Not Your Typical Birthday Card (Eloise)

[Thomas "Monroe" Montgomery]

Backdated to August 22, 2014

When Monroe woke up on the day of his nineteenth birthday or rather realized it would be time to wake up if he'd been sleeping, it was around ten a.m. He'd gotten off work around five a.m. and had spent the past few hours in bed watching television and sketching. He'd started to take Adaryn's advice and at least lay down and rest his body, close his eyes, even if his body wouldn't let him sleep. He'd mostly been mulling over something. Something that had started to make him think about things he'd tried to push to the back of his mind for years. 

Eloise was out the day before and he'd went and retrieved the mail. It was usually a bunch of junk, sometimes fashion catalagoues for Eloise or random credit card offers, but there was a big off yellow envelope with actual handwriting on it the kind your report card came in, addressed to him. Or rather, to Thomas Montgomery. The return address at the top was his mother's and he instantly wondered why she hadn't called, but had instead written him a letter. She was at his graduation and everything, he'd just seen her a few months ago. Curiously, he opened the envelope only to find a smaller envelope inside, with his name written in different handwriting. There was no return address.

No message from his mother, but rather an envelope inside an envelope. And inside the second envelope had been a letter. A hand written letter that he unfolded slowly and stared at all of the words together in a jumbled mess before he actually started reading it. And then he continued to stare at it until he couldn't anymore and he shoved it in his nightstand drawer until now, when he was reaching over and opening the drawer to reveal the envelope inside, right on top of everything else. 

He grabbed it and got up, padding into the kitchen where Eloise was standing in front of the stove. "Hey," he mumbled in greeting. "Happy birthday."

[Eloise Eaton]

To be fair, 19 didn't feel much different than 18, but Eloise was still pretty excited about her birthday. She wasn't sure what she was going to do with it, but it was kind of cool to have somebody to celebrate with for once - especially since they were both turning 19 that day.

Living with Monroe had been a bit strange at first, but Eloise definitely got used to it, and it seemed as if Monroe had as well. They dealt with each other's weird schedules and Eloise only occasionally made fun of Monroe's fashion choices. They took turns cooking (or ordering take out... usually on Eloise's night) and only fought over what to watch on TV about twice a week. Usually when Monroe was too tired to remember he had a television in his bedroom he could retreat to when El insisted on watching the newest episode of Project Runway.

So on this, their 19th birthday, Eloise didn't think it would be too weird to wake up early to make breakfast and give Monroe a gift before he headed off to his training session at Hammel. She had gotten up and brushed her hair, pulling it into a high bun. She was still in her pink pajama pants and a white tank-top, standing in front of the stove when she heard some familiar mumbling behind her. "Happy Birthday to you, too, sleeping beauty," Eloise returned the greeting - poking fun at his less than chipper demeanor and lack of sleep as always.

"I'm making crepes," she said, looking back to the stove, her tone implying that he was going to eat them whether he was hungry or not. Crepes were one of the few foods Eloise knew how to make, and make really well. They were the first food her father taught her how to cook, and she had perfected the chocolate sauce recipe. And raspberries were in season.

"Also... that bag on the table is for you...I hope you like it," Eloise said turning around briefly to point at the tall, blue gift bag sitting on the kitchen table with her spatula, before turning again to tend to the crepes.

[Thomas "Monroe" Montgomery]

"Thanks," Monroe mumbled, rubbing at his eyes as if that would help. "You know, just because we share a birthday doesn't mean you need to make crepes." He felt the need to point that out. However, seeing her do any form of cooking or baking was quite the sight, as it wasn't something he saw her do often. "I'm guessing I have no choice but to eat them, right?"

As he neared to the table, Eloise was pointing to bag sitting on top of it, and Monroe instantly felt horrible and awkward at once. Honestly, he still wasn't even sure how to shop for Eloise, especially since she seemed to have expensive taste, and he hadn't been expecting a gift from her. And so he sat down at the table, dropping the envelope in the middle and stared at the bag. "Oh, well, thanks." He was dealing with the fact that he hadn't got her anything and the letter he'd gotten.

[Eloise Eaton]

"Oh I'm not making crepes for our birthday," Eloise promised, glancing over her shoulder briefly. "I've been making crepes for my birthday since I was twelve... since I had started at Kocher and my dad wasn't around to make them for me..." Eloise explained as she plated the french breakfast food. "Whether or not you want to participate is completely up to you," Eloise added as she place fresh raspberries and whipped creme on her creations.

She walked over to the table where Monroe had just sat. She placed the plate in front of him, even though he hadn't accepted or denied her request to join in her tradition - figuring if he didn't eat them she would, anyway. "And please don't feel awkward about the present... its something I said I'd make for you a while ago. It just so happens that I finished it last week," Eloise explained as she grabbed her glass of orange juice from next to the stove, leaving the dirty pans behind to clean up later.

