Choruses of happy birthday fill the air. I am dragged away from El before I can kiss her back or utter a reply. I was so worried she would forget about today I forgot it myself. Mother nudges me with her hip and grins. Well played. Even the girls were in on it.
Joshua claps my arm. “Happy birthday, brother.” This idiot. He called me during the day and didn’t wish me anything. “Many happy returns.”
We cheers to my new age and Bren pulls me to the living room where the real party is happening. The place has been redecorated. There are balloons tied to the wall, a table with a bigger cake on it and the words, “Happy Birthday, my love” written on it.
There’s another cake. Well, there are three more cakes. Instead of my love, one has son, the other has brother and the last one has Daddy written on it. A cake from each of the most important people in my lives. My wife. My kids. My brother and my parents. I take a minute to compose myself to stop the tears that want to make a shameless appearance. Today is a day to be happy and merry.
The joy in my heart is too much for words to accurately describe it. I move around the parlour, smiling at everyone like I am the guest in my house.
El waves me over when it is time to make a toast and Joshua, the appointed DJ stops the music. She raises her glass of juice. While we get champagne, she and the girls get juice in a wine glass so they feel among. I place a hand above her butt and she gives me that warning look like it has ever stopped me. She’s the best thing that has happened to me. She gave me the second best things that have ever happened to me. And she’s about to give me more.
“Happy birthday to my husband.” Her eyes water, she dabs the under of her eyes. The people around us fade away when she starts her speech. Nothing else matters but her at that moment. “You used to hate birthdays, you know?” she says with a laugh.
I grin half-heartedly. I used to hate a lot of things until she came and showed me the right way.
“You have grown so much, baby. You have come so far and I can’t help but be proud of the man you have become. You’re a good father to our kids. You’re a good husband to me. You’re a good sibling to your brother. You’re a good son to your parents. I don’t know what else to give you. But I give you my heart over and over again, baby. I’m your ride or die. Your backup plan.” She clinks her glass against mine. “Cheers to thirty-nine.”
We make the toast. There’s another chorus. I sit beside El while the girls fight over whose cake I’ll cut. El’s face contours and she winces. My hand is on her back immediately. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” She doesn’t look okay. “Your sons want me to take a seat.” I feel a pair of eyes on us. Annika, El’s mum and Vincent are watching us. She waves and I wave back. Vincent looks away. We haven’t had a full conversation outside his visits with Brianna. “I hope you’re not mad that he’s here.”
“No.” On the contrary, I’m glad to see him. It might take a while but I think we can be friends or be able to have a civil conversation. My forehead touches hers. “Thank you for pulling this off.” She offers me that smile that’s reserved for only me. “I’m glad to know I’ll be spending the rest of my life with you.”
“I’m glad too.”
A clearing of the throat separates us. Brianna is smiling at us. “Daddy, will you cut our own cake?”
The twins are beside her grinning. El folds her hands above her belly and gives me the puppy eyed look. Fuck. Why are they doing this to me? I roll my shoulders in a shrug and El says, “Choose wisely, baby but don’t forget I’m carrying your kids.”
Brianna groans. The twins frown and I hear my parents laugh. My eyes sought El and she pinches my nose.
“I’m kidding. You have to cut the girls cake.”
My gaze lingers on her face to be sure she means that. She nods. The girls clap. Our parents indulge them by clapping along. Joshua changes the song to a birthday chorus. Lydia comes into the parlour bearing a knife. I accept it and the rest of the family gathers around me. With El by my side, I cut the cake.
Lydia offers me a saucer to place the first slice. Mother settles back to the couch. Father slips his hand into hers.
“Who are you giving your first slice?” Mother asks.
I don’t answer her. Instead, I feed El from the first slice. The girls are not left out either, they all take a bite from the first slice. Lydia disappears with the cake and the song changes. El squeezes my hand. With everyone doing their own thing, no one pays us attention.
Her eyes are closed, she rests her head on my arm. The babies are due in two weeks. “Are you okay?”
“I’m tired.”
My fingers trail the spaces between her cornrows. “You can go up. We will be fine.”
Her head jerks up. “No. I want to be here.”
To avoid an argument, I help her get into a sleeping position on the couch. “If you don’t feel better, you’re going up.” She makes to protest but I shake my head. “It’s not a request, El.” She pouts but I am not buying her tears. “Please, okay? Do it for me.”
“Okay.”
Moments later, she shooes me away so I can mingle with our guests. I accept the glass of wine Joshua offers me. There’s no one at the makeshift DJ stand.
“Is she okay?” He takes a sip from his glass and nods in El’s direction.
“Yeah. Just tired but she doesn’t want to go up.”
