I cross the room and sit on the floor next to her. She climbs into my lap immediately, shoving a new stuffed animal in my face.
"Dragon," she announces.
"I see that. Very fierce."
"Like Dada."
Claire laughs from across the room. "Daddy's not fierce, baby. He's a big softie."
"Am not," I protest.
"Are too. I've seen you cry at insurance commercials."
"That was one time."
"It was three times."
"They were very emotional commercials."
Sophia pats my cheek with her small hand. "It otay, Dada. I cry too."
Everyone laughs and I pull her closer, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Yeah. This is worth everything. Every scar, every nightmare, every moment of doubt that I'd never get to have something good.
This is worth it all.
The party is small. Casey shows up with his wife and daughter. A few neighbors. Tom from the community center with his kids. Claire's best friend from her remote work team who drove up from the city.
We eat cake, the disaster cake that Sophia declares is "the best cake ever, Dada", and sing happy birthday and watch Sophia blow out her candles with way too much help.
As the sun starts to set, people drift away. Claire's parents are the last to leave.
"Thank you for coming," Claire says, hugging them both at the door.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," her mother says. She turns to me. "And Nash? The cake was perfect."
"It was lopsided."
"It was made with love. That's all that matters."
After they leave, Claire and I tackle the cleanup while Sophia crashes hard on the couch, clutching her new dragon, frosting smeared on her face.
"Good party?" Claire asks, loading the dishwasher.
"Great party."
"Sophia had fun."
"She did."
"You did too."
I look over at her. "How do you know?"
"Because you smiled more today than you have all month." She comes over and wraps her arms around my waist. "You were happy."
"I'm always happy with you."
"Liar. You're grumpy with me at least forty percent of the time."
