Pieces of You

Somewhere in Polk County is a person without their leftover cake. Was it a birthday that didn’t turn out as expected? A moment of forgetfulness when getting into a waiting car? So many questions are left unanswered. Naturally my mind wandered into the possibilities.

The students lined up along the heavy tables in the library during study hall to celebrate a birthday, but the only thing they wanted was the cake.

Camilla’s mom brought it into the office at lunchtime for her friends to enjoy and celebrate with her, along with the dessert plates, the plastic forks and knives. Even the tiny napkins with several colored balloons and ‘Happy Birthday’ printed on the front. Everything that 30 kids would need to scarf down the sugary goodness before their final class to start the winter break.

Every kid in the study hall enjoyed their piece of cake, but never said Happy Birthday to Camilla. She turned 15 at the stroke of midnight.

Later when her mom came to pick her up from the front of the school, Camilla left behind the bulky tray and the remaining corner no one touched. It got too warm and the icing melted, sticking to the sides of the cover and made the box impossible to open without making a mess.

“Where’s the cake?” Her mother asked not looking back in the rearview mirror, which would have answered her question.

“The other kids finished it,” Camilla lied. It was easier than admitting that she was embarrassed that her mom brought the cake to the first place, and she got called to the office to come get it like she was in elementary school. Or something. Whatever. Camilla was down with the whole thing, just wanted to go home and forget this day ever happened.

How could no one even say Happy Birthday to her?

“That’s too bad, your father and brother would have liked a piece.”

Camilla kept her eyes focused on the window on the passing world, and attempted to let her mind wander toward something else.

Instead as the afternoon turned to evening, she was sent into a whirlwind of emotions.

Disappointment turned to shame, which was followed close behind in the race toward guilt for selfish thoughts Then a whole sleepless night of anxiety and depression over feeling all the worst ways possible in the span of a day, and wondering if this is what is in store forever more?

Then what remains after each episode are the leftover pieces of you, which in time are left behind in messy boxes for someone else to find.