FIRST BIRTHDAY

FIRST BIRTHDAY
Michelle's Pov

I woke up early on the twins' first birthday. One year ago today I gave birth to Hope and James while Elliot was dying in another part of the hospital. One year ago everything was chaos and fear and pain.

But today was different. Today was about celebration.

"Happy birthday babies," I whispered when I went into their room. They were both awake playing in their cribs.

Hope saw me and reached up. "Mama."

My heart melted. She had just started saying mama last week and I could not get enough of it.

"Yes baby," I said picking her up. "Mama is here. And today is your special day."

Hayden came in carrying James. "The birthday boy is awake and ready to party."

We had been planning this party for weeks. I invited everyone who mattered. Clara and Ted. Joycelyn. Agent Walsh. Sarah Martinez. Even Beatrice after a lot of thought.

"Are you sure about inviting my mother?" Hayden asked while we decorated the living room with balloons and streamers.

"Yes," I said. "She's been good these past few months. She deserves to be here."

"Okay," Hayden said. "But if she does anything to upset you she's out."

"Deal," I agreed.

People started arriving around noon. Clara and Ted came first bringing huge presents wrapped in bright paper.

"You didn't have to get them so much," I said.

"Yes we did," Clara said. "They're our godchildren. We're supposed to spoil them."

Joycelyn arrived next with a cake she made herself. It was shaped like a number one and decorated with blue and pink frosting.

"This is beautiful," I said. "You made this?"

"I've been taking baking classes," Joycelyn said. "Therapy suggested I find a hobby. Turns out I'm pretty good at it."

"It's perfect," I said.

Agent Walsh came with her husband and two kids. Sarah Martinez brought her boyfriend. The house filled up with people and noise and laughter.

Then Beatrice arrived. She was carrying two wrapped boxes and looked nervous.

"Thank you for inviting me," Beatrice said. "I know it means a lot."

"You're family," I said. And I meant it. She had proven herself over the past few months. Shown up consistently. Been kind and helpful without overstepping.

"Where are the birthday babies?" Beatrice asked.

I pointed to where Hope and James were playing with Clara on the floor. Beatrice went over and sat down with them.

"Look at you two," Beatrice said. "One year old already. Time flies."

Hayden came up beside me. "You doing okay?"

"Yeah," I said. "This is perfect. Everyone we care about is here. The twins are happy. I'm happy."

"Me too," Hayden said and kissed my cheek.

We ate lunch and then it was time for cake. I brought out the cake Joycelyn made and everyone sang happy birthday. Hope and James just stared at the candles with wide eyes.

"Make a wish babies," I said and helped them blow out the candles.

Everyone clapped and cheered. Hope clapped too even though she did not understand what was happening. James tried to grab the cake with his hands.

"Let me cut it first buddy," Hayden said laughing.

We gave the twins their own small pieces of cake. They made a huge mess getting frosting everywhere. On their faces, in their hair, on their clothes. It was perfect.

"This is the best birthday party ever," Clara said. "Look how happy they are."

"I know," I said. I took a hundred pictures. I wanted to remember every moment of this day.

After cake the twins opened presents. They got so many toys and clothes and books. Hope loved a stuffed elephant Clara gave her. James was obsessed with a toy truck from Ted.

"They're so spoiled," Hayden said. But he was smiling.

"They deserve to be spoiled," I said. "After everything we went through they deserve all the happiness in the world."

Beatrice gave them matching outfits and a photo album filled with pictures of Hayden when he was a baby.

"I thought you might want these," Beatrice said to me. "So the twins can see what their daddy looked like at their age."

"Thank you," I said. "This is really thoughtful."

Sarah Martinez pulled me aside while everyone else was playing with the twins.

"I just wanted to say thank you," Sarah said. "For everything you and Hayden did. Because of you Victor Kane is in prison. Because of you I got justice."

"You got justice because you were brave enough to testify," I said. "That was all you."

"We did it together," Sarah said. "All of us. And now look at where we are. You have this beautiful family. I have a boyfriend who treats me right. We're healing."

"Yeah," I said. "We are."

As the party wound down and people started leaving I looked around at the mess. Wrapping paper everywhere. Toys scattered across the floor. Cake crumbs on the table. It was chaos.

But it was happy chaos. The kind of chaos that came from celebration and love and joy.

"Today was perfect," I told Hayden after everyone left and we were cleaning up.

"It was," Hayden agreed. "The twins had so much fun."

"I can't believe they're already one," I said. "It feels like just yesterday we were bringing them home from the hospital."

"A lot has happened in a year," Hayden said.

"Yeah," I agreed. "But we made it through. We survived."

That night after the twins were asleep I sat in their room and watched them. Hope was curled up with her new stuffed elephant. James was holding his toy truck even in his sleep.

"Happy birthday my loves," I whispered. "Thank you for making me a mom. Thank you for giving me a reason to keep fighting when things got hard."

I thought about everything that happened over the past year. The fear. The running. The danger. But also the love. The strength. The victory.

We beat Victor Kane. We exposed corruption. We got justice for victims. We survived.

And now we had this. A home. A family. A future.