LARRY HOLLEY'S POV

September 7th, 1936: Buddy's birth day

"Hey, it's okay, y'all can come in." Dad ushers to Travis, Patty, and I. "Wanna meet your new brother?"

I'm the first to walk in. I want to see him so bad, it's been torture waiting to finally meet my brand new baby sibling.

I cautiously walk up to the bed and see my mama holding a real small bundle. It looks like just blankets until mom pulls some back.

There he is. He has brown hair already. His little pink face is resting as he slowly looks around.

"What's his name?" I ask. They didn't wanna tell us until he was born.

"Charles Hardin Holley." Mama smiles, a tear slipping down her cheek. "Isn't he amazin'?"

Patty crawls on the bed next to mama and looks at Charles. "Did it hurt, baby? When you came from heaven?"

Travis comes beside me and looks aswell. "This is my brother?" He asks dad

Dad smiles and squats down next to us. "Yep, he's finally here."

I look at him again.

"I love you, little buddy." I whisper, kissing his head.

September 7th, 1937: Buddy's 1st birthday

"Buddy!" I call. We're all ready for his first birthday.

I hear his small, uneven crawling shuffling in. I see him as he quickly crawls up and hugs my leg, looking up at me.

"It's your birthday, Bud! You getta eat a lotta cake and get toys!"

He smiles and laughs.

I pick him up and set him in his high chair. He sees the cake and claps. "Ca! Ca!"

"Yeah, cake!" I tell him, pulling up a chair near his. "It's your favorite! Chocolate!"

"Ca! Ca!"

Mama lights the candle and slides it more toward Buddy.

We all sing happy birthday to him. The whole time he's laughing and bouncing.

"Buddy! Make a wish! You blow on the candle like this," I demonsrate.

He furrows his little eyebrows and tries to blow, only to buzz his lips.

I quickly and discreetly blow out the candle.

He smiles and looks to me. He thinks he did it.

Mama cuts the cake and puts a little bit on a plate for Buddy. He mashes his little hands into it.

Mama puts cake on more plates for everyone and we all eat.

By the end, Buddy's chubby face is covered with chocolate.

I quickly wipe off his hands, face, and table.

Dad goes into the back room and carries out the three gifts we got him.

Buddy's eyes light up when he sees the red packaging.

"Ga! Ga!"

I set down the top one infront of him.

He grabs the loose paper and rips into it, revealing a box of blocks.

"Ba! Ba!"

"Here, now do this one!" Travis points to the next one.

Buddy rips that one. A ball!

The next one is a stuffed bear. He grabs it and hugs it.

"Hey, Buddy," I say.

He looks up at me.

"I love you."

He smiles and offers me his bear.

September 7th, 1941: Buddy's 5th birthday

"No! I can do it! I'm a big boy now! I can tie my own shoes!" Buddy swats my hand away.

"Okay, okay! How's it feel t'be five?" I laugh.

"I'm so big! I feel so big!"

I smile. "Yeah, you are now. C'mon, let's go open presents."

Buddy shoots up and runs into the living room.

"Hey, sport, open 'em up!" Dad says.

He picks up a medium sized one and tears it open. "It's a football! My own football!"

I clap. "Yeah! Now you can play catch with whoever and not just me!"

He finishes ripping open his other presents.

"Oh golly, you really got all this for me?!" He asks.

"Of course, son. You're our big boy now!" Mama says.

"I'm gonna go get the cake," I turn and start to walk into the kitchen.

"Wait! Larry! I wanna come!" Buddy calls.

I pause and he catches up to me.

"Hey, Buddy?" I lean down.

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Larry! You're the best brother ever!"

September 7th, 1944: Buddy's 8th birthday

Dear Buddy,

I miss you, champ. I'm so so sorry that I ain't there for your 8th birthday, but duty calls. That's what happens when there's a war going on

Things here ain't bad, Travis and I just do a whole lot of cooking and such.

I have to go clean, but I love you so much. I'll be there for your next birthday.

Love,

Larry

September 7th, 1952: Buddy's 16th birthday

"Hey, ma, where's Buddy?" I ask, stepping into the kitchen.

"Oh! He's out with a girl!"

