for the best | [pryce fam]

[dars]

V I O L E T

"I hate baking," she groaned, staring at the pile of beige goop sitting in the oven, "it takes forever!" She much preferred the things Lex taught her, like how to build a rocking char, or how to flip someone over her shoulder. Grandma Juno laughed, bumping her with her hip. "It takes longer if you stare at it. Hasn't anyone ever told you that before?"

"Uh, only for water."

The entire morning had been spent following Grandma around, holding boxes full of decorations and keeping ladders steady so streamers could be hung around doorways. Upstairs, her little brother was fussing for his feed time and she could faintly hear Romily's gentle voice cooing to soothe him. From outside, the scent of grilling meat wafted from the back, where her father listened to music and absently flipped burgers on the grill. And Uncle Marley, the birthday boy, sat with him and talked about whatever boys talk about when they're alone. It must've been funny, whatever they were saying, because she'd hear them laugh every so often.

"You know, you don't have to help me, Sweetheart. You can go outside with them if you'd like." She wrinkled her nose. "No, I want to help."

Juno laughed.

"I thought you hated baking?"

Violet replied in a sort-of exasperated tone that implied she couldn't believe she was even having to explain this. "Well, I do. But it's Uncle Marley's birthday and I didn't have time to finish his birdhouse with Lex this weekend, so I figured helping you could be my present until I get time to finish it."

Juno thoughtfully considered this.

"Well, you've helped me all morning. All that's really left to do is frost the cake once it's cooled down, and that's more of a one-person job. I think Uncle Marley will be more than okay if you go out now, don't you?"

Violet tried to fight the smile that crept up in the corners of her mouth.

"Fine. Someone needs to hurry Mr. Slow up out there anyway. The Aunts are gonna be here any minute!"

One last glance at the cake in the oven, and then Violet slipped her shoes on and joined her father and uncle outside.

"Hey! Grandma almost has the cake finished! Have you started the hot dogs yet?" Her hands were placed confidently on her hips.

"In just a few minutes, Ma'am," Mackenzie snorted, "Uncle Marley likes his burgers practically burnt."

She dutifully inspected the grill to indeed find several nearly-crispy meat patties on its surface, with a container of uncooked hot dogs sitting right next to it.

"Well, I don't like mine like that."

"I know, Sweetie."

"And no m-"

"No mayo, I know, Violet. I wouldn't dream of subjecting you to such tortures."

He raised the lid of the pan to show other, not-burned patties were already sitting neatly inside. She raised her chin, officially satisfied with her inspection, then nodded to him as if to say he was allowed to continue what he was doing. She took a seat next to Marley.

"Happy birthday!" she said, as if she hadn't already seen him all morning, "Feel any older?"

[tris 🍒]

⚘  Marley Cost  ⚘

Thirty isn't as scary as he used to think it would be.

He remembers Mackenzie's own fateful thirtieth birthday party half a decade ago; the way they all stayed home and played card games instead of actually celebrating. No crazy games, no cheap booze, just a sense of peace and companionship. A covert joint here or there. It felt so quiet and boring at the time, like all the sudden a switch had been flipped and staying in place felt like the most comfortable thing Mackenzie could do. Not that Marley could blame his brother for wanting some steadiness in his life. The victor's youth had been filled with enough chaos for one person.

So many years had passed since that first meeting in the garden. He went from breaking into a backyard to being invited into a home. His very first one. Marley still had his days where he felt immature and impulsive, but his older brother had seemed to grow wiser with every passing year. Honestly, Mackenzie was closer to a father figure than anything else in his life, but developing a frontal lobe and becoming an adult himself made Marley all the more grateful for his brother. He could see the truth for what it was.

Mackenzie was really just a kid when his whole life was turned on its head. And when Marley came knocking, another stray to be brought in and cared for, his brother never backed down from the challenge. Even if he himself had never been allowed to grow up organically. He was an incredible mentor, both in his duties as a victor and as the head of the Pryce household. He could bring out the best in anyone, he even managed to convince Marley to go back to school and at least get a basic degree. His belief that people could do more than they ever thought possible was what made Mackenzie as special as he was.

But if you ask Marley, even for all those years worth of guidance, it was Violet's birth that truly changed Mackenzie for the better. The start was rocky and unsure, as it always was for the Pryce family, but as his relationship with Jacinta burnt out, Mackenzie never once threw in the towel and tried to step away from being a father. Violet had been his entire world from the very moment she came into it, and watching Mackenzie develop into such an incredible parent only made him more thankful for what a good brother he had also been.

The first time he was asked to babysit, he remembers wanting to curl a pillow around his face and scream until he passed out. He hated being responsible, he hated having to answer the questions of an active minded kid who already knew more than he ever did. But each interaction he had with his niece only served to break down his walls more. He started to volunteer to help out around the house, to pick Violet up from school and walk her home, to give Mackenzie and his new girlfriend a free evening for a much needed date night. He liked feeling like how he always imagined Mackenzie to feel when the script was flipped.

Now he was the patient one, the one offering sound advice when Violet felt she couldn't go to her father, the one telling her that while, yes, it does seem cool to do a backflip from the roof, maybe the risk of broken bones just isn't worth it. He didn't want to pursue further education, but he did want a good job. When he wasn't at home and offering his services, he was putting in the hours at the lumber mill, all the while listening to Elena and her fascinating stories of life at university. She felt so much more capable and smarter than him, like most people did, but he wanted nothing more than to provide for her and be a true partner. He never wanted to be a burden to her.

And if he couldn't reach the same heights she was destined to reach, he at least wanted to build a home that was secure and safe for her to return to whenever she wanted. Each year they grew further and further away from being in their twenties, the more that Marley realized settling down wouldn't be all that bad. He put in the work to afford his own apartment, allowed Elena to crash whenever she was in town, made a whole bedroom just for Violet whenever she wanted a break from the Victor's Village and a change of scenery. He learned how to budget groceries after a really bad week where he and his excited niece/co-shopper burnt his paycheck on a horde of ice cream and junk food, only to find out they had no ingredients to make a proper meal for dinner.

When Mackenzie visits, he feels proud of how tidy everything is, how it actually seems like for all those years he had actually been listening to the advice. His brother gave him a chance, held out his hand and provided a lifeline. Marley will never take that for granted, no matter how much time passes or how many people come and go from their lives. He asked Elena to move in last year, he told her he wanted to start a family someday. Months away from turning thirty he told her the only present he wanted was a happy, peaceful life with her.

And this.

The smell of burgers frying on the grill, the sound of Mackenzie and Violet bickering, the energy of all the people he loves filling the space around him. He's thirty today, no longer wondering about how many beers he can throw back, but how he's going to go about getting his laundry washed and the electric bill settled tomorrow morning before work. He laughs at his niece bossing his brother around, shooting the girl a playful smirk. "Be nice to your dad. If you're not, I might just have to take your burgers for myself. Birthday boy rules and all."

His grin says he's teasing, but it's not like Violet will ever be phased by his threats. If she's bold enough to stand up to Mackenzie, she's already well aware she can bulldoze over Uncle Marley. It makes him happy when she wishes him happy birthday, and he has to laugh when she asks if he feels any older. He does. More than he knows how to put into words.

"Yeah. I do." He smiles at Mackenzie, and then looks to the house, and finally returns his gaze to Violet. His heart is so full of love. "Matter of fact, my back has been killinggg me all day!"

For dramatic effect, he leaps from the bench where he had been sitting, bending over in pain and crying out theatrically as he clutches at his backside. No matter how much older and mature he becomes, he'll always be the same guy. And hearing his family laugh is the greatest gift of all.