Birthday Celebration
Remi's POV
The house was bustling with activity, far more than usual. The kids were running around, laughing, hiding behind corners, and trying their best not to give away the surprise. Cedric was in the kitchen, mumbling to himself as he prepared something Rowan would never expect. Callum stood off to the side, looking unusually serious, his gaze drifting to Jo every few seconds—though they both tried to pretend the awkward tension didn’t exist. I’d given up on them.
Those two... nothing could be done to fix their odd standoff.
Still, it was hard not to smile when I watched the kids play. Larry was trying to teach Laura how to sneak around the house quietly, but it wasn’t working. She giggled every time she tiptoed, and it was impossible to keep the surprise under wraps with her around.
I could hear the muffled sound of Rowan’s car pulling up outside. I checked my watch, my heart racing. The plan had been set. The kids had worked so hard on their part, and now, it was time to execute. This was for him. Rowan deserved to be surprised, especially after everything that had happened.
“Alright, everyone!” I whispered, a little too loudly as I glanced over at Cedric. “Get into position.”
Callum and Jo shot each other a look, and even though they were avoiding one another, I could see the little exchange—something unspoken between them, like old wounds healing but never quite disappearing.
Rowan’s footsteps grew closer, and I could feel the weight of anticipation in the air. The twins ran to their hiding spots behind the couches and furniture, and even Cedric, who had been preparing the dinner, backed away from the kitchen with a grin on his face.
The door creaked open, and Rowan’s voice called out.
“Remi? What’s going on?”
I couldn’t hold it in anymore. With a wide grin plastered across my face, I jumped out from behind a wall. “Surprise!”
Rowan froze in the doorway. His eyes scanned the room in confusion before landing on me, his expression a mix of disbelief and curiosity.
I smiled even wider, arms spread out. “Happy Birthday, Rowan!”
His jaw dropped. “Wait, what? My birthday?”
I nodded. “Yes, your birthday. We’ve been planning this for weeks. I know you don’t make a big deal out of it, but we couldn’t let it go unnoticed.”
The kids popped up from behind furniture, yelling, “Happy Birthday, Daddy!” Their excitement was contagious, and even though I could tell Rowan was shocked, his eyes softened as he watched them. His lips twitched, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he laughed—a soft, genuine laugh that made me feel lighter than I had in weeks.
Callum, of all people, walked forward and handed Rowan a small gift. “From me,” he said, but his voice wasn’t as cold as usual. It had softened, the old hostility still there but buried under the weight of time and... okay I don't know what to say. Just took excited to reason.
Rowan took the gift and raised an eyebrow. “What is this? You actually got me something?”
Callum shrugged. “Don’t get used to it.”
I couldn't help but laugh. “Men.”
Jo, who had been quietly watching from the corner, finally stepped forward. “I couldn’t miss this, either,” she said, her voice warm but still distant from Callum. She handed him a simple cake she had helped decorate, the frosting a little uneven but filled with love.
Rowan looked between us all, the grin on his face spreading. He turned back to me. “I didn’t even know you were planning this. I even forgot something called a birthday existed.”
“Well, I thought you deserved it,” I said softly, stepping closer to him. “We’ve been through a lot, Rowan. But now, I want us to celebrate what’s ours. The kids. The love we’ve built. You.”
His eyes flickered, and he stepped forward, pulling me into a tight embrace. His voice dropped to a whisper. “Thank you. I don’t think I’ve ever had a birthday like this. I don’t think I’ve ever truly felt... like this was home.”
The twins rushed over, pulling at his legs, and he laughed again, lifting them up one by one. His arms wrapped around me as the kids giggled and squirmed in his embrace.
But then, with a chuckle, he looked at me. “Wait, you’re not pulling some joke on me, are you? Some hidden camera thing?”
“No,” I said, teasingly. “It’s all real. No cameras. Just you, me, the kids, and a really crappy cake.”
He chuckled, glancing over at Jo’s creation. “I’ll take it. But next time, maybe we can make it look a little less like... a work of art in distress?”
Jo grinned. “I’ll do better next year. Maybe.”
“Well, thank you,” Rowan said. He looked down at the gift from Callum and raised his brows. “A present. Wow. What’s this?”
Callum looked at him and shrugged. “It’s just a little something. Don’t get used to it.”
Rowan carefully opened the box, finding a simple silver watch inside. “It’s... it’s beautiful, Callum. Thank you. Honestly.”
“Don’t mention it,” Callum said, his voice now almost warm. “It’s the least I could do.”
For a moment, I just watched, taking in the entire room—the people who were here for him, who cared for him. The awkwardness between Callum and Jo had almost dissolved completely. The kids were happily fighting over who got to sit on his lap. Even Cedric had relaxed, grinning from ear to ear as he watched the scene unfold.
And for the first time in a long time, I felt peace.
Rowan’s eyes met mine again. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt more... loved.” His voice was low, almost breaking. “Thank you. For everything.”
I smiled, unable to hold back the tears. “You’re welcome. You deserve all of this, Rowan. Every bit of it.”
The room fell quiet for a moment, but only for a second. The kids began to argue about who would get the first piece of cake. Rowan turned to look at them, his face soft with love, before looking back at me.
“You know, I don’t need much. I’ve had it all. I have you. And I have them.”
He pointed at the kids. “That’s all that matters.”
And
for once, I couldn’t disagree with him.
We had everything.
And it was enough.
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