Holly blows Claire a kiss, and we leave the birthday girl with the teens. In the kitchen, Poppy is putting the finishing touches on the cupcakes. I don’t know how she pulled this whole party off while already being back to work and having a four-month-old, but the woman is a star.
“Claire.” Poppy turns from the stacks of pink-iced cupcakes and goes right to my woman. She folds her in a hard hug, and they rock back and forth even though they just saw each other literally four days ago. As soon as they release the hug, Poppy starts talking about a photo booth they got Tank to set up. I see the poor prospect out in the yard wearing a “The Birthday Girl Is My Boss” T-shirt and playing with what I can only assume is said photo booth. As the women rush past me toward the yard, Poppy kisses my cheek. “Oh, and hi to you, Savage.”
I’m no Claire, but at least I merit a hello. I wanderoutside with them, where Blade, Viper, Shadow, and Stella are chatting around a cooler. I grab a beer and look around the happy, festive scene.
I have to do a neck-wrenching double take when I see Phantom, his shirt back on, walking into the yard wearing their daughter Lilly in some kind of kangaroo wrap on his chest.
I lift a brow at him, and he grunts. “This was the only way to keep the girls from putting one of those damn crowns on the kid’s head.”
I snort, fully doubting that’s the only reason he’s wearing his kid on his chest. Something about having another daughter has loosened Phantom up even more when he’s not at the compound. It’s nice seeing him like this. It shows me what life could be possible for me and Claire and Aurora and whoever else belongs in our small family.
Jax, Poppy’s son, and a bunch of his friends are swimming in Phantom’s pool, and I see Holly and Corbin, or whoever he is, holding hands, while Daisy tries to help Aurora walk in her brand-new birthday sandals across the grass. I’ll give it to Daisy. That glitter crown has made it more than ten minutes, which is ten more minutes than I predicted it would last.
I take a sip of my beer and look over my friends gathered together, when I feel Claire slip her hand into mine. “Come with me?” she says, asking it like a question.
I follow her back into the house, and we head toward the front door. Claire motions for me to open it.
When I open the door, I’m momentarily struck speechless, but the feeling wears off quickly. “Hey, Mom.” I welcome Mom into Phantom’s house with a hug.
She kisses my cheeks, then takes Claire in a long, warm embrace. “Thank you so, so much for inviting me.” Mom’s carrying a large gift bag, which I assume is for Aurora, and a gorgeous bouquet of flowers for Poppy.
This isn’t the first time Mom has met the crew. Over the last six months, we’ve invited her here for a couple of cookouts. Neutral territory where we can chat and get to know each other again without the pressure of being alone.
As much as I want to rebuild a relationship with my mother, it’s still raw. It’s been probably the slowest part of my life to change in the last few months. But with all the other changes, I’d say reconnecting after twelve years is more than enough. We have, I hope, the rest of our lives to make up for lost time.
I won’t go visit my old man, though. Mom and I have discussed it, and she is certain that my pops is in no shape to even recognize me. Without some kind of closure like I’m getting with my mom, I honestly think seeing my dad would only make things worse for me.
He’s been dead to me for twelve years.
Some ghosts are better left in the ground.
Maybe I’ll change my mind someday, but I doubt it.
Raising Aurora and having a child in my life has only made me angrier at him.
Every time I picture myself at Aurora’s age, and I think of the way my dad treated me, with the hatred and violence, I know I’ll never be able to forgive him. Not that he’s capable of asking for it.
Mom, Poppy, and Claire talk with Violet in the kitchen while I keep an eye on Daisy and Aurora, all the while marveling at how they found a baby wrap big enough to fit Phantom’s enormous torso.
We eat, sing happy birthday, open gifts, and I even bust Corbin twice for trying to sneak a kiss on Holly before Phantom sees a thing.
Blade’s kid doesn’t come after all. I don’t know what happened, but Blade looks pretty shaken up. He’s drinking more than I’d expect at a kids’ party, but I don’t pry. He’s staring at Stella like she hung the moon.
I don’t think she’s interested in him, but like all of us, she’s caring. Blade needs a woman who can fill the void left by his ex. I don’t think Stella’s that woman, but I’m glad he’s got someone to talk to—especially when he’s looking so low.
“Future looks bright, eh, man?” Shadow starts talking business, and by the time I realize how long we’ve been chatting, Claire slides underneath my arm.
“Excuse me for interrupting,” she says, grinning at us. “But I’d like to pry our child away from Daisy and use that photo booth before it gets dark.”
I lean down and kiss the top of her head, then lumber over to Daisy. “Urgent mission,” I tell her. “Birthday pictures.” I nod at Daisy, and she looks at me seriously.
“I’m on it,” she says. She picks up Aurora and hands her to me, then tells me not to take any pics until she’s back with a surprise.
I head over to the photo booth, where Claire is waiting. She wipes something off Aurora’s cheek with a wet finger and smooths down her dress. Tank gives us the thumbs-up, but I tell him we’re waiting for Daisy.
Daisy comes back with the world’s most obscenely loud squeaky mouse. She squeezes it with her full strength, and Aurora laughs so hard, I can feel her fart in her diaper. Not cool, but also really cute.
“She loves this one,” Daisy shouts over the squeaking. “Tank, take the pics.”
