After all these years

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"Mommy! Wake up! Wake up!" Maddie yelled with excitement in her voice.

Aria softly turned around with a smile on her face. "I heard it's someone's birthday today."

"Yes! Mine!" Maddie yelled waking up Ezra.

"Birthday pancakes?"

"Duh." Maddie giggled.

"I can't believe my baby is five years old." She said getting up.

"Are you getting taller or am I shrinking?" Aria said with a serious face at first then laughed.

"Here you go baby." She handed her the pancakes once they finished.

"We have a surprise for you." Aria whispered to Maddie.

"Really? What is it?"

"It's such a surprise that I don't even know! We have to go to aunty Hanna's to find out."

"Okay let's go now!" Maddie squealed pulling Aria by her hand.

"In a bit." She smiled as Maddie frowned.

The morning was filled with laughter,
pancakes, and surprisingly confetti.

"Are you ready?" Aria asked walking up to Hanna's door.

She quickly nodded and her mouth dropped open in amazement when the door opened.

They quickly rushed her outside the back door.

To her right was a Ferris wheel and to her left was a candy buffet.

"All this..." Maddie started walking around.

"For me?

"Yes, yes all for you." Aria asked teary eyed.

"Go, go play!" Hanna clapped as Maddie's
preschool friends.

"She starts kindergarten on Monday."

"I know I'm so scared." Aria said to Ezra.

Line break.

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!! Happy birthday dear Maddie! Happy birthday to you." Everyone sang to her as she blew the candles out on her stitch cake.

"Did you make a wish?"

"Yes mommy."

The rest of the night was filled with laughter and music.

"I'm so tired." Aria said stumbling into the apartment.

Ezra was carrying Maddie inside when Aria suddenly fell to the ground.

He quickly laid Maddie on the couch and rushed over to Aria's side and called 911.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"Quick it's my fiancé. S-She just passed out."

"Sir is she breathing?"

"No."

"Do you know CPR?"

"I think so."

"Okay start the compressions. Somebody will be right over."

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6..."

"Baby open your eyes. Please wake up. Please"