The evening was warm and light, with no clouds in the sky; light music was playing, we were sitting in an open-windowed room, exhausted but excited. There were only six of us: Jessie, Jay, Critter, Page, me, and Destine.
“That was a terrific party,” I said. “Thanks for the ride, Frank.”
“Not at all,” Critter answered.
“And thanks for the invitation, Robert.”
“Destine,” he replied. “Call me Destine as usual.”
“What’s the hell with your name?”
“Listen everyone, and especially you, Frank,” he said loudly. We stared at him with attention. “We’re here to celebrate 23 years since the day when Robert Madison was born. But for now, he is dead.”
“Half dead,” I added.
“Sure, LA people mind me dead and LB citizens know me alive. Fifty-five days had flown since my eighteenth birthday, and the things had changed, and a new I had been born. You all noticed that I have changed, and you advised me a new nickname which later became my new real name. Frankie, you didn’t know all of that, right?”
Critter was looking at him in disbelieve.
“I can walk through walls, disappear, and fly,” Destine showed it all. “It may be unreal, but believe your eyes as they did.”
“We did,” whispered Jay.
I was counting days that moment and then said, “Listen, you shared your energy with me when I was eighteen years and fifty-five days old! Isn’t it strange?”
“It’s your destiny, Sophia,” Jay smiled to me.
Destine looked at me. “Is that your name?”
“Yes,” I said. “Let me introduce myself, I’m Sophia Bellatrix Warakurna. Weird name, ha?”
“Yeah…”
“My papa is interested in astrology. When my sister Hazel was born, he first wanted to add a ‘Saiph’name to her, but mom was against this. So she got ‘Saiph’ as her middle name. Hazel Saiph Warakurna!”
“God,” Page said, “that’s cool!”
“My other sisters are Cree Betelgeuse, Rachel Rigel, and Paula Mintaka. Isn’t that sweet, ha? My two brothers are named Albert Alnilam and Isaac Alnitak. Cool, right?”
No one could even say a word.
“Gee,” I finally heard Jessie’s voice. “The Orion family!”
“Got it right,” said I. “We all wanna change our last names to ‘Orion’ – it’s much more easy than ‘Warakurna’.”
“Great story,” Jessie replied.
“We just heard two great stories,” Critter said. “I can’t believe my brother is involved in one of them!”
“So, Destine, will we pull together after 55 days?” Page asked.
“Sure,” Destine replied. “That’s the last time I spend my birthday on this day.”
“Well,” I said, “for the last time – happy birthday, Robert!”
“Thanks, Sophia. And now is the time for one last dance! Shall we do it in the air?”
“Sure! Let’s pull up!”
We danced above our friends’ heads, and that was a wonderful feeling. I wished this would last forever, but it was quite late, and I had to leave the next day.

To be continued.