Page 16 of Tower (Post-Apocalyptic Fairy Tales #1)

A month after that, I wake up on my birthday to Levi gently shaking my shoulder and saying in his rumbly voice, “Time to get up, girl.”

I’m not disoriented. I know where I am and what day it is. But I have trouble prying up my eyelids, and I make a whiny sound.

“You don’t gotta come with me if you wanna sleep later.”

On a different day, I would have taken him up on that. I’ve been going with him to the river most mornings for weeks now, but every once in a while if I don’t sleep well or if I’m not feeling well, I skip.

But today is my birthday, and I want to spend the first part of the morning with Levi.

So I drag myself out of bed, and after we go to the bathroom in the tents, we walk the two miles to the river.

We have fun washing up. I splash Levi one too many times, so he chases me, and we have a little wrestling match that ends with kissing. After we’ve dried and dressed, we both sit on the rock. He puts his arm around me, and we enjoy the quiet.

I understand now why Levi fell into this habit every morning. Not simply to wash up in privacy but also to get away. Be alone. Feel at peace for what’s often the only time all day.

Sometimes we sit in contented silence, and sometimes we talk.

He’s told me more about his family and his upbringing.

I’ve told him about all my college experiences and the plans I used to have for my future.

We discuss issues that arise in the gang, and he’ll sometimes talk through prickly scenarios regarding conflict among our people.

I love it.

I’ve never once felt as close to another person as I do to Levi during our mornings together.

Today we don’t talk much. I enjoy those times just as much.

He doesn’t know it’s my birthday. I’ve been tempted to tell him multiple times over the past two weeks, but then I’ll decide it’s silly. Unnecessary. Kind of immature. Who cares about birthdays anymore? There are so many more important things—life and death—to take up our time and energy.

And I don’t want Levi to feel obliged to indulge me that way.

But I know it’s my birthday, and the morning feels special to me.

The rest of the day proceeds as usual. We return in time for me to lead the yoga session. I’m up to twelve regulars now. After breakfast, I help the small group that’s cleaning and reorganizing our stockroom, and that task takes us until lunch.

It would be a fine morning if Sick hadn’t been one of the group in the stockroom.

He’s still his slimy, ingratiating self, but I swear sometimes I feel his eyes on me when I’m not looking.

He hasn’t touched me since Levi punched him, and he always acts like I’m miles above him, but I’m convinced he secretly hates me.

I stay away from him as much as I can.

Levi is still working. He and five others are acting as extra protection for the workers rebuilding a section of the wall around town. So I take a nap in the early afternoon, and Becca and I hang out until the guys return in the late afternoon.

There’s still enough time for me to give Levi his foot rub and for him to take a short nap before dinner.

He sleeps harder than normal for some reason.

It’s difficult for me to wake him up, and then he’s really slow in getting up and moving.

I ask him a couple of times if he’s feeling okay since he’s never this slow, but he assures me he’s fine.

Everyone else is already gathered for dinner when we finally make our way downstairs and to the old restaurant building.

I don’t expect it. Not in the slightest way. Not Levi or anyone else knows that today is my twenty-sixth birthday. So when Levi holds the door open for me to step inside, I’m utterly shocked.

Everyone calls out in unison, “Happy birthday!” Then they cheer and throw confetti and balloons. I have no idea where they found the party supplies, but there’s even a colorful banner hanging on the far wall above the windows.

I do not respond to the surprise in a dignified manner. My first reaction is to scream and jump clear off the floor. Then, when the situation fully processes, I squeal in excitement, clap my hands, and do a couple of twirls, taking in all the smiling faces and the packaged decor.

It’s like a birthday party in the world that used to be.

“How did you know?” I gasp out, looking from face to face until I turn all the way around to Levi. “How did you know ?”

“Were you aware,” he drawls, “you still got your old driver’s license?”

“Of course I have my license. It’s not something you throw away!” I hear the foolishness of my words even as I say them. Then I dissolve into giggles and throw myself on Levi’s chest. “Did you really go rooting around in my stuff to find my birthday?”

He’s laughing too, tightening his arms around me briefly before he eases me back. “No. Just happened to see it a couple of months back and checked it for your birthday. Did pretty good at the surprise, didn’t I?”

“You did. I can’t believe it. Thank you. Thank you all!” I turn back around to beam at the others. A lot of them are friends now. And even the few I don’t much like still feel like mine . My people.

