“Close your eyes.”
“Why?”
“So you can make a wish.”
“Why do I have to close my eyes in order to make a wish?”
Ash glanced up at his wife, who shrugged her shoulders in response. Still holding the round cake in his hands, Ash looked back at his now 6-year-old daughter.
“I guess you don’t have to close your eyes if you don’t want to, Julia.” He said.
Julia tilted her head to the side. She tapped a finger to her chin and stared at the seven burning candles on top of her cake.
“What are you thinking about, honey?” Her mother, Zoey, asked with a smirk across her face. Julia was exactly like her father, though Zoey knew Ash didn’t see it yet.
“How does blowing out candles make my wish come true?” Julia asked.
Ash put the cake down on the table in front of her and he stood up straight. He looked at his wife and shrugged pointing to their daughter, allowing her to take this one.
“Well, candles are special.” Zoey stated.
“I blow out candles all the time when you light them around the house.” Julia countered.
Zoey paused and Ash snickered.
“Birthday candles are special.” Zoey said quickly. “They mark another year for you. They make it so this next year is going to be extra special for you.”
“But I’m six years old now. You put seven candles on my cake.” Julia counted the candles with her fingers.
“It’s for good luck.” Ash stepped in again. He smiled down at her thinking that was going to be the end of the conversation. Instead, Julia craned her neck to look up at her father with a confused expression on her face.
“Wait, I get a wish and luck?”
Zoey facepalmed. Ash stared at the six-year-old with his mouth gaping open. Why was she asking so many questions? It was her birthday, people blew out candles on a cake on their birthday, why was she reading into it so much?
“…Yes…?” Ash replied slowly. He wasn’t sure what the right answer was.
“You don’t sound sure.” Julia shook her head.
“The extra candle is what gives you the wish and it also has a bit of luck to help the wish come true.” Zoey joined in on the conversation once more. She nodded to Ash, who nodded as well. Certainly they made a great team under pressure.
“Why doesn’t my sixth candle give me the wish and the good luck, though? I am six, after all.” Julia commented again.
“Well, the seventh candle is there because you’re six now, but this year is your seventh year, leading up to your seventh birthday.” Ash explained. He scratched the top of his head. He had never thought about birthdays like that until now.
“If I’m going on my seventh year, then why isn’t this my seventh birthday?” Julia asked.
Ash finished scratching the top of his head and was now rubbing his eyes instead. He had to admit that she brought up good points. Birthdays were certainly weird. She was going on her seventh year, so why wasn’t this her seventh birthday? Then again, she wasn’t exactly seven year old, so that made it her sixth birthday instead… she’d been alive and in this world for six whole years.
“Julia, blow out the candles, you’re getting wax on the cake.” Zoey said sternly with her arms folded across her chest.
Julia opened her mouth to protest – or maybe she just had another question – but Ash stepped in. He bent down so his face was beside his daughter’s and smirked at her.
“Blow out your candles or I’m going to get to them first.” He drew in a deep breath acting as though he was going to blow them out.
Panicking, Julia blew out the candles quickly. No six-year-old could resist blowing out candles. Ash straightened up taking the cake out of her way while Zoey clapped and cheered.
The great birthday debate was now over as Julia quickly forgot and just wanted to eat the cake instead.
Words: 681
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