Chapter 9 - The Second Birthday
Spring arrived, melting the snow and bringing bright green grass and yellow daffodils to our backyard.
It was May, and Fiona was turning three.
We decided to host her birthday party at our new cottage. There were no private dining rooms, no formal crystal glasses, no tension, and no speeches meant to humiliate.
Just pink balloons tied to the wooden porch railing, a long table covered in paper flowers, homemade strawberry cupcakes, and the sound of children laughing on the grass.
Kelly arrived early with her children, carrying a large box of party favors. Rachel brought a massive homemade chocolate cake decorated with bright yellow icing.
At two o'clock, a simple sedan pulled up to the curb.
Luca stepped out of the car. He was wearing clean jeans and a simple blue sweater. He carried a large, wrapped present under his arm. He looked healthy, tan, and confident in a quiet, humble way.
He walked up the driveway, smiling warmly at Kelly and Rachel before walking over to where I stood near the patio table.
“Happy Birthday party, Jessi,” Luca said gently. “The yard looks beautiful.”
“Thanks, Luca,” I smiled. “She’s over by the sandbox.”
Luca walked across the grass and knelt down beside Fiona.
Fiona looked up, her face lighting up with a bright, genuine smile. “Daddy!”
She threw her little arms around his neck. Luca held her tight, closing his eyes as he kissed her cheek, holding a small wooden dollhouse he had built for her by hand in his spare time over the past month.
“I built this for you, Fiona,” Luca whispered, setting the dollhouse on the grass. “Every piece.”
Fiona gasped in delight, touching the tiny wooden windows. “Look, Mommy! Staw-baby house!”
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I laughed from the porch, feeling a deep, warm sense of peace wash over me.
Luca looked up at me from the grass, offering a soft, grateful nod. There was no bitterness between us anymore, no lingering resentment—just two people who had found their proper places as co-parents, bound by the love for our child.
