Setting: It's Issy's first birthday, and Jack and Ariel have planned an adorable (but slightly chaotic) celebration at home. The living room is filled with balloons, presents, and cake—though knowing Jack and Ariel, things are bound to go hilariously off track.
Scene 1: The Morning Madness
The day starts off with a bang—literally. Jack is in the kitchen trying to make pancakes shaped like animals, but he accidentally sets off the smoke alarm. Ariel rushes in, holding Issy, who is staring at her dad with wide eyes.
Ariel: (yelling over the alarm) "Jack! What did you do?!"
Jack: (waving a towel at the smoke) "I was trying to make a giraffe pancake, and it sort of... caught fire."
Issy claps her hands excitedly at the commotion, clearly loving the chaos.
Ariel: (groaning) "She's never going to forget her first birthday being a disaster, is she?"
Jack: (grinning) "It's a memorable disaster. There's a difference."
Scene 2: The Birthday Outfit Dilemma
Ariel is determined to dress Issy in the cutest birthday outfit—a fluffy pink dress with little sparkles. But Issy has other ideas. Every time Ariel tries to put the dress on, Issy squirms and protests.
Ariel: (struggling to put Issy's arms through the sleeves) "Come on, Issy! It's your big day. You have to look cute!"
Issy: (giggling and pulling at the dress) "Nooo!"
Jack: (watching from the couch, amused) "Looks like she's already developing her own sense of fashion."
Ariel: (exasperated) "She's one! She doesn't get to have fashion opinions yet!"
Eventually, Ariel compromises by letting Issy wear the dress for photos and then changing her into something more comfortable for the rest of the day. By the time the photos are taken, Issy has cake smeared all over the fancy dress anyway.
Scene 3: The Cake Catastrophe
The centerpiece of the party is, of course, the cake—a two-layer, pastel-colored confection with "Happy 1st Birthday, Issy!" written in icing. Jack, determined to make this the perfect cake moment, lights the single candle while Ariel holds Issy in her arms.
Jack: (with excitement) "Ready for your first birthday wish, Issy?"
Ariel: "She doesn't even know what a wish is yet."
Jack: "That's what we're here for."
They lean in close to help Issy blow out the candle, but just as they do, Issy reaches out and smacks the cake with her tiny hands, sending frosting flying everywhere.
Ariel: (laughing but also horrified) "Oh my God, Jack, the cake!"
Jack: (covered in frosting but smiling) "Looks like someone was a little too excited for cake time."
Issy squeals with delight, clearly having the time of her life. Ariel and Jack look at each other, knowing that this is the perfect birthday disaster they should've expected.
Scene 4: Issy's First Word Revisited
As they attempt to clean up the cake mess, Issy, sitting in her high chair and still smearing frosting on herself, suddenly looks up at Ariel and says, clear as day:
Issy: "Mom!"
Ariel freezes, touched by the sound of Issy's first word—well, the first word she said around six months old, but it still gets to her every time.
Ariel: (wiping away a tear) "She really knows me, doesn't she?"
Jack: (mock pouting) "What about 'Dad,' huh? When am I gonna hear that?"
Issy: (babbling happily, seemingly ignoring Jack) "Mom!"
Jack: (sighing dramatically) "I see how it is. I do all the pancake flipping and cake lighting, and you get all the glory."
Ariel: (laughing) "You'll get your turn, Jack. But for now, I'm clearly the favorite."
Scene 5: Presents and Pandemonium
After the cake, it's time for presents. Issy sits on the floor, surrounded by brightly wrapped gifts from her parents, friends, and family. Jack tries to help her open a box, but Issy is more interested in tearing apart the wrapping paper than the actual toy inside.
Jack: "No, Issy, the present is inside the paper. Look, it's a stuffed animal!"
Issy: (completely focused on the paper) "Mom!"
Ariel: (laughing) "I think she's just having fun destroying everything in sight."
Eventually, they manage to distract Issy long enough to get the toys out, but by that point, Jack and Ariel are so exhausted that they collapse on the couch, watching Issy crawl around with her new toys.
Scene 6: A Perfectly Imperfect Ending
As the day winds down, Jack and Ariel reflect on the whirlwind of the birthday. The cake was destroyed, the outfit was a disaster, and the presents were secondary to the wrapping paper. But despite all of that, Issy had the best day ever.
Ariel: (snuggling Issy close) "Well, we survived her first birthday. Barely."
Jack: (stretching, still covered in frosting) "I'd call it a success. She had fun, and we're still alive. That's all that matters, right?"
Ariel: "Yeah. I just wish we had gotten one nice family photo before everything went nuts."
Jack: (grinning) "Are you kidding? The messy cake photo is perfect. It's us."
As they sit together, watching Issy toddle around the room, Ariel leans against Jack.
Ariel: "I can't believe she's already one. Where did the time go?"
Jack: "I know. But I wouldn't trade this crazy year for anything."
Chapter Ends: Issy's first birthday may have been a hilarious disaster, but for Ariel and Jack, it was a perfect reflection of their chaotic but loving family life. As they face the coming years together, one thing's for sure—there's never going to be a dull moment with these three around!
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Opposites at Full Throttle
Romance"Opposites at Full Throttle" follows the unlikely relationship between Ariel, an intellectual, independent INTP and Aquarius, and Jack, an adventurous, easygoing ESTP and Leo. After a chaotic first meeting involving a flat tire, their opposing perso...
