I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes. “Thank you all. I feel so special.”
“You are special, dear,” Dad said.
Jason and Jay ran and hugged me. “Happy birthday, big sis.”
Jay said, “We want you to know you’ll always be our sister, no matter what.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet.” I hugged them both tight.
“Boys, stop,” my dad said. “Here you are. Now make a wish.” He handed me the plate of pancakes and then lit the candle.
I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and blew the candle out.
“What did you wish for?” Jason asked.
“I have everything I need right here, so my wish already came true,” I responded.
My mom wiped her teary eyes. “Boys, you go get dressed. We have a full day ahead,” she said, in an attempt to get rid of them.
“I’m going to make sure they do that,” Dad said, leaving us in the room together.
I got up and placed the plate on my desk. I knew this was a special day because normally we weren’t allowed to eat food in our rooms, so bringing me my favorite, blueberry pancakes, to my room was a great way to start off my birthday.
My mom slipped something out of her pocket and handed it to me. It was an envelope. “I thought you would need this.”
I retrieved the contents of the envelope and saw a check for one hundred thousand dollars. My mouth flew open. It was signed by the producer of the show. “So this means I can do it?”
“Yes, we signed the deal. They overnighted the check, and we got it yesterday. I just decided to wait until today to present it to you.”
“Happy birthday to me.” I kept my eye glued on the check, my very first paycheck, and it was six figures.
“Hold off on some of the excitement. You will be getting monthly allotments, but most of the money will be put away in a trust fund,” Mom said.
I pouted. “But, Mom—”
“But Mom, nothing. As your parent, I have to look out for our future.” She paused and continued to say, “Also fifteen percent will be going to your manager.”
“What manager?” I asked.
She took the check back from me. “Me. I’m going to be your manager and make sure nobody tries to mistreat my baby.”
“But, Mom, with your jewelry line you’re promoting, you’re not going to have time.”
“I’ll just put it on hold for now.”
“No, Mom, I don’t want you to do that for me. You’ve worked too hard. Why not have Leslie recommend someone?” I really didn’t think me and my mom would work well, so that’s one reason why I wanted her to find me another manager.
“I’ll ask around. But, in the meantime, until we can get you someone official, I’m it. Deal?”
I paused. I stared. I responded, “Deal.”
We shook hands on it. I was hoping she could find me someone soon. Our personalities clashed, and how would it look if she made me mad and I had to fire my own mother? I shook my head. That wouldn’t be a good look at all.
Now on to more pressing things, like figuring out what I was going to put on before my shindig later on. I opted to wear one of the new outfits my mom had bought me earlier in the week. Purple was one of my favorite colors, so I adorned myself in purple from head to toe, even to the flavor of lip gloss I wore, the grape delight lip gloss rounding off my look.
When I finally made it downstairs, I was surprised to see that it had been decorated in pink and purple balloons. Yes, it was my birthday, and I was enjoying every minute of it. My cell phone rang in my pocket. Dion’s number flashed across the screen. I eagerly answered it.
“Happy birthday, Porsha,” he said.
“Thanks, Dion.”
“So, are you ready for your party?” he asked.
“Yes. I can’t wait until four.”
“I’ll be there. I’m sending a limousine to pick up you and your friends. What time do you want it to be there?”
“Really? Oh, man, that’ll be cool. Hold on. Let me check.” I hit the mute button and went to locate my mom. “Mom, what time should Dion send the limo to pick us up?”
“Limo, huh? Well, tell him they need to be here no later than two o’clock. You need to be there a little early, so you can make a grand entrance on the white stallion your dad hired just for you.”
My day kept getting better and better. I removed the mute button. “She said two o’clock. I also just found out I’m riding in on a white stallion for my birthday. I can’t wait to ride her.”
“It’ll be there. Have fun. I’ll see you later to give you your other gift,” he responded.
I was in a jovial mood. By lunch time, Danielle and Tara were here. My mom served us some hors d’œuvres, but I was too nervous and excited to eat anything solid.
After we ate and chatted, my mom’s makeup artist and assistants did our faces. We admired each other and felt like the little princesses we were.
We changed into our outfits for the first portion of my party. I wore my blue jeans and my pink shirt with the tassels. I stood up and modeled my pink Stetson cowboy boots.
Danielle said, “I want those boots.”
“Fierce. I know.”
“How you like these?” Tara said, as she removed her red boots from her bag.
“Aw! No, you ain’t trying to outdo the birthday girl,” I said. “I love those.”
“Well, you know I had to go with the purple to match my shirt.” Danielle pulled hers out.
“Ladies, we’re hot. That’s all I have to say,” I said.
“Yes, we are,” Danielle and Tara said in unison.
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“Girls, it’s time,” my mom stuck her head in my room and said.
“How are we going to fit all of this in the car?” Danielle asked.
“Surprise. Dion’s hired us a limo. We’re riding to the party in a limo, ladies,” I informed them.
“Cool.”
My mom said, “Grab your garment bags and come on.”
It took us about thirty minutes to get everything situated with my clothes and their clothes, and I wanted to make sure I didn’t forget anything.
