Amelia's Birthday - Chapter Forty One

Amelia enjoyed chasing the chickens and taking care of their newly hatched chicks. Although she was aware of her restriction from going out in the sun, she thought it would be fine if she didn't stay out for too long.

Amelia's mother found her playing with the horses, she warned her to be careful in the sunlight due to her sensitive skin. 

As Amelia entered the house, she felt a deep sense of belonging. Her bond with her dad had grown stronger, and she spent much of her time with him. Her older sisters were busy with their own activities, and her mom helped Beth with the cottage. For the first time, Amelia felt like she had a real family. She no longer needed to hide and was accepted for who she was.

Amelia's father sits with her by the fire in the evenings and shares fascinating stories with her. Her love for stories never faded, and she always looked forward to them.

During the night, Amelia and her dad would play games like tag and hide-and-seek while everyone else was asleep. His jokes always made her laugh.

Every morning, Mark would lift Amelia and take her to her bedroom, where he would put her to bed.

Amelia's sisters organized a birthday celebration for her. This would be the first time her family would get to spend her special day with her.

Everyone gathered in the kitchen and called out for Amelia to join them for dinner. To her surprise, they had prepared a cake to celebrate her birthday. "Make a wish and blow out your candles," Amelia's mother encouraged her. She closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and blew out all the candles. "This is the best birthday I've ever had," Amelia exclaimed to everyone.

Then she grew into a teenager.

A lovely girl stood before me, with glowing skin and eyes that sparkled like gold.

Beth handed Amelia a box and said, "I have something for you." Inside the box was a beautiful dress, a heart necklace, and a gold ring. Curious, Amelia asked, "Who is this from?" Beth replied, "It's from Prince James, but it's our little secret. He sent it with me when I was at the court last week, and he wanted me to give it to you on your birthday."

"They're so beautiful! I wish I could thank him in person," Amelia said to Beth. "Don't worry, I'll thank him for you the next time I'm at court," Beth promised. "Today has been really special for me. I miss James, but I think he's ready to marry Julia now that she's of marrying age," Amelia confided. "I haven't heard anything about that yet, but if I do, I'll let you know. Just keep it between us, okay?" Beth warned. "Yes, our little secret," Amelia agreed.