-- Chapter 19 --

When he woke on the morning of his sixteenth birthday, Levi didn’t really have any great expectation as to what the day might bring. Birthdays were usually low-key affairs in his old home, with small gifts and usually a good breakfast, then perhaps a special meal, whether that was at home, or at a local restaurant.

He had discussed his birthday with his father recently, when Matt had shown him his birth certificate, but he didn’t really expect the day to be any different here, so when he got out of bed this Wednesday morning and padded across to the bathroom – while still half-asleep – and then out to the kitchen, the last thing he was expecting was for all the members of his household to be waiting there for him.

‘Happy Birthday!’ the four men chorused as he entered the room, which was then followed by hugs, slaps on the back and handshakes.

For a few moments, Levi appeared shell-shocked by all the attention. No other birthday had ever started like this – at least none that he could remember – and so it took him a little time before he could respond.

‘Ummm . . . th-thank you . . .’ he finally managed to say, because he really couldn’t think of anything else to say.

‘Sixteen, eh? This is a big one, so we’re all going to cook you breakfast this morning,’ his father said, ‘but first, there’s something else we need to attend to.’

As Luke opened the door out onto the deck, Matt guided Levi out the door, where he soon noticed two rather large items, along with a couple of other small, wrapped gifts sitting on the outdoor table.

‘We figured you needed something a little better than that old rust bucket of your father’s that you ride around on,’ Luke said, as he patted the seat of an expensive looking bicycle, royal blue in colour, with lots of chrome, and all the bells and whistles. ‘So this is from your father and me.’

Before he could even react, then Tim said, ‘And now that you know how to at least stand up on one of these things, we figured you could do with one of your own,’ while at the same time he picked up a bright orange surfboard, with a red stripe down the centre of it, and passed that over to Levi, which he held out slightly, and couldn’t help but admire.

‘That’s from the two of us,’ Guy added.

‘I . . . I . . . don’t know what to say,’ he eventually said. ‘Thank you all so much.’

‘Oh. Wait, we haven’t finished yet,’ Matt interrupted, as he picked up the other gifts from the table. He handed one to Luke, then the other gift he handed straight to Levi.

‘Go on, you better open it,’ Tim urged.

Levi looked at it for a second, then carefully tore the bright paper at one end and then pulled out the contents, which proved to be a leather case, about twenty centimetres long and twelve centimetres wide, with a zipper around three sides.

There didn’t appear to be any markings or hints as to what it might be, so he grabbed hold of the zipper tag and undid the zipper, before folding back the lid.

Inside was a shiny, old-fashioned style, silver razor, with a flat container of disposable, razor-blade heads secured inside the lid. A mix of the old and the new.

‘Figured you’d be needing one of these of your own,’ Matt said to him. ‘So you don’t have to keep using mine.’

They all laughed at that. They’d all heard Matt complaining about his disposable razors disappearing.

Then it was Luke’s turn, as he stepped forward and handed Levi the last parcel, which the boy noted looked like, and felt like, a book of some sort.

Peeling back the bright paper, it revealed a leather-covered journal, with the name Levi embossed in gold leaf on the dark cover. It was a beautiful item.

‘Seen you scribbling away in your notebooks, so I thought this might be something nice that you’ll get some use from,’ Luke said.

‘It’s beautiful,’ Levi replied, as he gently ran his fingers over the gold lettering. ‘Thank you.’

‘Right then, now we’ve got that out of the way,’ Matt declared, ‘it’s time for some breakfast, before we all have to get ready for the day ahead. How about you hit the shower first, mate, while we cook up something for you.’

Once Levi had headed for the bathroom, it wasn’t long before the kitchen was filled with the sounds and smells of a hearty breakfast being cooked for all five of them; bacon, eggs, fried tomato and mushrooms, and toast. Not a breakfast they would have every day, but for Matt in particular, he wanted this to be a special one for his son.

By the time Levi returned ten minutes later – after taking the shortest shower he’d ever had –breakfast was being served up, and soon they were all enjoying their start to the day. There wasn’t much talk, but that didn’t matter.

A short time later, when Levi was ready to head off to school, Matt pulled him close and gave him a quick, awkward hug – the kind that still felt new to both of them. ‘Happy birthday, mate. I hope you have a great day,’ Matt said, his voice a little rough.

‘Thanks . . . Dad.’ The word still caught slightly in Levi’s throat, but it was getting easier each time he said it.

Later, at school, when he met Jimmy and Dan at the gates, they both wished him a happy birthday as well.

‘How did you know? And please don’t go spruiking it . . . I don’t want any attention from any of the others, you know.’