After my dad died, I never believed I’d have any again.

They took extra efforts with dinner—roasted pork, carrots, baked potatoes, and even a big chocolate cake prepared from scavenged box mixes.

Despite the fact that I still don’t love being the center of attention, I have an amazing time.

And I even get presents that they must have spent weeks looking for on scavenging trips.

A pretty chocolate-brown winter coat. A stack of books.

And the most beautiful necklace I’ve ever seen with a pendant shaped like a tree.

That last one is obviously from Levi although he doesn’t claim it as his.

I’m almost drunk on happiness as the party slowly comes to an end.

Some folks have already left the dining room, and most of the others are gathered around the big round table.

Levi scooted his chair back so it’s against the wall, and he dragged my chair after his, with me still in it.

Now he’s leaning against the wall, and I’m leaning against him.

I’m perfectly happy.

The good-natured chatter, as often happens, is interspersed with some ribald jesting. I’m used to it now, and it doesn’t bother me like it used to. Unless it gets too pointed or personal, I shrug it off without any problem.

So when Sick makes a joke about how I never got my birthday spankings, I give him nothing but a long-suffering eye roll.

A couple of the other guys take up the topic, indicating the birthday spankings will be a good way to remind me of who the boss really is, and I glance up at Levi to see how he’s responding.

He usually completely ignores such things. It’s a good way to handle it because, without any encouragement, the crude banter usually dies quickly.

He’s scowling.

I straighten up, searching my mind for a way to defuse the situation so he doesn’t get angry. It’s been such a good evening, and I don’t want any sort of conflict to spoil it.

But the dense fools can’t read undercurrents to save their lives. They go blundering on, Sick saying something obnoxious about how it’s time for Boss to turn me over his knee.

“Enough!” Levi’s voice cuts right through the laughter and chatter.

Everyone falls silent in an instant. Every eye is on his face.

He goes on, “Let’s move on. The birthday spankings ain’t your business.” Then he adds, “Plus they’re gonna happen in private.”

His tone is so gruff it takes us all a few seconds to realize he’s joking. I blow out a shaky, amused breath while the room erupts in laughter.

Everything is good.

And I can’t help wonder if the birthday spankings really are going happen once Levi and I are alone.

An hour later, I’m in our bedroom, changing into my sexiest lingerie.

I don’t have much to choose from.

I’ve got a cute pair of red lace boy shorts but nothing matching to wear up top. I’ve had my little nightgowns on repeat, so they don’t feel special or significant. I search my not-insignificant wardrobe for something good.

I finally dig out a black camisole I wore back in college. It’s a little too short, so it rides high on my abdomen. But I pull it on, and it really emphasizes the curves of my breasts and seems to match the sauciness of my bottoms.

Deciding this will have to do, I brush out my hair quickly, wanting to be ready when Levi gets upstairs. He was starting his evening washup when I came up, so he won’t be long.

Spontaneously I pull my hair into two loose pigtails, tying them off and checking the cracked mirror above the old sink for the effect.

I look really cute. Maybe even sexy.

It will have to do. There’s only so much a girl can do to spice up her appearance after an apocalypse.

Levi likes how I look with tangled hair and one of his big T-shirts. He likes how I look first thing in the morning or when I’m hot and sweaty or when I’m curled up reading in a corner of the couch and swatting him away because I’m not in a touchy mood.

Surely he’ll like me in this too.

I’m putting on the necklace he gave me when the door opens behind me.

“You gotta bar the door, girl,” he says, sounding grumpy as he comes in and secures the door behind him. “Even if it’s just a few minutes. How many times do I gotta?—”

He breaks off abruptly when he turns around and sees me. His eyes run hungrily from my pigtails to my little outfit and then down to my bare legs and feet. Then back up.

“Shit, girl,” he mutters. “Whatcha tryin’ to do to me? Give me a heart attack? Not healthy for a man’s dick to get hard this fast.”

Giggling in surprise and pleasure, I walk toward him. “So you like it?”

“ Like doesn’t come close, as you’re well aware, you naughty girl.”

“It’s my birthday. I get to be naughty if I want.”

His grin is half dry amusement and half fond affection. “Yeah, you do.”

“Good. So can I tell you what I want?”

“Course you can. I’ll do anythin’ for you. You already know that.”