Also my competition piece :))

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Sunlight filtered through June's curtains, shining in just the right way to hit her face. She groaned and tried turning away from it, but one eye was still blinded.

"Whatever," she huffed, sitting up to toss her legs over the side of her bed.

Her gaze caught on the small calendar on her bedside table. The date was circled in black with a 'IT'S MOM'S BIRTHDAY!!' written haphazardly.

June slowly reached out, hesitated when her fingers brushed against the rough cardboard, and grabbed it to bring it closer.

The family had really thought she would make it. All three of them. But two weeks before her birthday, her life was brought to a close in the middle of the night.

Painless.

Exactly how Mom had wanted her death to be.

June rubbed her thumb over the market, smearing it a little. Tears gathered in her eyes right when her little brother entered her room.

"June-y!" he exclaimed. "It's mama's birfday!!"

She smiled softly, wiping her tears quickly to hide them. "It sure is, Jacob. Let's go get breakfast."

(Thank goodness he was still too young to understand the weight of mom's death.)

She pushed away from her bed to take his hand and walk him to the kitchen. Dad was already there making blueberry pancakes, Mom's favorite.

"Hey, my little prince and princess!" he turned his head, flipping a pancake blindly, causing June to dart to fix his mistake.

"Eyes on the pancakes, Dad," she reminded him.

"Right, yes, I will do that," he hummed as he finished the last few.

The three of them settled at the dining table, plates stacked with blueberry pancakes, bacon, and eggs. Cups were filled to the near brim with orange juice. Laughter echoed joyously around the house as jokes were passed around, most being ones Mom would always crack up at.

"So, what were you two thinking about doing today? I heard they just finished making a new trampoline park downtown," Dad said, gesturing with his fork.

June hummed in acknowledgement, but turned to Jacob. "How about we let Jacob decide?"

"Oh, uh, okay--"

"Face pabt!" Jacob interrupted. "Face pabt!"

"Face paint?" she chuckled. "How about that, Dad?"

He nodded. "I'm sure we have some somewhere. And I could always buy some if we don't."

"Face pabt!!" Jacob practically screeched, leaping from his seat to run circles around the couch.

Dad and June laughed at the sight.

Today would be a good day.

Mom's birthday always was.

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Refreshing to not write about rottmnt for once (that definitely doesn't feel like a betrayal of them lol)