It was about thirty minutes later when we decided to do the cake and presents before sitting everyone down to eat.
Luke and Anna reappeared out of the house carrying the two cakes. I had told Luke that one cake was fine but he insisted that the kids deserved a cake each, regardless of the fact there was only maybe twenty people here.
Connors cake was green with a brown dragon breathing fire from its mouth and a big green 'four' candle placed at the top, while Emelias cake was pink with a picture of a princess on it. There was a plastic happy birthday tiara on the top and a pink 'four' candle on top of the tiara.
The kids quickly ran to the table to wait for Luke and Anna to carry their cakes as I stood behind them with Kyles arms wrapped around me as my back pressed into his chest, while my mom just grinned at us and took a bunch of pictures.
Ava was the first to start singing the iconic birthday song.
"Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday Connor and Emelia,
Happy birthday to you."
Everyone sang together before Anna told them to make a wish and they blew out their candles. I watched as they secretly whispered their wishes to each other, bringing a smile to my face.
They had a thing that they had started last year when they could half speak where they told each other their wishes and then once the presents were opened they would tell us all what they had wished for, last year they happened to get just what they wished for much to my relief.
Luke and Anna carried the cake back inside to the food table before we all gathered at the table in the yard where all the presents were set.
They were spoiled. Between them they had gotten just about every toy they could have asked for, as well as enough clothes to last them the rest of the year, even if I threw away their current clothes.
"Thank you." They both smiled as they opened each present. I was fortunate that even though they were spoiled they were also always polite.
The last gift they came too was Kyles. His mom had given them both money which they thanked her for, but four year olds didn't really care for money like older kids.
Connor opened his first, revealing a new orange and black bicycle. He had been asking for one, and even though I couldn't afford it, he had begged me to let him buy both of them bikes.
"Uncle Kyle Thank you!" Connor ran up to him and hugged him. "It's just the one I wanted."
Upon seeing what her brother got, Emelia tore into her wrapping paper to unveil a pink glittery bike with a baby seat on the back for her baby dolls causing her to squeal as everyone laughed, everyone but his mother.
"This is the best day ever!" She exclaimed rushing to hug his legs.
"You're welcome munchkins." Kyle smiled as I cuddled into the side of him as his mother scoffed from the other side of him.
I was trying my hardest not to say anything, determined not to let anything ruin this day for the kids. Ava had apparently heard her and looked at me sympathetically, her eyes saying 'you'll get used to it' as I kept trying to hold my tongue.
I bent down to the kids eye level and took one of their hands in each of mine.
"So what was your birthday wish?" I asked as they shook their heads.
"After food. We didn't get our wish yet, and if we tell you it won't come true." Connor said as Emelia nodded.
"Fair enough." I smiled as Ava helped me go inside to get them food.
I was definitely curious as to what they could possibly want since they had every toy and outfit they had asked for, but I pushed the curiosity to the side as I helped Ava set up the kids with some food.
As I glanced around the room I could see my parents and Riley's laughing like old times. Ava and Brett were in their own little bubble, while Luke, Sophie, Shane, and the three kids sat at the table.
Anna seemed to have vanished and I presumed it was because Kyles mom kept giving her the stink eye the whole time we had been outside. I wanted to go check on her but the raised voices in the yard caught my attention first.
"What are you even doing Kyle? I know you had a high school crush on the girl, but seriously." His mom yelled frustrated as I closed the patio doors and stayed out of sight.
"Do you really have to do this right now mom? It's the twins birthday party for Christ's sake." Kyle said back and I could tell he was trying to keep his calm.
"Those kids are nothing to me! Jesus Kyle, is this what you want for your life? Playing uncle stepdad to her kids while she plays happy families with her ex's family? I expected better of you!" She seethed as I felt my own anger bubbling below the surface.
"The twins are their family too mom. I can't change that, and as far as the twins are concerned I will be whatever they need me to be. Me and Britt are just dating, it's not as if I'm thinking of marriage or anything long term." He shot back as a piece of my already glued together heart broke a little.
There it was, the truth. He didn't see a long term future for us, and I had learned the hard way that you can't force something to be if it's not supposed to be.
"You don't see anything long term for us?" I asked weakly as I stepped out into their line of sight and Kyles face dropped as if someone had kicked his puppy. His mother was just grinning at me as I fought back the hot tears that were building behind my eyes.
"Britt, it's not.... I didn't mean..." he stuttered.
"I think you should both leave." I said coldly.
"Britt please." He pleaded.
"No Kyle, today is about the twins. We can talk about this later but I want you both to leave." I said again as his shoulders slumped.
He didn't say anything but turned away, grabbing his mother's arm as he led her around the side of the yard and out to the driveway.
"Britt? The kids are asking for you." Averleigh called from the patio door as I stood with my back turned to her.
"I'll be just a minute." I tried to sound normal, but I could hear my voice breaking.
Thankfully she didn't ask questions. I took a deep breath through my nose and wiped away the stray tear that had fallen before plastering on a smile and joining everyone back in the house.
I noticed an envelope on the kitchen counter with the words 'Birthday wish' printed on the envelope. I didn't have a clue what it was, but clearly Anna, who was still making herself scarce knew what they had wished for.
I sat down with the kids until they had finished eating and once the plates were cleared away, Anna finally re-emerged from wherever she had been hiding.
She handed the twins the envelope which to my surprise had a map inside, at the giant red X it said 'your wish'.
The kids quickly darted out of the kitchen with the map and the older twins and set about following the map until everyone ended up in front of the garage.
I could still remember the last time we had a big surprise here, when Riley got his new truck for Christmas. It was a happy memory, but the thought of him still hurt me even if I didn't like to admit it.
He was missing so much of their lives and they had started asking me questions a couple months ago about who their dad was and why he didn't come to their school events.
Still this wasn't the time for self pity, so I pushed the thoughts to the back of my mind as everyone followed the twins as they walked in the garage where that same familiar black truck was parked as it had been the day we gave it to him.
No,no,no. I thought as my heart stopped.
I held my smile hoping it was a coincidence. I hadn't been in the garage since he left so there was a chance he left it here and flew back to college. He was in a rush when he left the hospital and flying was quicker.
I held my breath as the kids opened the envelope sitting on the tailgate before turning to us with wide eyes.
"So what did you wish for?" Ava asked, clearly not following the train of thought that was about to crush me.
"We wished that we could meet our daddy." They smiled together as I held a smile.
"Consider it granted!"