“Happy Birthday.” "Happy birthday." Happy birthday." It seemed like every few moments someone would throw those two words at me without paying attention to what they were supposed to mean. The words bounced off me as I sat on the swing on the back patio. My father had died a couple of years earlier and since then I had always tried to become the man of the house. I have no brothers, so it was all up to me to take care of my mother and be the best son I could be. I was in my backyard and my younger cousins ​​were crawling, drooling and babbling around I'm the oldest of all the cousins ​​and I had to set a good example. Their constant crying and demands for attention, mixed with my growing feelings of irritation about the 90 degree weather, didn't help take my mind off things. situation Just as I felt ready to tell everyone that Santa is just their mommy and daddy when they go to sleep, I pondered the thought of my classmates arriving and decided my time would be better spent sitting down. next to my front door. They were the only ones who could have saved what was left of my ninth birthday. There was everything wrong with this party. It was my first time throwing a birthday party, but I suddenly understood why I had never thrown one before. The mismatched tablecloths and metal chairs banging together with balloons haphazardly attached to the garage and tables made my head hurt. I thought I couldn't be clearer when I told my mom I don't like balloons. I wish I could say I would make sure it didn't happen again, but I didn't think there would be a next time. Every time they swayed in the wind or rubbed against a passerby's trousers, a lump formed in my throat and I prepared my ears for the inevitable... middle of the paper... new years after our great loss. I realized that my mother gave up a lot for me. She worked two jobs and cooked everything herself because she wanted this day to be special for me. He spent much of his time preparing everything for the party. I sat down and wiped the tears from my eyes. I hugged my mother and never wanted her to leave this world like my father did. I thanked her for her apology and told her I was sorry too. She and I walked out of my room with my piece of cake in hand and I sat down with the rest of the family. That's when I realized that time spent with my family is something I should value. They came on their day off from work and decided to wish me a happy birthday. As I took a forkful of chocolate cake, which is my favorite, into my mouth, I savored the taste of the creamy chocolate frosting, the moist cake, and the moment..