Recollection

forty | birthday girl (part 2)

song: Rihanna - Don't Stop The Music

The night had been nothing short of magical, the kind of night I only dreamed about but never expected to actually live. As Levias and I leaned over the cake, the sparklers dancing like stars, I couldn't stop smiling. My cheeks hurt from how wide my grin was, but I didn't care.

The room was filled with laughter, warmth, and the kind of love that made everything else fade away. My eyes wandered around, catching each face—Roman with that proud look, Rosalyn whispering something that made Romeo chuckle, Leonardo basking in the glow of his achievement, and Levias beside me, beaming as if he'd just won the lottery. Asa watching me with the same proud grin on his face.

My heart was so full it ached. I felt like I was brimming over a cup that couldn't contain everything pouring into it. The flames flickered, and as Levias and I blew out the candles, I made the simplest wish I'd ever made.

I didn't want anything to change.

On the drive home, the laughter had quieted, but the warmth lingered. The car hummed softly beneath us, and the city lights blurred into golden streaks against the dark windows. I stared out, replaying every moment of the night in my mind. The food, the smiles, the toasts, the way my family had filled that beautiful space with love.

A single tear slipped down my cheek before I even realized it.

"What's this?" Atticus's voice was soft, his thumb brushing the tear away. His lips replaced it a moment later, leaving a feather-light kiss against my skin.

I turned my head, leaning into him, my breath hitching slightly as I whispered, "I'm just... happy."

"You deserve to be," he murmured, pulling me closer. His arm wrapped around me, holding me tight, and I melted into him.

I rested my head against his shoulder, breathing him in. The scent of leather, cologne, and just... him. "Thank you," I whispered, though I wasn't sure if he heard me.

"For what?" he asked softly, his chin resting against the top of my head.

"For this. For everything. For being you."

His chest rumbled with a quiet chuckle, but he didn't say anything, just squeezed me a little tighter.

I closed my eyes as the car rolled on, thinking about the night. About the family I'd been given, the love I didn't know I could feel, the man beside me who was my home.

If this was what happiness felt like, I never wanted to let it go.

𖤓

As we pulled into the mansion's driveway, the lights spilling from the windows made it obvious something was going on. I glanced at Atticus, whose smirk gave him away instantly. He knew. They all knew.

Walking into the house, I didn't even have a chance to process the decorations or the crowd before I was tackled into a hug by Chanelle and Volna.

"Did you really think it would only be dinner?" Chanelle teased, pulling back to look at me with a knowing grin.