‘Oh, a little birdie told me. You might be surprised. And your secret is safe with us,’ Jimmy answered, which then had Levi spending most of the day trying to figure out if he had let it slip at some point, because he had hoped that he could get through the day without drawing attention to himself.

He didn’t ride his new bike to school today, because once again, he didn’t want to attract any unwanted attention. He copped enough crap over his religious views, even though he had rarely said anything out loud . . . most of it was just built on those first impressions from his first days here.

If there’s one thing he had learned in his nine years at school so far, it was that the truth rarely did set you free. People only ever believed what they wanted to believe, and Thompsonville Public was no different to anywhere else. In fact, with Casey and his gang ruling the playgrounds, this school could almost be considered worse than any of the others he had attended so far.

At the end of the day, Jimmy and Dan needed to be somewhere, and so they headed off to do whatever it was they were going to do, and so Levi headed to the beach for a little while, but not before he dropped in to see his father first.

‘Hello, Levi,’ said Don, the store owner. ‘Your dad has just ducked out for a bit, but he shouldn’t be too long, if you wanted to wait.’

‘No, that’s okay. I was just going to tell him I’m heading to the beach for a bit, before heading home. Would you mind letting him know?’

‘Not a problem, mate. I can do that for you.’

‘Thank you,’ Levi answered, before turning to leave.

‘Oh, I almost forgot! Happy Birthday, Levi! Sixteen, eh! Sweet sixteen and never been kissed, or so they say! Hope it was a good day for you?’

‘Errr . . . thank you,’ Levi replied, while feeling the heat rising in his cheeks already. Why would he say that, he wondered.

Don was still chuckling to himself as Levi left the auto store behind, before pushing his bike across the road and heading over the dunes at the channel end and sitting himself down to watch the world go by. He pulled his notebook from his backpack, along with a pen, then opened up to the last page he had written on, before then turning over to the next fresh one.

He thought for a few moments as he looked at the empty page, while rattling the end of his pen between his teeth.

Then he smiled to himself as he put pen to paper.

Sweet Sixteen he wrote, followed by the date 19^th July, 2017.

My first birthday in Thompsonville!

***

Levi parked his old bike in the garage, just as he always did, only this time it had a companion, with the shiny new bike – his birthday gift – now parked beside it. Walking over to the house he skipped up the back steps, his mood decidedly light, then pushed open the back door of the house.

In his head, he was still thinking about Father Costas’s words from his recent visit. Follow your heart. They echoed quietly inside him as he dropped his bag in the hallway and headed toward his bedroom.

When he entered his bedroom the first thing he noticed was his birthday presents sitting on his bed, the fancy shaving kit from his father, and the new leather-bound journal from Luke. As he picked up the journal and ran his fingers over the gold-leaf print on the front cover, he couldn’t help but smile. It was one of the best things that he had even been given, and after this morning and the day that had followed, and with Jimmy and Dan both wishing him a happy birthday, even when he had really wanted to keep things quiet, his heart was decidedly full.

He sat down on his bed and flipped open the cover and read the inscription that Luke had written, which, if he was being honest, he hadn’t given enough attention to this morning.

Levi,

Life is a journey filled with new chapters.

This gift is for the new story you’ve begun here in Thompsonville — with your new family.

We love having you with us, and we look forward to taking this journey with you, and to every page we get to write together.

With love,

Luke (and Matt)

He was still deep in thought when he heard the back door of the house open and then close, with a bang, which was followed by his father’s voice bouncing down the hall.

‘Levi!’ Matt’s voice boomed from the kitchen. ‘Clean up and get dressed, mate. We’re heading out tonight.’

Matt appeared in the doorway of his room almost immediately, wiping his hands on a tea towel, a massive grin on his face.

‘What?’ Levi asked.

‘Dinner for the Birthday Boy at Charlie Wong’s. The others will be home soon, then we’ll all head in. We’ve got their side room booked for the banquet.’

Levi blinked, a flicker of surprise cutting through the rest of the memories from the day. ‘You didn’t have to do that.’

‘Yeah, I did,’ Matt replied simply. ‘Sixteen only comes once. I’m just going to grab a shower now, so go find something decent to wear, and then you can dive in.’

While Matt disappeared into the bathroom, Levi rummaged through his wardrobe, eventually settling on a clean button-up shirt and his least-worn jeans. He could hear the shower running. A few minutes later Luke arrived home, called out a cheerful greeting, and then – without hesitation – slipped into the bathroom to join Matt.

Levi paused, school shirt half-unbuttoned. At first, the easy domesticity between them had embarrassed him deeply. Two men showering together, laughing quietly behind the door, moving around each other with comfortable familiarity – it had felt foreign and wrong. Now, weeks later, it was simply part of the rhythm of the house. He still didn’t fully understand it, but the sharp sting of disapproval had softened into something closer to quiet acceptance.

