Chapter 18 - A BIRTHDAY REDONE
Three months after the cake incident, Maya asked Lily what she wanted for her birthday redo.
Grant suggested ponies.
Julian suggested renting the children’s wing of a museum.
Rachel suggested something normal.
Lily wanted pancakes.
“Pancakes?”
Maya asked.
“And strawberries.”
“Anything else?”
“Balloons.”
Grant leaned forward.
“How many?”
Lily spread her arms.
“A lot.”
So Vale House hosted the least sophisticated event in its hundred-year history.
There were pancakes.
Strawberries.
Too many balloons.
A rented bounce house.
Paper crowns.
Face painting.
No reporters.
No business partners.
No people invited because their presence looked impressive.
Maya personally made Lily’s cake.
It was pink.
Rachel stared at it.
“You sure about that?”
Maya smiled.
“Very.”
When Maya carried it outside, Lily gasped.
There were five candles this time.
Grant lit them.
Julian dimmed the garden lights.
Everyone sang.
Lily closed her eyes and made a wish.
Then she opened them.
“Mommy.”
“Yes?”
“You blow one too.”
“It’s your birthday.”
“I know.”
Lily pointed to the cake.
“But you didn’t get to last time.”
Maya felt her throat tighten.
She bent down beside her daughter.
Together, they blew out the candles.
Grant turned away to hide tears.
Rachel didn’t bother hiding hers.
After the children ran toward the bounce house, Julian approached Maya.
“You look different.”
Maya glanced down at her simple summer dress.
“I’m wearing the same shoes I wore last year.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
She knew.
For the first time in years, Maya no longer scanned a room to determine Richard’s mood.
She didn’t adjust her voice before speaking.
She didn’t calculate whether a joke might offend someone.
She didn’t apologize for taking up space.
“What happens to Richard?”
Julian asked.
“His case is still moving.”
“And Olivia?”
“The same.”
“Adrian?”
“Likely worse.”
Julian nodded.
Maya looked toward Grant playing with Lily beneath a balloon arch.
“I thought finding out who I was would answer everything.”
“Did it?”
“No.”
“It just gave me better questions.”
Julian smiled.
“That sounds healthier.”
Maya touched the orchid ring.
“I spent my whole life thinking this was proof of where I came from.”
“Maybe it is.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“It’s proof my mother kept me alive long enough to decide where I’m going.”
Across the lawn, Lily shouted.
“Mommy.”
Maya turned.
“Grandpa cheated.”
Grant protested immediately.
“I did not cheat.”
“You took two pancakes.”
“That’s not cheating.”
“That’s breakfast.”
Maya laughed.
The sound surprised even her.
It was loud.
Uncontrolled.
Happy.
May you like
Nobody told her to lower her voice.
—
