by Arnie
(with help from Lereyn)
Casino stopped dead in the doorway as his fellow cons and the Warden greeted him with the traditional birthday song. He looked very, very puzzled.
"Casino?" Actor put his glass down and went over to the safecracker. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. But it's not my birthday."
Now it was Garrison's turn to look stymied. "But your dossier has your birthday as December 21st."
Casino looked shocked. "Not me, Warden! My birthday's the 4th of July!"
Goniff looked down at the birthday spread in front of them. It seemed a pity to waste it. "'Ere, that means we missed celebratin' yer birthday then, so 'ow about we celebrate it now?"
"Good idea!" The Warden put his party hat back on and handed one to Casino. "Better late than never!"
"Here's to the uh...non-birthday boy," Chief said, a smile on his face.
The others raised their glasses and gave Casino a toast, then Goniff almost dropped his as he remembered something.
"There's a packet of letters for yer too. We put it in with yer birthday cards thinkin' it 'ad to be for yer birthday."
Casino's smile grew wider. He'd hoped for a few letters from his large family, especially with Christmas coming up. "I'll read 'em after the party," he said. "It'll make it seem like a real birthday!"
The non-birthday cake had been eaten, the non-birthday presents had been opened, and the Warden and the cons were planning to head to the Doves for a non-birthday drink, but first, Casino settled himself down by the fire to read his letters. No matter how busy she was, his mother always found time to write to her wayward son. Among all the uncertainties of a criminal life, her love, and the love of his family, was the one constant that kept him grounded.
His sister's letter was full of Christmas wishes for him, news about the rest of the family, and the news that she was pregnant and that the baby would be due in the Summer. "I hope he or she will share your birthday," she wrote, "and that you'll be here to celebrate it with us."
He grinned. This would be Natalia's first baby. He'd had to miss her wedding, he'd hate to have to miss the baby's birth. And if the baby was born on the fourth of July, he or she would have the best birthdays ever. He grinned even more as he remembered the birthdays he'd enjoyed as a kid. It seemed like the whole country was celebrating just for him. No matter where you looked on that day people were rejoicing: everyone wore something that was red, white and blue, the parks were filled with people eating hotdogs and watching fireworks. It had been the best day to have a birthday on.
Finally, he turned to his mother's letter. As usual, it was filled with loving wishes for him, giving no hint of the worry she suffered knowing he was often in Europe behind enemy lines. If God meant him to come through alive, he would survive. And if God would listen to a mother's prayers, hers would surely get a hearing. Accordingly, she let no hint of her anguish show and instead wrote of everyday things, striving to keep him connected to his family even if his path had led him away from them for now.
Her last paragraph caused him no small surprise as she added that she hoped this would reach him on the 21st of December.
"It's been so long now that you've probably forgotten. But today, the 21st, is actually your birthday. With so many children and Christmas only a few days away, your birthday was never fully celebrated as yours and yours alone. Do you remember at all? We asked you what day you would like for your birthday celebrations and you chose July 4th so the whole country could celebrate your birthday with you."
Casino's jaw dropped. The Warden was right! Uh...and he was wrong. Today was his birthday!
He didn't tell the others until they were sitting around a table in the Doves, a birthday drink in front of them all.
"That's mean we've got to sing 'appy birthday again," Goniff insisted. "It's yer birthday!"
They sang, and this time Casino grinned with delight. It didn't matter when his birthday was, he was celebrating it with friends and that was all that mattered.
THE END