Before I got in the limousine, my mom said, “We’ll be right behind you. If you get there before we do, don’t misbehave.”
“Mom, I know how to act.”
“Just saying.”
“We’ll hold the noise down, I promise.” I hugged her and entered the limousine. I poured us each a glass of sparkling water in champagne glasses. “Happy birthday to me, happy birthday,” I sang.
All of our cell phones were vibrating with text messages about my party today. I had received happy birthday greetings from people I didn’t even know knew me.
Danielle said, “Your party is the talk of the school. People who didn’t get invites are jealous of those who did.”
“That’s what’s up,” I said with a smile on my face.
The staff at Southfork Ranch welcomed us with open arms. We were led to what was to be my room while there for the night. The limousine driver and helpers my folks had hired got our stuff out of the limousine, so we didn’t have to lift a finger.
My parents and little brothers showed up shortly thereafter.
“Everything looks great,” my dad said.
“Yes. Perfect.” My mom looked at me. “What do you think?”
“Yes. Decorated just nice, Mom. I love it.” I gave her a tight hug. “Now where’s the horse I’ll be riding?” I asked. I had been trying to hold back my excitement, but now that they were here, I couldn’t wait to see it and ride it.
“Ladies, follow me,” my dad said.
We followed his command and were led out back to the ranch area. As we walked, I noticed how things were decorated. All of this for me? I felt so special. I had to be the luckiest girl alive.
We reached the stables, and the whitest and shiniest horse stood in front of us.
I rushed ahead of everybody, so I could get a closer look. I reached over and began to ru
b my hand on his side. His coat felt like silk. “Hi, cutie. What’s your name? You’re so pretty.”
My dad responded, “His name is Snowflake.”
“He’s beautiful,” Tara said, once they reached where I stood.
“I love him,” Danielle added.
My dad opened up the stable door. “You want to ride him now, or wait?”
I looked at my mom and back at him. “I want to test him out now.”
“Let me saddle him up,” he said.
After he placed the saddle on Snowflake, he helped me up. It was a perfect fit. It had been a little while since I rode a horse, so it took me a minute to get comfortable. But once I did, I felt comfortable taking Snowflake for a ride outside the stable.
“Be careful,” my mom said.
My dad got on one of the other horses in the stable. “We’ll be back shortly. You girls find you a horse you want to ride later.”
My dad and I took our two horses for a short ride. Snowflake was made for me as he seemed to glide as we rode. We were on the other side of the ranch by now.
“So how do you like him?” my dad asked.
“I love him. I can’t thank you enough,” I responded. I slid off Snowflake. I rubbed his face.
“You’re growing up so fast. Next thing I know, you’ll be going away to college.”
Do I see a tear in his eye? I think I do. I couldn’t believe my dad was about to get so emotional on me. I didn’t know how to react to that, so I said, “I’ll always be your little girl, remember?”
“Yes, but so much has changed. You mean so much to me, Porsha. You’re my daughter in every sense of the word.”
“I know,” I assured him. We hadn’t really talked since I had been spending time with Dion and talking to him. “Dion is my father, but he’s no substitute for you.”
“I wasn’t worried about that.”
“He’s not as bad as I thought he was. I have to give him credit. Once he realized I was his daughter, he’s been trying to establish a relationship. I haven’t made it easy, but it doesn’t stop him.”
“He could do better,” my dad responded. “It’s hard watching you grow up and to know that I’m having to share you.”
“I have to admit that Dion’s cool. He’s my dad too, but you’ve been there for me since birth. I wouldn’t tell him this, but you’ll always be my favorite dad if I had to choose one. I doubt there would be many men who would have raised up a daughter they knew wasn’t theirs. You did, and I never felt like I was unwanted.”
“Come here.” He grabbed me and hugged me tight. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Dad. Now stop this before you ruin my makeup.” I tried to lighten up the situation as I wiped the tears from my face.
“Come on, let’s get back to the ranch before your mom sends out a search party.”
“You know she would.”
He helped me back on my saddle, and we raced back to the stables, where my mother and BFFs were standing around waiting for us.
“Did y’all have a nice ride?” my mom asked.
“Perfect,” I said, as I looked at my dad and winked my right eye.
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“Showtime! Your guests have arrived,” my mom said.
We were now freshening up and had discussed our grand entrance.
“How’s my hat?” I asked.
My mom adjusted it. “Perfect. Now you girls go get on your horses, so you can make your grand entrance. Your dad will do the announcement.”
Jasmine’s voice could be heard outside of my room. “I’m her sister. She won’t mind me coming in.”
My mom turned. “What in the world? Let me straighten this out.” She turned to the worker. “I told you no one was to come back here.”
The timid woman responded, “She told me she was her sister.”
Jasmine walked up from behind with two men holding video cameras. “I didn’t know I had to wait with everyone else.”
My mom blocked her from entering the room. “Dear, you and those cameras”—She pointed to the men behind her—“will have to wait outside like everybody else.”
“But it’s my sister’s birthday, and I wanted to give her an early present,” Jasmine pled.
“That’s fine, Mom,” I said. “I’ll talk to her.”
