She Lays Down [h.s.]

Fourteen

Mary smiles as she watches Ember and her friends run around in the backyard, hopping back and forth between the water slide and the bounce house. She's gone all out for her little girl because the divorce is taking a toll on her and it will for a while because she's so young. There are superhero decorations all over the yard and the house, Marvel heroes per Ember's request, and splashes of pink everywhere in between.

All of her classmates are over and so are a few of her friends from other classes. Mary invited Claire, but she's still refusing to talk to her and sent a present along with their parents. Alec came too because Ember wanted him there and Mary didn't have the heart to tell her no, but he was only there for about five minutes. He hugged Ember and told her happy birthday and left her present on the table before he snuck off and never reappeared.

Mary's incredibly infuriated with him because it's his daughter's birthday and she's already upset that he won't be living with them, the least he could do was stay and make her happy for the day, even if Mary didn't want him there to begin with. She lets it go after a few minutes though because it's Ember's birthday and she hasn't noticed his absence yet.

She's just brought out some more juice boxes and water for the kids when Harry walks into the back yard and happily exclaims, "Where's the birthday girl!?"

Ember hears him as she's getting in the short line for the water slide and she bolts across the yard and jumps into his arms. "Harry!"

She didn't think that he would come because her own father disappoints her all the time, but she's so happy to see him because she loves him and he actually came to her birthday party.

Harry hugs her tightly as he picks her up and spins her around. Ember's giggling like crazy by the time her feet hit the ground and Mary feels like her heart has just grown three sizes.

"You came!"

Harry beams down at her as she looks up at him with bright eyes and a smile that looks just like her mother's, "Of course I did! Where do I put your present?"

Ember practically radiates happiness as she takes his hand and pulls him over to where her mommy's standing. She wants her mommy to show him because she knows that they like each other and she likes how happy he makes her mommy.

"Mommy will tell you!"

Harry smiles to himself as she leads him over to Mary, who's been watching the two interact since he walked into the backyard.

Ember drops his hand and runs away without another word and Mary laughs softly as she shakes her head, "I'm guessing she directed you here for presents?"

"I think she's been paying attention."

Mary blushes but holds his eye contact, "She has, she's a smart girl. Her present table is inside; will you help me bring out the cake on the way out?"

Harry jokingly flexes his arms in front of her, "I think I can handle that."

Mary laughs and playfully rolls her eyes before turning on her heel and heading into the house. He's amazed to see the mix of superhero and pink decorations and just how much effort that she's put into her little girl's sixth birthday party. When she told him that she was going all out, she really meant it.

"No wonder she's over the moon...you did this all by yourself?"

He closes the sliding glass door carefully and follows her into the kitchen, where there's a mountain of presents sitting on the island and cupcakes on the counter. Mary smiles to herself as she opens the fridge and carefully pulls out the Marvel cake that she had specially made for Ember.