in the big waves and the wind that gives me problems these days, but I sigh, knowing it's better to have a solid foundation.

"I can't wait to prove you wrong, Dad, but I'll be glad for the extra lessons. Care to go in on a wager?"

Dad laughs, a lovely, deep booming laugh that makes my smile grow. "What do you have in mind?"

"I'll bet you dinner at a restaurant of the winner's choosing, with guests, that I can pass any driving test you give me after the minimum number of lessons Young Drivers offers. I'll still take all the lessons, but you agree to test me yourself after the minimum." I'm also fairly certain I can convince Geordie to help me practice when he's teaching Hudson. Maybe Greyson will even help me, too.

"You've got yourself a deal, baby. I'll start thinking about where I want to have dinner."

"Can I get in on this wager?" My mum's sly wink in my direction tells me she's on my side of things. You can always count on your mom to have your back.

I think it's because she wasn't the best driver at my age, and I know she still struggles with the boat. She won't take the boat out unless my dad's here if the water has even the slightest wave.

I grin at my mum, "Of course."

"My money's on our baby, Linc. So if she wins, I think we agree to go half and half on a used car with her, as long as her grades also stay where they are."

"Looks like we've got ourselves a friendly family wager," Dad taps my lightly under my chin with his index finger and smiles. With a clink of our glasses, we seal the deal. I squeal in excitement, doing another happy dance on the spot.

I already have enough saved from working in the summers to buy half the car I'd like, used of course. I finish the last of my champagne and take my empty glass to the kitchen.

Hugging them both, I thank them for their gifts. Again. "I love you, guys. You know that, right?"

"Of course, we know that, and we love you too, you're our favorite daughter."

"I'm your only daughter, Daddy."

"Doesn't take away from the sentiment." He winks at me.

Mum walks over to the screen door, tucking my hair behind my ear. "You want us to walk down with you? I wouldn't mind saying hi to Greyson."

I can't tell if they see the look of horror that flashes across my face, but I don't want them to see him now, with his face spit and bruised. I don't know if Joy told Mum what happened. I don't want it to affect how they feel about me seeing him.

"No, it's fine. He'll come by for dinner next week, he's just going to do a drive-by and grab me from the dock tonight. Hudson and the gang are waiting."

"Elle, honey, put some lipstick on before you go, at least. What time do you think you'll be home?"

I ignore my mum's casual comment, I've heard the same thing ten thousand times. It's always the lipstick. I turn to the door. "Not too late, maybe midnight or around there? We're going to see Liam tomorrow."

"Well have fun tonight, say hi to everyone from us."

With a last goodbye to my parents, I slide my feet into a pair of strappy yellow sandals and walk down to the water.

Sitting on the dock to wait for Greyson, I look back up at my cottage.

If this was last summer, I know my parents would typically have joined to spend the evening with Brooke and Geordie, but our parents have all been trying to give us some extra space this summer.

This summer is different, with Brodie, Tess, and Steph away, and Wes, and Logan at camp, the parents' group of friends is also smaller. Mitch and Genevieve are taking advantage of both their kids being abroad and traveling with them this summer.

Theo's dad, Rob, and his mum Kate are barely up north this season, leaving only Joy, Hugh, Geordie, and Brooke.

Considering my dad and Geordie golf together nearly every day, it's no wonder they also want some time just to themselves.

I can't help but wonder if this might happen to us one day, the gradual shift, the distance.

But I shake it off, after all, what's one summer, compared to a lifetime of friendship? 

- - -

Sweet sixteens are such special birthdays - the first step to earning independence with your driving license! Who else remembers the excitement they felt over that? 

Xx Toria