“Five minutes. That’s all the time you have. Come on, Danielle and Tara.”
They remained standing, not wanting to miss anything.
“Come on, ladies,” Mom said, and this time they obeyed.
Jasmine and I were now alone, well, almost alone, since one of the cameramen was standing behind her.
She surprised me by reaching out to hug me. “Happy birthday, sis.”
“Thanks,” I said, as I readjusted my hat.
She reached into her small handbag and gave me a little gift box. “This is just something I wanted you to have.”
I opened the Tiffany box and retrieved a charm bracelet filled with several charms, including musical instruments. One charm stood out. It read, “My sister.”
“Aw, thank you, Jasmine.” I wasn’t sure what to do with my newfound emotions. To break the silence between us, I said, “Well, I better get out there before my mom comes back looking for me.”
“Sure. It’s your day. I didn’t want to hold you up, I just wanted you to have this.”
“Before I go, can you help me put it on?”
She snapped on the bracelet. “Looks good.”
“Thanks again.” I hugged her.
After our sister moment, I went to meet up with my mom and friends. They were already mounted on their horses when I got to the stables.
“What took you so long?” my mom asked.
“She just wanted me to have this.” I hung out my arm, so she could see the charm bracelet dangling from my wrist.
She looked at it. “Nice. Now get up there, because your dad’s ready to announce you.”
Snowflake looked different. She was now adorned with a pink shawl over her with my name on it. She was ready to escort the birthday princess to the party.
I rubbed her head. “Ready, Snowflake? Showtime.”
Tara and Danielle went outside, and I could hear the cheers.
My dad announced, “Now, the belle of the party, my daughter, Ms. Sweet Sixteen, Porsha Swint.”
Everyone cheered as I made my grand entrance. I waved my hand as if I was Miss America. Snowflake seemed to enjoy being the center of attention too, strutting, leading us to the front of the podium, where my dad stood.
I scanned the crowd hoping to see Cole. He caught my attention as he waved frantically. I blew him a kiss.
Standing near my dad when I reached the podium was my second family: Dion, Brenda, Jasmine and Kim, who I was surprised to see there.
My dad helped me off Snowflake, and one of the workers went to tie her up. I was led up the steps to stand behind the microphone. I hadn’t practiced a speech, so I was a little nervous.
My dad whispered in my ear, “Take a few deep breaths. Just say what’s on your heart.”
I did as was told. “Thank you all for coming to share this special day with me. Because of you all being here, I can already say this is my best birthday ever. It couldn’t have happened without my two wonderful parents, who I love dearly. Thanks, Mom and Dad.”
The crowd cheered.
I continued when the noise died down some, “Well, I don’t have much to say, but thank you for coming and let’s have some fun.”
Cole made his way to the front and gave me a hug.
“Dad.”
Both Dion and my dad looked in my direction.
“I want you all to meet Cole, the guy I’ve been telling you about.”
They all shook hands.
My mom said, “I’m glad to see you again.”
“Same here,” he responded.
“I understand you’re a fan of mine,” my dad said proudly.
“Yes, sir. I know all of your stats by heart.”
Di
on interjected, “I understand you play basketball. Any reason why you didn’t play football?”
“I found out I was better at basketball, so I decided to concentrate in that area.”
My dad said, “Well, son, with either sport, it requires discipline and dedication. Never forget where you came from.”
My mom cleared her throat. “I hate to interrupt this man fest, but it’s my baby girl’s day, so can we hold off talking about sports for once?”
“Thanks, Mom. Yes, I agree,” I said, with a smile on my face. I was happy that my dads were bonding with my boyfriend. But, like my mom said, this was my day, so their bonding session needed to be put on hold.
It was time to get the party started. My mouth dropped opened when I saw, coming to the stage to get it crunked, no other than my favorite rapper, Soulja Boy.
“I understand it’s somebody’s birthday,” he said as he took the stage.
I was too excited to speak.
Dion said, “I hope you’re not disappointed.”
“Thank you.” I gave him a tight hug.
“Porsha, this song’s for you,” Soulja Boy said. When he burst out the lyrics to his latest song, me and my BFFs sang and danced along.
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The crowd was dancing along to all of the Soulja Boy songs.
Cole held me up as I almost tripped. “I think I’m going to sit this next one out,” I said.
He followed behind me as we headed to the table that had cold drinks. “I’ll take a water,” I told the server. Cole took the bottle, opened it, and handed it to me. I gulped down the water fast.
Jasmine seemed to come from out of nowhere. “Looks like you’re having fun,” she said.
“Aren’t you? This party is crunked,” Cole said.
“I wasn’t talking to you,” Jasmine said.
Oh, no. Now this was the Jasmine we all knew and hated. “Chill out. He was just making an observation.”
“Look, we got some good footage so far. Do you have anything you want to say for the cameras?” she asked.
The cameras were on me. “Yes. I want to say that turning sixteen is a milestone in any girl’s life. Being able to share it with family and friends is a blessing. I feel like I’m one lucky girl. Plus, I’m with the hottest guy at Plano High. What more can a girl ask for?” I looped my arm through Cole’s.
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