We are now at Yulsmich State Park, and are pulling into a spot. I get out and start grabbing the food and head to our rented gazebo which is already decked out with girl power like decorations that give me the chills. There are balloons everywhere that say stuff about happy 17th and stuff like that. Jelia walks over with her eyes sparkling and says, "Wow you did all of this for me? I don't know what to say except.. I love you guys!" Jelia then proceeded to begin crying, looking very much like a little girl who just had her heart broken except for the broad grin on her face as she looks at us. Then she said, "I am glad that I actually get to have a 17th birthday. If I was still back home with mommy and daddy, I would be locked away in a tower until the people who would take me were ready for the ritual mommy talked about. The ritual is.. wait I don't know anything about the ritual! Mommy and daddy dropped me off in the woods and didn't have enough time to explain to me. They just said that they were going to go far, far away and that we couldn't ever see each other again. Mommy and daddy were crying so hard, and so was I. I still cry myself to sleep at night, but now that I have you guys it's so much easier for me to be happy and smile. Thank you for everything and I love you so very much!"

I think that a piece of me just died a little at the same time that a part was healed. I understand all to well the feeling of losing people close to me. But to know that they are still out there, and never to see them again? My heart breaks for this poor girl. As I stepped towards her, I noticed everyone else had tears streaming down their faces as we all dove in for a group hug and smothered Jelia with our affections. Needless to say, that the girl definitely knew that we care for her after today if she didn't already. Although I have barely known this girl for that long, and I know next to nothing about her, I still care deeply about her and want nothing more than to see her always have a smile on that cute little face of hers. I guess I am like her big brother in a way. Now that we all got our emotions out, it's time to set up for the birthday party!

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It was a total and complete success. She laughed so hard when she saw my cosplay outfit and insisted on wearing it right away. She ran to the vehicle and climbed in the back. Karen and Yvette ran over and blocked the windows. Karen glared and me and said, "Don't come looking over here you got it? I will chop it off. I swear I will!" Whoa talk about unneeded. That's a very dangerous statement there Karen! Anyway, a few minutes later a short elven girl wearing Pr*ncess Z*lda cosplay came over and did a twirl before asking me, "Well how do I look? Is it cute? Is it?" I chuckled in response to her energetic query before replying, "Yes you look absolutely cute in that Jelia. I give you five stars!" I grinned and Jelia blushed for some reason, Karen is glaring at me again and for some reason Yvette looks worried. However is having fun, and I should get started on putting some food on the grill. After throwing on some delicious steaks, burgers, sausages and kebabs, I then manned the grill and let the girls do their thing.

Before long the food was done and everyone gathered around the table as I laid down plates loaded with the good stuff. Jelia with a big grin on her face grabbed three steaks with a mischievous giggle and sat back in her spot. Everyone else grabbed what they wanted and I went with some good old cheeseburgers. After pa.s.sing out drinks to everyone, I stood up and performed a toast. "To Jelia our new friend. Welcome to our group. You have been an awesome addition to our daily lives, and everyone is filled with great joy every day since you walked into our lives. You were right when you said that I was meant to find you. Because I have every intention of making you the happiest little elf in the whole wide world. Anything that your heart desires, I will do my utmost best to get it for you. I am sure that I am not alone in this. Now here is to your 17th birthday! Happy 17th Birthday Jelia!" We then proceeded to sing the Happy Birthday song, and laughed our way through some hilarious and sometimes embarra.s.sing topics. Before long the sun was beginning to set and it was time to pack up and head back home. Grabbing everything and loading it back into the back of the vehicle, Jelia joined me at my side and nudged me.

"Thank you so much for today David. I love you so so so much! You have no idea at all! I look forward to spending what I can of my life with you and getting to know everyone around you. Just please promise me that you will always be there for me. No matter what happens okay?" Phew, talked about a loaded sentence. If I didn't know any better I would have thought that was a love confession. She's a growing girl who needs stability in her life and I as well as my friends provide that, so it makes sense that she would have strong feelings about us. I am glad to hear her say that she loves me, I am seriously feeling the big brother thing and I kind of like it. I totally wish that I could get her to call me big bro, but that's a no. I don't want Karen to kill me thinking that I am being a pervert. Anyway, everything is loaded up in the vehicle now and it is time to go home. I wonder what we'll do tomorrow? I could use more celebration like this in my life. Maybe I can convince everybody to do a weekly fun day or something like that. Here's to the future!