She sat across the table from her roommate. If she weren't a mind reader, Eloise may not have noticed something was really bothering Monroe - but that wasn't the case. Just a flare of Monroe's thoughts was enough for El to realize his hazy stare wasn't just from his relentless, insomnia induced sleepiness. "What's wrong?" Eloise asked, as she cut into her crepe with the side of her fork. She had found the best way to deal with Monroe was be upfront. And if he wanted to talk about it, he would. If not, he wouldn't. End of story. Eloise always felt it fair to at least ask, though.

[Thomas "Monroe" Montgomery]

Eloise's story was kind of sad, even though she didn't talk about it that way. Making crepes for your own birthday? It was like buying yourself a birthday present. He chose not to comment though and just sat there as Eloise walked over and set down a plate in front of him, which he shrugged at before digging into it with a fork. He'd join in the tradition, why not? She was putting food in front of him.

Even though his gift shouldn't be a surprise, Monroe had trouble remembering what she'd said she was going to make him. "Well, thanks anyway," he told her. "I wasn't expecting anything." He'd gotten a card and a new coffee mug from his mom. While she circled back to grab her cup, he took the tissue paper out of the bag and pulled out his gift. And as soon as he felt the leathery texture, he remembered. "Wow," he mumbled, unfolding it and holding it out in front of him. It was really nice, like nicer than anything else he owned. "Thanks," he told her once more as she sat down.

He knew it wouldn't take her long to ask him what was wrong with her being a mind reader and all, even though he was tired, he was sure there was something in his mind that she'd pick up on. He set down his fork, about halfway through his crepe and pushed the envelope forward that was on the table, not saying anything. Then, he got up and walked back into the kitchen, grabbing himself one of his mugs from the cabinet and brewing the coffee he'd prepped the night before. He leaned up against the counter as he waited, looking over at Eloise. "I got that in the mail a while ago."

[Eloise Eaton]

Eloise half-smiled and shrugged when Monroe thanked her. "I enjoyed making it. More of a challenege than what I'm used to. Let me know if it's too big," Eloise said as she turned back to her breakfast. She didn't find it sad that she had to make her own birthday breakfast. She was also one to buy herself birthday gifts, though. She had half a closet full of new dresses and shoes to prove it.

When Monroe shoved the envelope in Eloise's direction, she glanced down at it, not quite sure what the problem could possibly be with receiving a letter. "What? Some estranged relative sent you a birthday card addressed to Thomas?" Eloise asked with a raised eyebrow, trying to understand why this could possibly be bothering Monroe. At first glance that was the only thing that struck Eloise as odd or something that might set Monroe off a bit.

[Thomas "Monroe" Montgomery]

"What's your usual challenge? Oatmeal? Or is oatmeal to lumpy for you?" Honestly, Monroe knew that what he was saying really made no sense or had no relevance, but it was what came out of his mouth. And he'd just accepted that.

He was watching the coffee brew for now, staring at the steady stream of coffee while he assumed to hear the crinkling of the envelope, but instead heard nothing, and so he looked up just as Eloise spoke. She hadn't even touched it. "You could say that," he replied. He was estranged. An he was a relative. "It's from my dad."

[Eloise Eaton]

Eloise just rolled her eyes at Monroe, completely ignoring his comment about oatmeal if only because it was true. Though Eloise could sew, her cooking and cleaning skills were lacking. She wouldn't make all that great of a housewife. (Unless you were talking 'real housewives of wherever the hell'. El could probably handle that lifestyle).

Even if she wanted to comment on it, Eloise was taken aback from what Monroe had just said. "Your dad?" Eloise asked in a genuinely surprised tone. She could relate to having a parent whom you knew virtually nothing about. A parent whom you barely want to believe exists. She was actually... weirdly jealous for a moment. She had never gotten anything from her mom. She was beginning to think the woman didn't exist and she was half alien - it would explain her dad's aversion to the subject.

"My hands are covered in butter and jam," Eloise said, explaining why she hadn't, and wouldn't touch Monroe's mail. Aside from it being an invasion of privacy if he didn't want her to read it. It seemed like he did, though. "What does it say!?"

[Thomas "Monroe" Montgomery]

Monroe's current crisis had seemed to take precedent over his oatmeal comment, which he was grateful for, because it at least meant that Eloise cared enough about it and realized how unsettling it was for him. But it also meant that he couldn't divert the conversation to oatmeal and get out of talking about this, even if it was eating at him. His tired mind realized how horrible of a pun that was. "Yeah..." he trailed off, still with his back to her, looking at the coffee brewing.

When it finished, he filled his mug and walked back towards the table. "You don't wash your hands before you eat?" he asked and then shook his head. "Nevermind--" He sat down in front of his crepe, also setting down his mug. "It's kind of an apology for not being there...I mean there's an apology in words, but there's also instructions on how to access a bank account. Apparently he threw a shit ton of money in an account for me. I don't know." He rubbed his temples.

[Eloise Eaton]

"I'm eating crepes! What do you expect?!" Eloise snapped, a bit more severely than she may have meant, but between the shocking new information and Monroe's suggestion that her personal hygiene was lacking, her defense came across stronger than usual. "Sorry," she quickly said, waving her hand in front of her face as if to push her words away along with the topic, and turn back to what really mattered.

