"Scotty! Where are those candles?" I yell as I rummage through every drawer in the kitchen.
"Right here." He says smugly from behind me, holding the small box in his hand.
"Give me those! I need to get Cason's cake ready."
"Baby, listen to me, calm down. The party doesn't start for a couple of hours. You've made everything perfect. Take a breath."
I sigh, taking a look at the streamers and balloons set up all over our kitchen and living room. Today we are throwing a party for Cason's 5th Birthday. I just want everything to be perfect.
"I just want this to go well. It's our first event we have planned for him."
"I know, and it will. He loves coming to stay with us now, and he'll love the party. He's 5, I think he would be happy with just having the cake and a bundle of balloons to hold on to."
I walk around the kitchen island and step into his arms. "You're right. Did Zoie get the piñata set up?"
"Yes I did." Zoie smiles breezing into the room, dressed in a dark green sweater that makes her eyes really pop and designer jeans that fit her perfectly. In the months since she was finally emancipated she has been a much happier person. It shows in her work too, she's got at least three movies lined up in the coming months. I'm just glad she agreed to stay here, when Cason has his weekends here Zoie treats him just like a little brother.
"Good, and the punch? Oh and the caterer is supposed to be bringing the food around back too."
"Krista, everything will be perfect. Don't worry." Zoie smiles at me as the bell rings.
"That must be Braden!" She grins and rushes to the front door.
I laugh and shake my head. It amazes me that those two are still together. Braden is going to Franklin now so I see him everywhere I turn. Thankfully he's doing much better academically here than he was doing back in Nevada.
"Hi Kate! Bye Kate!" Zoie laughs as she drags Braden by the hand towards the back yard.
"Well ok then." Kate says as she comes around the corner holding onto Will's hand. I can't believe he's walking now.
"Hey there little man!" I bend down to his level. "Are you ready for some cake?"
"He may be, but I don't know if Mommy and Daddy can handle the sugar rush afterwards." Liam laughs, ruffling Will's hair. "We could always leave him with you after the party." He teases.
"Oh no, I'm already gonna have one sugar monster on my hands."
"Speaking of that monster, is he here yet?" Kate asks.
"Not yet, they should be getting here any time now. We've got everything set up out back. You didn't happen to see the catering truck out there, did you?"
"Afraid not." Kate picks up Will and puts him in Liam's arms before hooking her arm in mine. "Now, tell me what still needs done."
Kate and I walk around putting the finishing touches on tables and double checking goody bags, and when the caterer finally shows up we make sure the food is set up right. By the time we walk back into the kitchen, it looks like everyone is there.
"Hey birthday boy! Are you excited for your party?" I ask a bouncing around Cason.
"Uh huh!" He grins up at me. "Parties are fun!"
I laugh at his excitement and before I know it my backyard is full of other five year olds and so many other people that I lose track of who is who.
"This is truly amazing, Krista, thank you." Brenna comes to stand beside me next to the present table. "I don't think I've ever seen Cason's eyes light up so much."
"We had fun planning it. He's a special little boy."
"He is. He loves you guys, he gets so excited when I tell him he's coming over here for a weekend."
"We love him too, we really do. I think Zoie even does."
She laughs and her eyes track to where Zoie is giving Cason a piggy back ride. "I think the feeling is mutual. I better go get the cake ready so we can sing to him."
I wave as she walks away and go to where Scotty and Liam are standing back observing. "Everything’s going alright, right?"
"It's perfect, babe." Scott smiles, wrapping his arms around me. "Completely perfect."
"You guys did a great job, wanna plan Will's birthday for me?" Liam asks raising an eyebrow.
"No, I'm all party planned out." I laugh.
"Is that even a word?"
I smack Liam's arm. "Yes it is, because I say it is."
He laughs shaking his head as Brenna walks out slowly with the birthday cake.
"I better go help her." Scott says and jogs over, easily taking the train shaped cake out of her hands and carrying it to the table. "Ok everyone! It's time to sing to the birthday boy!" He yells over the chaos. "Come here, Cason."
Cason runs as fast as his little legs will carry him and Scott picks him up to stand in a chair. Everyone joins in on a chorus of "Happy Birthday" and Cason laughs taking it all in before Scott and Brenna cut him off a big slice and get a line going for everyone else.
"Everything good?" Kate asks from beside me.
"It's all perfect." I grin at her. "Birthday parties are fun!"
"Yes, unless they are to celebrate us getting a year older."
I giggle at that and catch Scott's eye motioning for him to meet me to the side. I figure now is as good a time as any to give him the surprise I have for him. "I'll be right back." I tell Kate and bounce over to Scott's side.
"I have a present for you." I whisper in his ear.
"But it's not my birthday."
"I know, but I think you'll love this." I kiss him quickly and pull him inside and up the stairs to our bedroom.
I commissioned Nadia, Ms. Rosalie's granddaughter, to make a larger version of the design on my necklace but add a few more hearts to it, and hung it on our wall. The hearts are all interconnected and range in size from very big to teeny tiny.
"The biggest heart is you, then the next one is me, Zoie, and Cason." I tell Scotty while I point to each heart and give him a tentative smile.
"What about that last one then?" He asks curiously. "There aren't five of us."
I bite my lip. "That's for Cason's little brother or sister."
"Little brother or sister? Are you..."
I nod and grab both his hands. "I'm pregnant, Scotty."
"Really?"
"Really." I squeak when he picks me up and spins me around. "You're happy?" I whisper.
"Extremely." He laughs and spins me again before putting me down. "How far along?"
"A couple months, it took a couple weeks for Nadia to finish this up but I wanted to tell you in a special way."
"I love it baby. Wow, just wow. We have to go tell everyone!"
"Tomorrow. Today is about Cason, let's not take that away from him."
"You're right." He grabs me and gives me a long hard kiss. "I love you, Krista."
"I love you too Scotty." I kiss him again and look up at the hearts on the wall. They represent so much and I can't wait to give a name to the tiniest of hearts.
I place my hand over my stomach and look over at Scotty. "Do you think we can go back out there and not alert the media about our little secret?"
"I don't know how long I can keep it a secret but I'll try." Scott grins as he bends to place a soft kiss on my belly. "Now, when you tell your mom, it'll probably get around quick. No media needed."
I sigh. "The Georgia grapevine works in mysterious ways." I grab his hand and start pulling him back out of our room. "Do we have room in our hearts for another?" I ask him quietly.
"Lots and lots baby."
"Good. Now let’s go enjoy that party! Let's just hope Cason isn't too crazy afterwards."
"A five year old with sugar in his system, crazy? Nah."
I smack his arm and walk back down the stairs with him. "You are crazy, Scott Adams, but I love you for it."
"I love you too, and all those hearts on the wall."
He quickly rubs my belly before grabbing my hand and walking back into our happy, crazy little world together.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
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