Chapter 20: The Birthday Table
1031 Words
OLIVIA POV
"Mommy. You did the banner!"
Nathaniel was in the doorway with his Pajamas. Hair everywhere, Eyes wide.
"Every year," I said.
He looked at the balloons. The banner. The gifts at his place. Then back at me.
"Is it the blueberry ones?"
"Go ask Madam Chen."
He was gone before I finished the sentence.
"Madam Chen's voice carried from the kitchen. "Blueberry or plain?"
"Blueberry!"
"Both," I called after him.
Madam Chen appeared in the doorway looking at me.
"Both," she confirmed quietly.
"Both," I said.”
"He came back in carrying his juice with both hands, concentrating so hard he didn't look up.
"Careful," I said.
"I got it." He set it down without spilling. Looked up proudly.
"You got it," I said.
He grinned and climbed onto his chair.”
I had been up since five. Same as every year. Banner cut and painted three nights ago. His favorite colors. Blue and yellow. Balloons tied before six. Gifts wrapped and arranged before seven.
I straightened a balloon that didn't need straightening.
Three days left and this was the last birthday morning I would do this in this house. I had known it since I pressed send on the lawyer's email. I just hadn't said it out loud yet.
I straightened another balloon.
Then I went to have breakfast with my son.
Guests arrived at noon.
The house filled up fast. Board families. Sterling associates. Kids running everywhere. Adults discussing and laughing at the right moments, asking the right questions.Exchanging pleasantries
I moved through all of it. Catering. Children. Conversations that needed managing.
Blake was near the garden doors with Aria.
White dress. Hair down. Warm smile for everyone who walked past.
Sandra willie stopped in front of them.
"Wonderful party Blake." She smiled at Aria. "And you are?"
"A family friend," Blake said.
"I've known the family for years," Aria added.
Sandra looked between them. Then across the room at me.
"Olivia always makes these events so special," she said carefully.
Blake glanced at me.
"She does," he said.
He turned back to Aria.
"I watched Aria laugh at something Blake said. Her hand touched his arm briefly. Blake didn't move it away.
Lorenzo appeared beside me.
"The Singapore resolution," he said quietly. "The board appreciated how that was handled."
"Blake handled it."
He looked at me. "Did he."
I picked up a glass from the passing tray. "Enjoy the party Lorenzo."
He watched me walk away.”
I went to check on the cake.
"Photographer wants everyone at the table," Madam Chen said quietly.
"Give me a minute."
She touched my arm,then left.
I started moving toward the head of the table.
"Olivia." The board member's wife appeared at my elbow. "The nut allergy — my son"
"Left side of the dessert table. Everything there is safe."
"You're a lifesaver honestly."
When I turned back Aria was in my chair.
She just moved into the space while I was handling someone else and Blake had shifted for her the way he always shifted for her and Nathaniel was already climbing into the seat beside her.
I walked to the seat further down.
"You must be so proud," the board member's wife said beside me.
"Every day," I said.
The photographer looked through his lens.
Blake had his hand on the back of Aria's chair.
Nathaniel was leaning into her side.
I smiled at the camera.
"The photographer lowered his camera.
"Beautiful family," he said to the room.
Nobody corrected him.”
"Blake looked at the shot on the camera screen.
"Good," he said. "Send it to my assistant."
Aria leaned over to look. "I love it."
Nathaniel pushed between them. "Can I see? Can I see?"
Blake lifted him up without being asked.
I watched the three of them looking at the screen together.
I turned away first.”
The candles went on.
The room went quiet.
Nathaniel squeezed his eyes shut. Both fists on the table. Completely serious the way he was always completely serious about wishes.
I watched him from down the table.
He kept his eyes shut for a long moment.
Then he opened them.
And turned to Aria.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her down and whispered in her ear. She laughed and pulled him into a hug and pressed her face into his hair.
"That's a really good wish," she said.
Blake watched them.
His whole face changed.
Not the boardroom face. Not the performance. Something real and open and warm that reached all the way into his heart.
I had never seen that face.
Not once in our years of marriage.
I picked up my glass.
Took a sip.
"Are you alright?" the woman beside me asked quietly.
"Perfect," I said. "Just happy for him."
She looked at me a second too long.
"She leaned slightly closer. "You know you don't have to smile if you don't want to."
"I know," I said.
I smiled anyway.”
I excused myself.
I went to the cold marble counter.
My face in the mirror.
I stood there and waited for the feeling that usually came in these moments. The grief and anger,The desperate need to talk myself back into the room.
Nothing came.
Just quiet.
I straightened my dress.
Checked my face.
Walked back out.
Three days and the pain will lessen.
Guests left by seven.
Nathaniel was asleep on the sofa before eight. Still in his birthday shirt. One shoe on. I carried him upstairs and tucked him in.
"Mommy?" Half asleep.
"I'm here baby."
"Did you have fun?"
I looked at his face. His dark hair. His eyes barely open.
"Yes," I said. "I had fun."
"Good." He turned over. "Love you."
"I love you too."
I sat there until his breathing went all the way down.
Then I went to the bedroom.
Blake and Aria's voices laughing loudly from the garden.
I opened the laptop.
Typed the address.
Subject line— Contract expiration — next steps.
Typed what I needed. Read it once and Pressed send.
Closed the laptop.
Went back to Nathaniel's doorway.
Stood there in the dark and listened to him breathe.
Three days to go...
- Writer
