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She shook her dark head and her eyes glittered atto take you to Lucille’s and then I have the best birthday day planned for you in the history of birthdays" I loved Lucille’s It was a popular Cajun restaurant in Washington Park and probably one of the few places outside of New Orleans where you could find an honest to god beignet

"Yay sounds good What’s on the docket?"

"First we’re going shopping" II lived in a ridiculous uniform for work and expensive, name brand clothes that my parents insisted I wear because I was supposed to be dressing for the job I wanted and not the job I had and doctors of any sort apparently didn’t walk around in jeans and t-shirts even when they were off the clock Seeing irl shopping, we’re going nor to theto that cool vintage store on Pearl Street and you my friend, you are not allowed to spendso there will be no two hundred dollar heels, no five hundred dollar cashmere sweater sets, no perfectly tailored slacks that are hand stitched by blindto be two nor our tips on useless crap"

Oh that sounded like fun and soot a chance to do "And then," her whiskey tinted eyes widened dra our hair done and anic cheht, she swears by this place So we’re going to get all pretty, put on our new, noro have dinner at that Brazilian place we’ve both been dying to try"

It sounded awesome all of it sounded awesoratitude when she held up a hand "I’m not done" She disappeared into her room for a minute and ca to take this very cool, very necessary birthday present I got you and come out with o’s, I ood ti kills me"

I opened the card with mild trepidation I didn’t knohat she meant by out, out Inside the card was a shiny wrapped present that at first glance looked like a credit card After I read her sweet birthday wishes I carefully pulled the paper off and gasped when I saas looking back up at me "Ayd I can’t use this"

The Id had my face on it, my birthday only one year older and looked exactly like a Colorado driver’s license In fact it looked so much like the one in my wallet there was hardly any difference

"Oh yes you can You’ve spent twenty years being everybody’s good little girl, and I’o out, sneak into clubs, kiss boys, have sloppy one night stands, get into ridiculous, drairlfriends, Shaw you don’t do any of that Tonight you are taking that Id and co like every other idiot twenty year old I know We’re going to drink too much, act silly and have fun, you deserve it I can’t re your soul wither away trying to be someone you’re just not and I can’t stand by and watch it happen anymore"

"I turn twenty one next year" I’ument to all her more than accurate points, but for some reason it’s what popped out of my mouth

She shook her dark head "Who cares? You’re twenty today and you’re living like you’re fifty" It stung because on the last trip to Brookside Rule had said pretty nation last night to just turn o I tucked some hair behind my ears and squared my shoulders

"Okay"