Chapter 454: With Friends

Mina awoke to the pleasant singing of someone she had not realized she missed. She turned to smile at the woman who was holding a cake that was only big enough to serve three people. Two if Mina was one of them. There was a number two and a number three candle stuck in the cake and Mina felt like it was going to be hard getting used to reliving her twenty third year. She blew out the candles, but her attention was focused on the woman singing.

"I've missed you," Mina said. Ruby wrapped her arm around Mina's shoulders, completely unaware of all the things that had happened after she left.

"I made sure to be back here specifically for your birthday." Mina smiled. She realized that Ruby probably had no idea that she used the life calendar. She was only the third person who had ever sung to her on the actual day she was born; the first was Willow and the second was Ash.

"Are you staying?" Mina asked, hoping that the person who President Lee wanted Mina to meet with was his nan.

"Sadly, no. I have to set up my home for my daughter's return. I can't wait for you two to meet." Ruby pinched Mina's cheeks and Mina remembered her mother again. She was a strict woman, but Mina understood her fears and worries.

None of that mattered to Mina though; all the bad memories that she had of her mother were always outshined by the good, and Ruby's warmth was a physical reminder of it. Ruby stood up and made her way into Mina's closet. She scolded her about not having updated her wardrobe, and Mina became aware that the woman had no idea she had not lived with President Lee in weeks. Ruby pulled out a few outfits for Mina to wear, confusing the woman about what was happening.

"Why do I need to dress up for dinner?" Mina asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"It is your day. Why would you not dress up?" Mina did not have the heart to tell the old woman that she did not celebrate her life until February, because she could tell Ruby thought she was doing something kind.

"Nan, can you come for dinner?" Mina asked, hoping that she could have someone to lean on if President Lee made the evening uncomfortable.

"I will try my best," the woman replied, giving Mina another hug before President Lee entered the room, without knocking.

"Ian! What if Mina was changing?" Ruby asked, making Ian flush. He was not embarrassed by his nan's question but embarrassed by his own thoughts on the matter.

"I will keep that in mind," he said. He gave no sign as to whether that meant he would knock in the future, and Mina found herself squinting at the man's words. "Nan do you mind if I speak with Mina for a moment?" Ruby left the room patting President Lee's shoulder affectionately before shutting the door behind her. "The guests arrive at 6:30PM. I want you ready and waiting before then." He stretched his hand forward revealing a phone to Mina, she at once recognized the number that had been pre-dialed, and she took the device with shaky hands.

The phone rang and Mina's mother answered in a groggy voice. Mina asked her mother if she was feeling fine, and the woman confessed that she had been working to cover some of the debt she and her husband had incurred over the years. Mina sighed, not wanting to tell her mother too much in front of President Lee, but she did tell her that she planned to rid them of their mortgage in the coming days; that was no secret to anyone.

Ian listened to the conversation between Mina and her mother, and he could not help but to notice the woman's lack of affection toward her daughter. He had believed that she would want to speak to Mina, but the woman seemed more concerned about household chores than celebrating her child's birth. It made him wonder if Mina would have been missed by her parents if he had killed her.

"Thank you," Mina said, handing the phone back to President Lee.

"Did you two have an argument?" Ian asked, and Mina shook her head.

"Around this time of year, my mother always gets depressed." Ian did not need to ask why, because he knew that it was nearing the time when her sister was involved in an accident. It made sense that a mother would mourn their child, but Ian felt it was unfair to Mina. Had he not found out that Mina's family used the life calendar, he would have been offended, but he would save his anger to see what the woman's reaction would be in February.

----

Mina changed into the clothes that Miss Ruby had set out for her. The woman was kind enough to pick several outfits, making Mina feel like she had a choice in the matter. Mina settled on the most comfortable looking set, she did her hair and makeup, then headed toward the visitors' room. President Lee was already waiting for her, and she was relieved to see that he too wore casual clothing, ditching his tie, and leaving the top few buttons of his shirt undone.

Not long after she entered the room, Zane showed up, and Mina was comforted to see him. She shot him a wide grin, but he barely greeted her before he called President Lee to talk to him in private. When the men returned, Zane finally looked more himself, and he handed Mina a small box. Mina was about to open it when the irritating sound of clicking heels distracted her. She turned to see Miss Luna and Miss Lisa entering the room.

Mina's eyes darted to President Lee's, but his attention was focused on the new arrivals. Mina no longer knew what to expect. All she had been told was that she was going to meet with someone, but now she was feeling as though something else was going on. She tried to ask Zane, but he too seemed to be confused, which worried her.

"Happy birthday," Mina heard Miss Luna say, and she politely bowed to the woman. Luna's face fell with the action. It was considered polite, but it was cold, nonetheless.

"Oh, It's your birthday?" Miss Lisa asked. "Why aren't you with your friends?" Mina knew the woman was implying that she did not have any, but she never got a chance to respond because Zane interjected.

"She was with her friends until you came." Mina could not help but to stifle a laugh because she was not expecting Zane to be so blunt. Mina used the exchange between the pair to dip off into another area of the room, where she could try and gather her thoughts.

Although Mina knew Lisa was trying to antagonize her and nothing more, she found herself wondering what Willow was doing. She wondered if Olivia was sticking to her curfew, and she wondered if Cylus was looking for her. Her feelings were a bit hurt by the fact that days had passed, and no one had shown up at the Lee mansion trying to find her, but then again, what could they really do?

Mina was unaware that President Lee was answering text on her behalf, and she had no idea that he had led her friends to believe that she wanted to spend her birthday week working. He had even gone as far as to tell them that they could sing to her at Wayvair. If Mina had known any of that, she would have tried harder to leave, but the truth was, her spirit was broken.