>>18239070>"Oh, I..... I wasn't expecting this!"Colby lets herself be led by the hands by Amy, floating forward as if on a cloud. She looks around at the assembled guests with a rapt, starry smile stuck on her face.
>"This is the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me. Well, this, and the incredible gifts you've given me, and all the times you were there to comfort me, and..... A-Amelia. I....."She was about to say
. No. To hell with that. That sort of self-defeating, self-doubting thinking would mean that there was something wrong about this when it was the first time in her life that things had been this right.
>"I'm so lucky to have you in my life."
Colby realizes she's been introduced to the room, and looks around, blushing. While no stranger to public speaking, she was not quite prepared for this, but soon enough she finds herself.
>"Thank you, everyone, for being here. I'm a little unprepared. I knew I'd be celebrating my birthday today, but I had no idea of the scope and the scale of what has taken form here. So, with thanks to Amy Flame, my partner, my sweetheart, the love of my life, the wonderful, beautiful person who made it all happen, please join me in indulging and celebrating that I have such an amazing life that it can have moments, and people, like these in it."
>"Let's party!!" 