From my peripheral view, I see Mother and Annika heading towards El. Mother draws El’s legs onto her lap and Annika rubs Mother shoulders as if to say she did good. Something warm spreads through my chest. It’s a joy watching the silent communication between the three mothers.
“I think she’s okay,” he says.
“I think so too.”
Clarissa takes Joshua’s place after he leaves me to play with the girls. A wrapped gift is under her armpit. She circles the rim of her glass and smiles.
“Happy Birthday, Brandon.”
“Thank you, Clarissa.” Her black hair falls down one shoulder when she laughs. “Thank you for coming.”
We converse for a little while because my focus is on El. The girls are thankfully occupied with Joshua. He let them take control of the stand and the song continues to change at intervals. Though alone with everyone paired, a gentle smile tugs on my lips.
This is my first birthday as an adult. The first I have enjoyed and felt like I belonged in the family. I take one step and stop. Vincent and Clarissa are in one corner of the living room, talking. He laughs and she leans into him to touch his shoulder. It’s weird to hear him laugh. It’s weirder to see him this happy. He notices my stare and excuses himself.
Stopping before me, he empties the content of his glass into his mouth. “Happy Birthday, Brandon.” I smile in reply and he scratches his head. “Brianna invited me and I couldn’t say no.” We are both suffering from the: Please Brianna syndrome. It’s like a self-inflicted penance to make up for the years she lost. “But I asked your wife. She gave me her blessings.”
“Thank you for coming,” I tell him.
The corner of his lips twitches. We stay that way without a word. “I like her,” he murmurs under his breath. At my blatant stare, he motions to Clarissa who is on a phone call. “I think she likes me too. What do you think?”
A foreign but warm feeling stirs in my chest. Vincent’s keen gaze makes me smile. Yeah, we will be friends.
“She’s my wife’s best friend. If you hurt her, you hurt El. And if you hurt El, you hurt me. If you hurt me, you hurt Brianna. If you hurt Brianna–”
“I think I get it.” My brows furrow. Good for both of us then. “I do. She’s off limits. I will respect that.”
I facepalm. How did my subtle warning fly over his head? I shake my head. “No, you don’t get it.” Vincent purses his lips. For a second, I feel like the dumb kid spouting shit. “She’s not off limits until she says so herself. But I’m saying, do not hurt her.” My voice lowers. “If you hurt her, you’re done.”
He throws his hands up in resignation. “Got it. Happy Birthday once more.” A long pause ensues. “We should hang out sometimes.”
“We should,” I murmur. My gaze wanders to Clarissa. “Don’t keep the woman waiting.”
Vincent laughs. “Yeah. Thanks.”
Joshua is back to my side in a heartbeat. “What did he want?” I give him a look. That look that tells him to drop the attitude. I dare to say that Vincent is part of the family now. He is here to stay. The sooner he gets over his hurt, the better for all of us. Brianna needs all her uncles on good terms. “You are too nice,” he says. “Bring back my brother.”
I smack the back of his head and he lets out an exaggerated cry. “I’ll report you to Mother.”
This is the real big baby right here.
The doorbell rings before he acts on his threat and he races to the door to open it. Few seconds of him just staring at whoever is at the door has me heading over. My smile grows at seeing the new guests. Sophia and Joy, the girls’ other doctor.
I nudge Joshua with my elbow and he snaps out of his trance. Joy takes another step inside and Joshua almost trips on his feet trying to collect her suede jacket. Joy’s smile is forced as she steps away from my grinning brother, jacket held tight to her chest.
Right before I walk in to join them, I slap him on his back and tell him, “Get a grip.”
Joshua gives me a thumbs up, staying behind while I go to join the new visitors. Joy and Sophia’s birthday wishes go into one ear and out of the other. I smile at them, accept their gifts and tell them to have fun. The girls assault them with hugs and kisses while I escape to my wife.
Mother is running circles on the heels of El’s feet and Annika is watching. I kneel beside the couch.
“Baby. I think you should go up.”
Her eyes flutter open. “I think so too.”
I help her into a sitting position and she hooks her arms around my neck. She kisses my forehead.
“Happy Birthday, Brandon. Are you enjoying your mini party?”
I reply with a kiss to her jaw. My head rounds to her face when she winces. “What is it?”
“Brandon,” El whispers. My spine goes rigid. At this moment, I wish Mother didn’t excuse herself to check on Father and Annika didn’t excuse herself to check on her grandkids. “Don’t panic, okay?” Don’t tell someone who’s panicking not to panic, it only does the opposite. I nod for her to continue. She takes a deep breath. “I think my water just broke.”