"What?!"

"Yeah! Real georgous. Long red hair and big green eyes! So so pretty."

"Violet?"

"Yeah, that's her. I could tell Buddy's real into her. Don't blame him a bit, either."

"He already told me that he likes her. Never met her."

"They should be back soon for dinner."

"I can't believe he's already sixteen." I mumble. "And out with a girl. It's like yesterday he was saying girls were icky."

"He's growin' up."

"He's still my baby brother, ma."

"He always will be."

LATER

"Uh, Larry this is Violet. Vi, this is Larry." Buddy says.

Violet smiles and extends her right hand. "Nice to meet you!"

I'm incredibly taken aback by her accent. Buddy did mention that she wasn't from around here, but never that she's not from this country.

"Hey, you too." I nod, shaking her hand.

My god, ma was right. She's pretty.

We all manage to cram around the dining table.

"Bud, where's Bob?" Dad asks.

"He's sick." He rolls his eyes. "Too bad, I guess."

"Yeah, unfortunate." I say.

Dad looks at Violet. "Son, you didn't tell me you had a girlfriend!"

Vi and Buddy both turn bright red. "What?! Oh, uh, no, not my girlfriend! Just friends..."

"You're just friends with this amazin' lookin' girl?"

Vi looks at her lap.

"Dad!"

"Sorry,"

"Yes, just friends."

"Yeah, friends for now."

"Dad, stop, please,"

"Back in my day, a boy and a girl didn't just walk and talk alone unless it was a date. And boys certianly didn't have girls over for dinner unless it was a date."

"It ain't the twenties anymore, we can just be friends."

"So!" I change the subject. "Where ya from, Vi?"

"Oh, um, France."

"Cool!"

"Yeah,"

"Well, I ain't ever seen ya before, did ya just move?"

"Yeah, I moved here about two months ago."

"From France?"

She shakes her head. "No, Chicago. Before that I was in England, and before that I was in France."

"That's neat!" I smile. "How'd you meet my baby brother?"

"School. My sister, brother, and I needed help finding our classes and he helped us."

"You got siblin's?"

"Yes. We're triplets."

"Neat! Y'all look alike?"

"My sister and I are identical then there's my brother. You can barely tell that we're related to him."

"Aw, poor brother."

After forever, dinner is over, presents are opened, cake is eaten and Buddy walks Violet out to the cab. I silently watch from the window. I can barely hear them. Just enough to know what they're saying.

"Dol- I mean Vi, call me when you get home so I know you made it okay."

"I will," she pulls him into a hug. "Thank you, happy birthday."

He hugs her back. "We should definitely hang out more, just us."

"Agreed." She smiles. "I'll see you tomorrow, hun."

I can almost hear Buddy blushing.

They pull away and Buddy opens the door for her and Vi quickly pecks Buddy's cheek and ducks into the cab.

Buddy watches the cab drive away with a huge grin on his face.

Once it's out of sight, Buddy walks back into the house, still smiling.

I quickly get away from the window so Buddy doesn't know that I just witnessed that.

He closes the door behind him and places a hand on the back of his neck.

"You like that girl." I state.

"God, I really do."

"Make a move."

"I can't yet. I dunno if she likes me."

I roll my eyes. "Buddy, she was makin' bedroom eyes at ya the whole time. Practically beggin' ya t'kiss her."

He shakes his head. "I don't wanna mess up. I gotta wait 'till I can do it right."

"Buddy?"

"Huh?"

"I love you, you're growin' up real fine."

"I love you too, Larry. Thank you."

September 7th, 1958: Buddy's 22nd birthday

I pick up the phone and dial Buddy and Vi's number.

After three rings, Buddy picks up. "Hullo?"

"Buddy! Hey! It's Larry! Happy birthday!"

"Aw, thanks Larry."

"Any fun plans?"

"Nah, just gonna go out with some friends and Vi."

"Vi don't count as one of your pals?"

"No, she's my wife. She's more important than the rest."

I smile. "Y'know you treat her good. Always have."

"I just try t'treat her like she deserves."

"I'm awful proud of you."

"Thanks, Larry."

"I love you, little brother."

"I love you too, Larry."