Her Redemption

19. Birthday

Today is my sons birthday.

Tommy is turning one year old.

How did the year go by so fast?

A year ago, my life was completely different. I was in a hopeless marriage giving birth alone at the hospital to Tommy. My mom was there but Enrique was not. He was in surgery for a patient and said I'd do just fine without him. I should've known then that it would've never worked. I should've left before everything got worse.

"Mama!"

I look down seeing Tommy crawl on the floor to me in the kitchen. I put the spoon on the counter and bend down opening my arms "oh my baby! Look at you! You're so handsome." I pick him up giving him a chaste kiss on his chunky cheeks. I'm forever grateful he looks like me, besides the bright blue eyes that are his fathers. I would've been heartbroken if I spent nine months baking him inside of me to look like Enrique.

Tommy is wearing a white onsie with a blue bowtie around his neck. Blue denim shorts and white vans. His blonde hair is combed back. He smiles at me with his four little teeth sticking out and pulls on my braid. "Mama" he puts my hair in his mouth trying to eat it. He's teething like crazy at the moment. I pull my braid back "that doesn't taste very good baby"

I grab a carrot teeth that I just washed that I left next to the sink and give it to him "this tastes much better." He takes it gleefully, shoving into his mouth without a care in the world.

"You like it?" Bryan asks as he smiles walking over to us. He dressed Tommy up for me today. He said that I needed a break since I've been cooking and cleaning and baking since yesterday evening.

"I love it baby thank you, you're the best." I peck his lips and pull away as he pecks my forehead.

"Everyone is almost here too. They just texted me." He goes to the fridge taking out the platter of food and starts placing them in bowls.

Bryan is seriously the best... he helps me cook. He helps me clean. He helps me with Tommy. He's literally the most perfect guy...

It's weird. I've known him most of my life, and now is when I realize what an awesome person he is. He's just so... selfless.

I'm not use to it at all. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. Sometimes I think it's too good to be true.

A doorbell rings taking me out of my thoughts "oh! That must be grandma, let's go see."
I walk to the front door with my baby on my hip and open it engulfed with balloons of all colors and a wagon filled with toys, my mom struts in the house singing happy birthday. Tommy giggles, clapping his hands together, the carrot teether long forgotten.

My siblings walk in after her singing along with my mom.

"Oh my gosh I love the theme!" Ana squeals hugging me and then giving a chaste kiss on Tommy's forehead.

I put white, blue, and silver balloons around the living room and a banner that says MR.ONEDERFUL. The cupcakes have little mustaches on them and there's a white tepee with twinkling star lights around it and toys to play with inside.

I wanted to have his close family here today to celebrate his first birthday. Our family may be small, but family is family.

I invited Enrique to let him know it's his sons birthday but he didn't answer. With him getting arrested and then posting bail, he hasn't tried speaking to me since. I took off the temporary restraining order too. We'll be finalizing the divorce soon, which I'm super thankful for, I just don't know when the date is. I also applied for full custody, which mostly I will get too.