Chapter 6

14yrs old Io .

Everyday since being adopted, and waking up in the Monroe household was like heaven on earth. I Could smell the breakfast, Lexi cooks on an early morning. The warm bed that is so soft on my tush, I don't want to leave, but rules are rules. Each and every person Under Lexi’s roof has to wake at 7:00,or it's the ice bucket of water you get. I saw Dereck experience it first hand, and man let me tell you it isn't nice at all. Today is my special day, don't know what I'm gonna do today but I hope my papas has something planned for me. Yes. You thought it, it's my birthday and also the one year anniversary of being with my new dad's. Rolling off my bed, which I swear I thought I heard call my name to go back to sleep. I made my way to the bathroom to get my morning rituals done. Picking up my toothbrush, while stripping my clothes off my scrawny body. I walk into the shower. Which consists of cold water. Just a habit. When you're used to live in an orphanage, you get accustomed to the cold water. Dereck has pretty much tried to scold me into using the warm water but. Bad habits take a long time to go, so they'll excuse me for a while. I brush my teeth and bathe at the same time. Saving water y'all.

After that refreshing early morning shower, picking out clothes were a next, task for me. Yes it has a lot of people who are flashy and can dress and look good in anything but. I'm slowly questioning my eyes. Think I'm colour blind. Not my words though, a certain papa said so, who would wear a purple jeans with yellow jersey?. Getting the picture now, yes I suck at matching colours, and picking out any type of clothes, colour coordination is not my thing. But I refuse to look horrible on my special day. I flip the bird to bad colour coordination. So hyping myself I walk into my wardrobe, and start scoping piles upon piles of clothes. I have so much to make up my mind about but I don't wanna disappoint the day with bad taste.

After mulling over the different choices, of the items in my wardrobe, I decided to go with black Levi Jeans and blue dress shirt. It can't get any better than that. 15 minutes were spent with me getting dressed, 5 of that was me fighting with my pants and top. I ran out of my room in a haste to get down stairs, slowing down to slide down the railing of the stairs. When I got down, not wasting time I ran into the kitchen.

"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Io happy birthday to you" Lexi and Dereck sings. I stopped in my tracks there they were with a cake maybe as big as Texas on the table, along with candles lighting on it. "happy birthday / happy anniversary Io". They both say in unison. All I could of done was stay standing shell shocked. They did this for me, omg." I. I.. Don't know what to say" I said trying to hide the cry that might escape from my mouth. "Well let's start with a thank you maybe" Dereck says happily smiling bright as he can. "thank you so much, all of this for me" I continued. "all of this and more Io, you're our baby boy and we want to spoil you, give you all the things you never had, of course this makes us happy" Lexi chirps. They both made their way to me and pulled me into a warm embrace. "so we've made you a healthy breakfast and then we're gonna go get some pillows from the room and watch movies whole day, just the three of us. You can eat all the junk you want k sweetie". Lexi said. I started to jump for joy, it's been days since I was begging them to have a movie day, they couldn't due to them, working on a new song for a local artiste. They've been busy recently, so I barely got to spend one on one time with them.

We ate our breakfast that tasted to heavenly, It almost made me cry. Feels so good to be able to get homemade breakfast, it's been a year and I'm still hung up over having, homemade food cooked for me.

When we finished we spent, 20mins bringing pillows, making popcorn, pouring chips over and other little stuff, for our family fun time. I couldn't have it any other way, and I think it's time I let them know how they mean to me. Yes it's been a year but Lexi and Dereck has crept into my heart. Gulping nervously I turn to them. " I............ Love..... You.. Both." it came out more like a whisper. " Awwwww we love you to Io and don't you ever forget it" Lexi said.

Dereck settled for a kiss on my forehead. This is what being loved feels like. I thought, and I love it.