When Matt and Luke emerged, hair still wet and with towels around their waists, while still talking, Levi took his turn. He showered quickly, then padded back to his room with only a towel wrapped around his hips. In the hallway he almost collided with Matt, who was now fully dressed. They smiled at each other – an awkward but genuine moment – before Levi slipped into his room and closed the door.

By 6:30 the house was alive with voices. Tim and Guy had arrived, quickly washed up, and changed. The two cars rolled down Beachside Lane toward town, Levi riding with Matt and Luke. When they parked on the main street near Charlie Wong’s, Levi stepped out and froze.

Across the road, a familiar, dusty four-wheel drive sat waiting. The doors opened and his grandparents climbed out – Matt’s parents, looking a little travel-worn but smiling broadly.

‘You came all the way down here?’ Levi breathed, stunned.

His grandmother pulled him into a tight hug. ‘Did you really think we’d miss your sixteenth?’

Before he could say more, a familiar voice called out, ‘And there he is!’

Jimmy and Dan were walking toward them, Jimmy carrying a brightly wrapped gift and wearing his usual cheeky grin. Levi laughed in surprise.

‘What are you two doing here?’

‘A little birdie invited us,’ Jimmy replied, jerking his head toward Matt.

Matt shrugged with a grin. ‘Tweet, tweet.’

Warm greetings followed. Levi introduced Jimmy and Dan to his grandparents and to Tim and Guy. The whole group – now nine strong — filed into Charlie Wong’s. Old Mr Wong himself, sprightly despite his years, greeted them at the door with booming enthusiasm and led them to the private side room reserved for functions.

The space was simple but festive: a long table set with crisp white cloths, lanterns glowing softly overhead. Tony and Aaron were already there, Tony carrying a large, wrapped box and wearing his usual warm smile. Justin and Scott arrived moments later, completing the group. Introductions flowed easily. Levi found himself seated between his father and Jimmy, with Dan on the other side of Jimmy. Somehow, it just felt . . . right.

Drinks were poured – soft drink for the younger ones, beers and wines for the adults. A small pile of presents had been placed on a side table near the door for later. Then the food started arriving. Entrées first, trays of spring rolls and prawn toast and dumplings, then once they had been cleaned up, out came steaming platters of lemon chicken, honey prawns, sizzling beef, fried rice, and crisp vegetables. The room filled with the sound of easy conversation, accompanied by some laughter when the boys decided to try using chopsticks, only to fail miserably and revert to forks.

Tony raised his glass. ‘To Levi – sixteen and already making this town more interesting.’

Laughter rippled around the table. Jimmy and Dan told stories about Levi at school – how he was still getting used to the local slang, how he’d nearly fallen off the wharf during a fishing attempt, how he was actually okay at soccer once he stopped overthinking it. Matt and Luke shared gentle stories about times spent on their beach and how he was finally settling in. Tim and Guy couldn’t resist telling everyone how many times he had fallen off the surfboard, but made sure that they all knew now that he actually could surf without embarrassing himself.

His grandparents didn’t have too much to share, other than the time they had lost him and found him at the local church, but then asked if there were any plans as yet for Levi to learn how to drive?

‘We’ll take you into Macquarie Harbour before the end of the week for your learner’s permit,’ Matt said to him. ‘Make it official.’

Levi smiled, a genuine one this time. ‘Thank you.’

Levi had sat quietly at first, taking it all in. This chaotic, loud, mismatched group felt nothing like the quiet, strict birthdays of his old life. Yet somehow, it felt more like family than anything he’d ever experienced.

As the plates were cleared and tea and coffee served, the conversation turned to what comes next. It wasn’t really meant to be a question about food . . . but the answer that came was, ‘Cake!’

One of the waitresses brought it out with great ceremony – a chocolate cake with two candles, a one and a six, and sparklers fizzing brightly on top. Everyone launched into a rousing, off-key rendition of Happy Birthday. Levi felt his face burn with embarrassed pleasure as they sang. The sparklers burned down, and then he blew out the candles to loud cheers.

‘Alright, birthday boy. Time for the fun part.’

A small chorus of cheers went around the table as everyone shifted their chairs. The pile of wrapped gifts on the side table was carried over and placed in front of Levi. He felt his face heat up under the all the attention.

‘You guys really didn’t have to do all this,’ he mumbled, but the smile tugging at his lips gave him away.

Tony went first, sliding the large box across the table with a proud grin.

‘From Aaron and me.’

Levi tore off the paper to reveal a thick, high-quality navy hoodie with the local surf brand logo on the front, and underneath it, a beautiful wooden writing set – a notebook, and a small pencil case containing several quality pens, and some pencils.

