Julian's POV
Elise’s first birthday party ended after ten. The last guests left with leftover cake in paper bags. The rooftop still smelled like grilled meat and citronella. I carried Elise downstairs, her head heavy on my shoulder, sticky fingers curled in my shirt collar. Nadia followed with the diaper bag and a half-empty bottle of rosé.
We put Elise down without a fight. She was out the second her back hit the mattress. I stood in the doorway watching her chest rise and fall while Nadia turned off the baby monitor in the hall.
“Cleanup can wait,” she said.
We went to the living room instead. Couch. Lights low. She kicked off her sandals and tucked her legs under her. I opened the wine again and poured two glasses.
“To one year of chaos,” I said.
She clinked. “To survive it.”
We