"That's... wow... I don't even know how I'd react to that. And I'm way more coherent than you on a daily basis," Eloise said, eyes locking on Monroe as he sat down, rubbing his temples. "I mean... it's a good thing though, right?!" Eloise half asked, and half pointed out. "I don't know what it means for your... almost non existent relationship with your dad... but the money should be nice," Eloise noted. She wasn't entirely sure what Monroe viewed for his future, but any sum of money would probably be able to help. "How many zeros constitutes a shit ton?" Eloise asked, curiously.

[Thomas "Monroe" Montgomery]

"That's why I said nevermind!" Monroe said, shockingly raising his voice back at her. He normally didn't get even close to yelling. He was rather soft spoken, but he was feeling particularly tense because of insomnia and this letter and the bank account and... "It's not important." He hadn't meant to insult her hygiene. It just flew out of his mouth.

Monroe ignored her comment about being more coherent than him, mostly because it was true. His incoherncy was her oatmeal. Or something like that... "Yeah, money is a good thing," he agreed. It would be stupid not to. "But it's who it's coming from. I don't know him and he doesn't know me. He can't just set me up an account with money in the name of 'Thomas' and call it good. If it makes him feel less guilty then fine. Whatever. But in the mean time, I have money sitting in account and I'm not even going to college. Another example of how he doesn't know me. My account is in the name of Thomas and I'm pretty sure it's a college fund." He dropped his hands finally, picking up his fork as if that was going to help. He couldn't help blurting it out.

"You measure how much money someone has by the amount of zeroes?" Monroe asked incredulously, stuffing his mouth full of crepe. "I measure how much money I have by the amount of bills in my wallet..." That wasn't the point. "I don't know...five? I was more concerned with the fact that it's my dad."

[Eloise Eaton]

"Woah!" Eloise said when Monroe finally did the math in his head, realizing just how much he was given, and how it must be quite overwhelming for him. "Put that in a swiss bank and you'll get it up to 6 in no time," Eloise said, doing the quick numbers in her head - one of the few math skills she retained had to do with finances. "Sorry, not important," she quickly said, bringing herself back to the real problem at hand. Yeah, it wasn't about the amount of money. Clearly that wasn't the main concern for Monroe.

"Ok... well just because your dad sent you money for college doesn't mean you have to use it for that!" Eloise said with a shrug, and a thoughtful expression crossing her eyebrows. "I mean... like you said the guy doesn't know you. So how does he have the right to tell you what to do with your life?" Eloise offered. "And you can change the name on your account in like... 20 minutes with the proper paperwork," Eloise added, her attempt at comfort - because she knew how much the name bugged Monroe. "You're 19 now. Like... literally as of today you're 19 and neither of your parents have any jurisdiction over you or your life or your money."

[Thomas "Monroe" Montgomery]

"What's a swiss bank account?" It was a question he didn't necessarily want a long answer to, or an answer in general, but he found himself asking these questions, because he just didn't know what Eloise was talking about half of the time. "Are you just sitting there calculating how I can get more money in my account?" Another question.

But finally she realized that wasn't of importance to him. "Yeah...thanks." She'd gotten quite distracted. "Yeah, I know I can do whatever I want with it. And I can change the name. I guess it's just the idea that he did this in general. If I even touch that account, I'm going to feel like I'm accepting this as his apology, like I'm just saying that what he did was okay. And that bugs me."

[Eloise Eaton]

Eloise nodded slowly, taking in Monroe's words. It made sense. Which was weird. Eloise and Monroe didn't often see eye to eye, but when it came to parental situations they could find common ground. "I can understand that," Eloise said with a small nod, taking a short sip of her orange juice. "I mean... I'd probably have a hard time taking some sort of apology gift from my mom... so..." she shrugged. She wasn't entirely sure how she'd actually react in such a situation, but she could imagine feeling uncomfortable and almost skeptical - just like Monroe seemed to feel now.

"Well... there's no return address..." Eloise noted, glancing down quickly. "So it seems like you're stuck with it." She hated to point out the obvious, but what else were you to do in this kind of situation? "I mean... there's options you know. You could donate it or something. Or save it away until you actually decide what you want to do. Or... I dunno... I've never had this problem," Eloise said with a chuckle, honestly doing her best to come up with solutions but seeming to fail.

[Thomas "Monroe" Montgomery]

Monroe knew that she would get this, so it was somewhat comforting to have her on the same page. "Exactly. And it's not like he sent me a twenty dollar bill with a card saying 'Sorry I left.' This is...insane." And that was truly how he felt about it.

"The only return address I have is my mom's. She sent the letter to me because it came there. And I've been going back and forth in my mind wondering if I should call her and ask her what the hell is up with this. But she might not even know." She had a point though. He could just leave it there and then decide what to do with it later. "This is just awkward." He realized he was finishing the last of his crepe. "It was good," he mumbled, drowning himself in the rest of his coffee.