Chapter 412
Athena
I looked at Adrian in my arms, then at Arianna in Tristan’s.
They’d grown so much–both walking now (well, Arianna walked, Adrian preferred to crawl at high speed). Both babbling constantly in their own twin language that we couldn’t quite decipher. Both
showing more personality every single day.⚫
They were everything I’d ever wanted and so much more than I’d
dared to hope for.
“I can’t believe it’s been a year,” I said softly.
“The longest and shortest year of my life,” Tristan agreed.
“Remember that first night home from the NICU?”
“When we had no idea what we were doing and Ari cried for three
hours straight?” I laughed. “How could I forget?”
“Or when Adrian got his first cold and we called Dr. Chen at two
in the morning in a panic?”
“Or when Ari first crawled and we realized we needed to baby-
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proof everything immediately?”
“Or when Adrian took his first steps last month and we both cried
more than he did?”
We stood there, remembering all the moments–the scary ones,
the joyful ones, the exhausting ones, the miraculous ones. All of it
had led to this. To right here, right now, surrounded by family and
friends on a beautiful October afternoon.
“Okay everyone!” Orion’s voice rang out. “Food’s ready! Come get
it before it gets cold!”
The next hour passed in a blur of eating and talking and
laughing. Adrian sat in his high chair, methodically demolishing a hot
dog while Arianna alternated between eating and trying to feed
pieces of her burger to everyone within reach.
Finally, mercifully, it was cake time.
We gathered everyone around the birthday table, Sarah lighting
the single candles on each cake while Tristan and I positioned the
twins in their high chairs.
“Ready?” Sarah asked. “One, two, three!”
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Everyone sang “Happy Birthday,” a slightly off–key but
enthusiastic chorus that made both babies‘ eyes go wide. Arianna
clapped along, delighted by the attention. Adrian watched the
candles with intense focus, like he was trying to understand the
concept of fire.
“Make a wish,” I whispered to them, though I knew they were too
young to understand.
But I made a wish for them. The same wish I’d been making since
the day they were born–that they would be healthy, happy, safe, and
loved.
That they would grow up knowing how special they were, gifts
and all. That they would have the courage to be themselves and the
wisdom to know they were never alone.
Tristan helped them blow out the candles–more like he blew
them out while Adrian grabbed at the smoke and Arianna tried to
stick her finger in the frosting.
Then chaos as cake was distributed and smash cakes were placed
in front of the twins.
Arianna dove in immediately, hands–first, getting blue frosting
everywhere–in her hair, on her face, somehow up her nose. She
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laughed the entire time, delighted by the mess.
Adrian approached his cake more cautiously, poking it experimentally before carefully picking up a piece and studying it. Then, apparently deciding it was acceptable, he shoved the entire piece in his mouth.
Photos were taken. So many photos. From every angle. Sarah had even hired a professional photographer who circled the party
capturing candid moments.
As the afternoon wore into evening and guests started to leave,
hugging us goodbye and promising to visit soon, I felt a deep sense of
contentment settle over me.
Orion and Sarah stayed to help clean up, of course. Derek and
Kiara too, despite our protests that they’d already done enough.
The twins had been bathed and changed into pajamas, both now
dozing in their play yard while the adults worked around them.
“Today was perfect,” Sarah said, tying off a garbage bag. “They’re
going to love looking at these photos when they’re older.”
“If we survived their first year, we can survive anything,” Orion joked.
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“Don’t jinx it,” I warned. “We still have the terrible twos to get
through.”
“One crisis at a time,” Tristan said, wrapping his arms around me
from behind.
Finally, blessedly, everyone left. Orion and Sarah retreated to
their side of the house with Lily and Liam. Derek and Kiara headed
home with promises to visit midweek.
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