Although Dawn wanted a grand celebration for his birthday, Cole refused to have one. He dreamt of spending it with Quetz. The day-to-day longing to be with him became too much to bear. His diet had taken a backseat and things were usually slow. Gayle had invited him a number of times to play chess with him. Often he would go but had lost every time. At school, just to vent his frustration and energy, he had joined rugby, and he was getting wild at it.

In short, he had to talk to Dawn about it.

​​

Sitting languidly on his bed, he was playing Assassin's Creed 4 to distract his mind.

Dawn and Daryn opened the door with his birthday and they pushed a trolley inside singing,

"Happy Birthday to you."

Gayle and Neal also followed them.

Taken by surprise, he jumped up from his bed.

More than Cole, it was Dawn who was shocked at him. The room was shrouded in darkness. Only the light from the computer screen lit the room. She switched on the light and saw that the room was littered with chocolate wrappers and peels of fruits lying scattered. The room smelled horrible.

"Cole, it's your birthday, bro! Why are you holed up? Let's go out and have a nice birthday bash!" said Dawn.

Cole tossed his remote on the bed and got up. Dawn was aghast to see dark circles under his eyes. He was looking gaunt and pale. It killed her from the inside.

"No, I am fine," he gave a feeble smile. "I don't want to go anywhere."

Daryn pushed the trolley in front of him. "Okay, then cut your cake," he said and handed him the knife. Neal and Gayle walked to stand around the trolley, while Dawn opened the curtains for the moonlight to come in the room. She opened a window and fresh, chilly air gushed inside blowing away the staleness. Being a neat freak she wanted to tidy the room first and then go for cake cutting. She placed her hands on her hips and glanced around at the dirt.

Holding the knife in his hands, Cole walked to the trolley.

"What are you doing Dawn?" Daryn growled. "Come here!"

"Ya!" she said and hopped to Cole's side. She held his arm and with a huge dimpled smile on her face said, "What is it that you want for your birthday? I will get you exactly that!"

Cole scoffed lightly. He didn't answer her. She couldn't get what he wanted. But Daryn had said that he was helped by Quetz to retrieve Dawn from the kidnappers, so maybe Daryn could do the needful. And he had to tell Dawn otherwise it would be difficult. Often he woke up in the middle of the night with a sweat-drenched body.

The way he behaved made him feel guilty. It was his sixteenth birthday and instead of being happy with what God has given him, he was moping. He wanted to thank his sister for all that she had endured her life to support him and protect him. The knife in his hands felt heavy. Thankfully the red velvet cake that was in the shape of a key, was so fluffy that the knife sank in it easily.

All of them burst into clapping and singing the birthday song again. Once the cake was eaten, he was presented with gifts.

Gayle gave him the key of a Ducati.

Neal gave him a key to a small coupe car saying, "It's time you start getting girlfriends home." Everybody laughed, except Dawn and Cole.

Daryn gave him another key of a Porsche. "That's what you need to get all your friends home!"

Cole was shocked to see that he was being presented with so many vehicles.

"Do you have a learner's license?" Neal asked as he ate a thick slice of the cake. It was so yummy that he could have it all.

"Not yet," he replied in a low voice.

"Ah! Don't worry. I will take you for the test in a few days. Till that time I will arrange for a driver to give you driving lessons."

"Thank you," Cole said. He was overwhelmed by his family. "You guys spoil me," he said with a choked, emotional laughter.

Finally Dawn held him by his arms and turned him to face her. His brown locks were overgrown and the new stubble on his face was funny. She tucked one of the locks back and said, "What is it Cole?"

"Nothing…" he replied and bit his lip. He turned his gaze away.

"Then why are you looking so gloomy? What is it that is bothering you? Talk to me bro," she goaded him.

"I am sure it's a love affair," Daryn interjected as he recognized the symptoms so well. He was in a horrible condition when he was in love with Dawn and she didn't know, and his situation worsened when she knew that he was in love with her, yet refused to be with him. He rubbed his chest with his hand remembering those awful days. "Ahhh!" he said and invited a grimace from Dawn.

"That Ducati is one of the best in the market Cole. Be careful with it. I can teach you how to drive it," said Gayle. What he meant was that he would drive it, while Cole would sit back.

"No, you can't teach him how to ride a motorcycle," said Daryn. "That's my cup of tea!"

Father and son looked at each other with daggers over a Ducati.

Dawn sighed and shook her head. She chuckled. Digging her pants pocket, she took out a small red velvet box. "Here, this is for you."

"What is this?" Cole asked as he opened the box lazily. It revealed yet another key. He frowned and looked in her eyes. "What's this for?" His birthday's theme was key.

"This is key to your heart," she replied in a soft voice.

Cole jerked his head back, getting puzzled by her gift. "What do you mean?"

Dawn's eyes shone brilliantly. She took a deep breath and said, "This is the key to a room in this property where you will find what you are looking for."

That was cryptic.