October 19

2024

The smell of sickly sweet cake filled the air, along with the sounds of our friends and the laughter of small children chasing each other around in loops. Presents overflowed the top of one table, the counters in the kitchen too flooded with food and drink to assist in holding the neatly wrapped boxes and brightly colored gift bags.

I staggered a bit as I entered the room, wading through a sea of balloons with a large cake in my hands. The two candles placed in the center of the frosted masterpiece were already strategically lit by me in the other room, so all I had to do was walk in and begin singing. Easy as that.

"Happy birthday to you," I began singing in a slightly nervous bass. I looked to Phil for help, and he quickly began singing loudly over the conversations and excited play so they would all join us too.

I stopped at a small, makeshift table set in front of Delia, setting the cake down as the last few notes of the song died out and were replaced with a feeling of awed silence.

I knelt down beside her left side, Phil kneeling down on her right, before saying, "Blow out your candles, sweetheart."

She giggled a little at me, dimple poking into her left cheek and eyes wild in excitement, before blowing hard on her cake. The flickering flames were no match against her powerful and childish breathe. "That's my girl." Phil clapped her on the back lightly and grinned at her proudly as the onlookers cheered in celebration.

I got up quietly to grab something to cut her cake with, but Delia stopped me before I could get too far. She flung her short arms around Phil and I as best she could and pulled us into her biggest embrace. We were still on the floor, Phil on his knees and me in an uncomfortable squatting position, but her head still only barely hit our shoulders. I could feel her cheeks drawn tight into a smile against my skin, the tips of her curly black hair tickling the front of my neck. I had to refrain from squirming away from her, but it was worth it.

"Thank you, Daddies."

Phil kissed her forehead while I planted my lips on her cheek. Phil beat me to speaking up, however. "You're very welcome, sweetheart."