‘Whoa,’ Levi said, running his hand over the soft fabric. ‘This is awesome. Thank you.’

Tony winked. ‘Figured you needed something warm for these winter nights on the coast. And Luke told us you’ve been scribbling in that old notebook of yours. Thought you might like something a bit more serious.’

Aaron added with a soft smile, ‘And the hoodie has a big front pocket — perfect for hiding snacks from your dads.’

Laughter rippled around the table.

Next came Jimmy and Dan. Jimmy handed over a smaller package with a cheeky flourish.

Levi opened it to find a really nice black leather wallet, and tucked inside were three bright tickets.

‘Winterfest?’ Levi read aloud, eyes widening. ‘In Macquarie Harbour?’

‘Three tickets,’ Jimmy said, grinning. ‘So you’ve got no excuse not to take us.’

Levi laughed. ‘Who else would I take?’ He looked genuinely touched. ‘Thanks, guys. This is sick.’

His grandparents went next. His grandmother handed him a flat, carefully wrapped package first.

Inside was a beautiful, framed photo – a recent one of his grandparents together, smiling warmly at the camera.

‘So you’ve got one of us here with you,’ his grandmother said softly.

Levi swallowed hard. ‘I didn’t have any photos of you guys . . . thank you.’

Then came the second gift – a compact but decent digital camera, plus two gift cards: one for music and one loaded with cash.

His grandfather cleared his throat. ‘So you can take your own photos of this new life of yours. And buy whatever music you kids are listening to these days.’

Levi stared at the gifts, his throat tightening. ‘This is . . . it’s too much. Really.’

‘Poppycock,’ his grandmother replied, which brought a giggle from Jimmy and Dan.

Scott and Justin’s gift was simple but generous – a $100 gift card to the local sports and outdoor shop.

‘Figured you might need some proper gear now that you’re a Thompsonville local,’ Scott said with a grin.

By now Levi’s eyes were glistening. He tried to blink it away, but when he looked around the table – at Matt and Luke watching him with quiet pride, his grandparents who had driven all this way, Tony and Aaron’s kind faces, Jimmy and Dan’s easy grins -- the emotion hit him hard.

He let out a shaky breath and wiped at his eyes quickly with his sleeve.

‘I’ve . . . I’ve never had a birthday like this,’ he admitted, voice thick. ‘Not even close. Thank you. All of you. I don’t even know what to say.’

The table went quiet for a moment in the best possible way.

Matt reached over and squeezed his shoulder. ‘You don’t have to say anything, mate. Just enjoy it.’

Luke smiled warmly. ‘This is only the beginning, Levi.’

Jimmy, never one for long sentimental moments, broke the quiet with perfect timing. ‘Oi, does this mean we get to pick what we eat at Winterfest? Because I’m calling dibs on the crazy rides first.’

Laughter erupted again, saving Levi from fully falling apart in front of everyone. He laughed through the tears, wiping his face with the back of his hand as the banter flowed freely once more.

For the first time in a long while, surrounded by this loud, messy, wonderful group of people who had all chosen to be here for him, Levi felt something deep inside his chest settle.

He was home.

***

The night wound down slowly. Farewells were warm and full of hugs. His grandparents promised to stay a couple of days and said they would follow them out to Avalon. Jimmy and Dan had sent a text to Jimmy’s mother, and she arrived to pick them up. They clapped him on the back and gave him bro-hugs before heading off. Eventually, only Matt, Luke, and Levi remained outside on the footpath.

As they reached the car, Levi paused.

‘Wait a second,’ he said quietly.

Matt stopped, keys in hand. Luke turned, concern flickering across his face.

Levi looked at them both, the streetlight catching the emotion in his eyes.

‘I just wanted to say thank you. For today. For the party. For everything.’ His voice caught. ‘I know Mum cared about me a lot. I wish she could’ve been here. I’ve never had a birthday like this. Not even close. I’ll remember it forever.’

For a moment no one spoke. Then Matt pulled him into a strong hug, one hand cupping the back of Levi’s head. Luke joined them, wrapping his arms around both. They stood like that for a long while on the quiet street – father, son, and the man who had become part of their unexpected family.

When they finally pulled apart, Matt’s eyes looked suspiciously bright.

‘Let’s go home, birthday boy,’ he said gruffly. ‘You’ve still got school tomorrow.’

Levi climbed into the car feeling fuller than he had in months – not just from the banquet, but from something deeper. As they drove back towards Avalon under a sky scattered with stars, he leaned his head against the window and allowed himself a small, quiet smile.

He still had questions. He still carried old teachings and new confusions. But tonight, surrounded by people who had chosen to show up for him, following his heart didn’t feel quite so impossible.

To be continued . . .