Lessons Learned

Part 1

*OLIVIA*

"Riley! Come here a minute please!" I called for my son, a nervous smile on my face as my mother snuck in the back door with my brother Landon dragging his feet behind her. Beth would be over soon, if she managed to find time between visiting one of her three "boyfriends."

"Hold on, I'm almost done with this fight!" Riley responded, and I rolled my eyes. Teenagers and their stupid video games, I thought to myself, smiling as my father walked in behind Landon.

14 years ago, I never thought I would see this moment. Growing up without a dad hadn't bothered me, but since he had come back into my life things had gotten better.

It turned out that my mother had lied to me, telling me my father passed away in a car accident when I was still too young to remember. But the moment he walked through the door on my 18th birthday, I knew who he was.

We had a bumpy start, with my mother apologizing to me for lying and to him for taking off. But after Landon and Riley were born, my father surprised my mother with a ring, right there in the hospital. And they've been married ever since; he even put his name on Landon's birth certificate.

Michael and I got married when Riley was three, after he decided to move back from Florida to be with me and raise our little family. Riley took to him immediately, and they formed a true father-son bond.

But at that moment, it felt like I had two kids instead of one. "Michael, please tell our son it's time to turn the TV off!" I asked, holding my stomach when I felt yet another little kick from our daughter.

"Alright Liv, calm down." Michael replied, and I smiled as I heard the game shut down. Once Michael and Riley had joined us in the kitchen, Beth walked through the door with our foster sister, Jenny, carrying a giant cake.

It was Riley's 13th birthday, and we decided it would be the first year we wouldn't make him share it with Landon. Despite keeping the truth a secret, we managed to raise them as close as possible. They both looked so much like their father, it almost scared me. Luke was still in jail, but there was talk of the sentence being reduced. We had at least 2 more years though, so I tried not to let it get to me.

"Make a wish, buddy." Michael encouraged, one hand on Riley's shoulder as he blew out the candles. I snapped a picture of my two handsome men, happy with the way life was turning out.

~~~

THREE YEARS LATER

"Knock knock!" Micheal called from the doorway, our daughter Amy in his arms.

I smiled, holding my arms out for my precious baby girl, and she practically leaped from his arms. She was almost too big to be carrying around, but I was willing to hold onto her for as long as I could. Riley was almost grown, and before long she would be too.

"Riley!!! Let's go!" Michael yelled, picking up the bags I had left in the kitchen and taking them upstairs. It had been a long weekend, but we were home and ready to celebrate Riley's birthday the same way we always did- with cake and ice cream and lots of video games.

"Why do we always have to stay home on my birthday? Why can't we go back to the cabin?" Riley complained as he walked through the door, dragging his suitcase behind him.

"Because grandma and grandpa couldn't make it out to the lake this year. And what kind of birthday would it be without all the family together?" I explained, giving Amy her sippy and setting her on the floor to run around as soon as the screen door slammed closed behind Riley. It was a well rehearsed script- he complained every year.

Just as we finished unpacking, I heard Amy babbling downstairs, and I walked out to greet my family. But when I get to the door, there was no one there. Amy's sippy cup was sitting on the floor, the screen door swinging in the wind.

Hanging off the handle was a chain, with a little silver ring. A ring I hadn't seen in 17 years. And as realization hit, I grabbed it and ran upstairs to tell Michael.

He was back, and he had my daughter.