I looked at Cronus. “Birthday party in the underworld?”
This party was for Titans and magical family, then next week we were having a human playmate beach party, so I guess this could work.
Cronus nodded. “I’ll be right back.”
He zapped out of the room with Hyperion, both of them returning with the cake, food, and presents piled high in their arms.
“Prezzies!” Tallie cooed, reaching for one.
That was when a shimmering energy beyond the veil caught my attention. I turned to find both of my mothers stepping into sight.
“I can open the veil for two minutes every twenty minutes.” Thanatos consulted his watch and I nodded. That should be good enough to appease her, and she could finally meet my moms.
He snapped his fingers and the curtains parted, revealing my mom and Selene, standing there in all their beautiful glory, smiles on their faces.
“Grandmas!” Tallie bucked in my arms and kicked off my chest,flyingacross the room.
My stomach lurched into my throat as my daughtersailedacross the space.
“Cronus. She’s flying.”
“I see that.” He didn’t sound as concerned as he should. My mom opened her arms and Tallie landed right in them as we all held our breath.
“Will she be okay?” I asked Thanatos. Technically, she was inside the underworld.
He nodded. “I’m holding the space for her.”
Relief crashed into me.
“I’ve been looking after you,” my mom told Tallie, kissing her on the nose.
Tallie nodded. “I see grandmas in my dreams.”
Whoa.
She reached for Selene then, and tears filled my eyes as I stumbled forward.
“Mom,” I croaked.
My mother looked up at me, and the pride in her face had those tears spilling over. “She’s perfect, just like you,” she told me, and I rushed into her arms.
We held each other for a few moments before Thanatos cleared his throat. “I need to close it for a bit.”
I nodded. “We’ll be back soon,” I told my moms. “We’ll wait to singHappy Birthdayand cut the cake.”
They nodded. Tallie seemed to understand. She leapt off of Selene’s chest and flew over to me, causing me to dart another worried look at Cronus.
My fucking baby was flying! But before I could say anything about it, the veil closed and Koios and Crius walked in, both wearing their babies in carriers on their chests, Rhea right behind them with Hound.
“You mind if we take over your office for a bit?” I asked Thanatos.
He shook his head. “Not at all. As long as you have cake to share…”
I grinned, eyeing the three-tier cake with theStarry Nighttheme Tallie wanted. “Plenty to share.”
As the adults talked, Tallie played with her “babies” on a blanket, and we took breaks to visit with the grandmas. Having my daughter’s first birthday between this world and the underworld wasn’t normal, but nothing ever was in our lives.
Later that night, I placed my passed-out daughter in her bed.
