Ted and Helen Tapper had arrived at Jake's apartment only minutes after Heather had gotten there. All of them intent on celebrating the little girl who was an insanely bright light in their lives.
They had missed her more than either of them could explain. When Jake came to them, albeit later on in life, at the age of forty two, telling them Heather was pregnant and he was terrified, they were sure he'd found his one.
Jake never disclosed why they broke up, they knew it's because he didn't know himself. But Heather stayed present in his life. They knew he missed her.
"What's up with you honey? You're awfully quiet," Lauren French mused, walking up to her daughter who was helping Juliet get food from the table.
Lauren brushed her daughters hair behind her ear, smiling softly at her. Despite living in D.C., Heather was so busy her parents barely saw her. They always missed her.
It was only Heather's parents, Jake's parents and Juliet at the small gathering for her. She'd had a birthday party with her friends only days before and now it was her grandparents turn to spend her birthday with her.
Lauren hadn't stopped surveying her daughter since she arrived at Jake's apartment. She was quieter than usual, more hidden than she used to be.
Heather brushed off everyone's worries, but she was struggling. She had tried so hard to be happy for Jake, and she hoped he couldn't see through her, for once.
The thought of him marrying Lucia, being happy with her and starting his own family, it filled her with dread and tore her heart up.
But she wasn't about to talk about that here. Not only was it Christmas Eve, but it was her daughters seventh birthday. And Jake was in earshot.
"Nothing, I'm just really tired. I'm glad of the time off for Christmas," Heather said, forcing a smile and handing the plate to her daughter who turned to her grandmother.
Lauren nodded. She had been looking more tired recently, and skinnier, but she decided not to push the subject. She knew Heather would just retreat into herself and not talk about it.
"You're doing great. Dad and I haven't missed a show since you started," Lauren gushed. She and her husband, Phil French, had been surprised when she came to them at the age of twenty one, wanting to change her major.
She switched to journalism and political science and they never understood why. But when they met Jake two years after she graduated, they knew why.
"Thanks mom... means a lot," Heather smiled, squeezing her mother's hand before Juliet stole her grandmothers attention again.
Lauren took her granddaughter back to the living room when she saw Jake moving away from his parents and back over to Heather.
Beer and wine in hand, he passed the red wine to Heather who smiled softly, leaving out a chuckle and taking it from him. Thanking him before she took her first sip, Heather sighed realising how much she needed this.
"I still remember when you called me, telling me you felt off. To this day, I have never rushed from work so fast in my life," Jake chuckled, eyes on his daughter again, still wishing she was that newborn that he held so close to him.
Heather followed his line of sight, smiling at the sight of her daughter. She couldn't believe how fast the last seven years had gone by.
"A Christmas Eve interview with Barack Obama... and he called on Christmas Day to see how things were going," She laughed softly remembering the conversation Jake had with the former President.
