"I can't find Ami."
Fawn stared at Kevin in disbelief when she walked into their daughter's room. She had sent Kevin to Ami's room to make sure she wasn't putting on a completely impractical outfit for her birthday party. Per her daughter's request, Fawn had booked a bouncy castle, a magician, and had Kevin install a tire swing in their backyard. As much as Fawn wanted Ami to feel some ownership over picking her outfits, she had to make sure that she'd be able to have fun today without tarnishing one of the more expensive dresses or other outfits she'd gotten as a gift.
And now he was saying he couldn't find her.
"What do you mean? Where could she have gone?" Fawn pressed.
Kevin shrugged, animatedly, and now a grin on his face.
"I mean, I looked everywhere. Wait- Do you think her invisibility spell finally worked?" Kevin asked as he pretended to be stunned.
"Oh, no!" Fawn gasped, throwing her hands over her cheeks. "If we can't find her, we might have to cancel the party."
There was movement near the closet, and they both glanced quickly before pretending they hadn't seen a thing. Kevin nodded, then sighed.
"I think so. I'll call the magician and bouncy castle guy to tell them not to come anymore," he hung his head, and Fawn almost cracked a smile.
Suddenly, Ami came running out from behind the closet doors. She looked worried as she tried to haul several small bags and some magic sticks with her.
"No, no, no daddy! Mommy, tell him not to call dem!" Ami waved her hands around wildly. She dropped a few items in the process, and it took everything Kevin had not to burst out laughing.
Fawn smiled gently, "well, we thought you had vanished ma cherie."
Ami shook her head, "no, I used another spell to come back."
"Okay, well I'm glad. Now, we have to pick out an outfit for your birthday party. Together," Fawn informed her daughter.
"I already picked this one," Ami announced.
She was wearing a pair of tights that she had outgrown, which Fawn was meaning to donate, and a top that was made of faux leather. Fawn had no idea where that one had come from, but she guessed Kevin might have caved when he was at the store with Ami the other day. It was cute how much Ami liked her outfit, but it was not gonna work.
"Okay, well you're gonna be really active today, and this outfit is not gonna survive all the running and jumping around. I wouldn't want you to ruin these clothes, okay? So, let's pick something else," Fawn said.
Ami huffed, "I'll take care of dese."
Kevin squatted down so that he was at eye-level with Ami. "Well, you have a lot of other clothes you like that will look even better. Why don't we try those?"
The 3-year-old looked at both of her parents, let out a heaving sigh, then walked over to her dresser. Fawn and Kevin smiled at each other, sealing the accomplishment with a quiet high-five.
Hours later, some guests had arrived, and Ami was playing with her aunt and cousins downstairs. Fawn stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom surveying her outfit. The yellow dress she picked out matched the outfit Ami was wearing. Fawn wondered if it might be some kinda cliche, but Kevin thought it was a nice touch.
The concern she had about the colour paled in comparison to a more obvious issue. Fawn's eyes scanned down her body until they landed on her midsection, and she sighed.
"What's wrong?" Kevin asked, coming up behind her in the reflected view. He touched her tummy, gently caressing the growing bump underneath her clothes. Kevin placed a few kisses on her neck and shoulders, two of the places where Fawn was the most sensitive; and ticklish.
She shook her head, "I don't know if it's fair to announce that we're having another baby on Ami's day."
Kevin frowned, his hands halting near her bellybutton, "we're announcing that today?"
Fawn sighed, more drawn out this time, "might as well be with this dress on. You can see the whole bump like this."
She stood in front of the mirror, sighing and shaking her head, while Kevin walked back into their closet. After a few minutes he emerged with another yellow dress in hand. This one was bigger, and the material was made so that it kind of 'ballooned' in a flattering way that hid more of Fawn's body.
"This one will hide it just fine," Kevin said before he handed her the dress.
"Thank you," Fawn replied with a smile, but she really wanted to ask him how he'd found the dress.
Not long after, she was changed, and Kevin waited for her so they could make their way down the steps together. He wore a dark blue dress shirt, the kind that was made of a softer denim material, and some dark jeans. He grinned when Fawn came out with the other yellow dress on.
"You look beautiful," Kevin said. He gave Fawn a kiss, and she smiled onto his lips.
"Thank you. The ring is a nice touch, too," she smirked, flashing the engagement rock on her finger.
******
"Hello, hello!" Fawn smiled when she greeted Liv, Nuru and Jessie at the door.
"Hi! Where's Ami?" Jessie asked Fawn, clearly more concerned with her cousin than her aunt.
Fawn pointed towards the backyard, and before she even had a chance to say where the birthday girl was, the twins were running towards the back door. Nuru waved as she did, which made Fawn laugh.
"It's like they're on six cups of red bull everyday," Liv sighed. She gave Fawn a hug, but the smile on her face didn't reach her eyes.
Liv's eyeliner was slightly smudged, which Fawn noticed as soon as she pulled away from her. Her eyes were also a little red, and her lip quivered when she sighed again.
"What's wrong?" Fawn asked her.
"Nothing, I just..." Liv shook her head, apparently unable to say much more.
Fawn frowned, "you are not okay. You look like you've been crying."
Liv cleared her throat, "seriously, it's nothing-"
"Okay, well, no one is gonna believe that. The least I can do is help you clean up a little," Fawn insisted.
Any fight Liv had left seemed to dissipate when she looked at Fawn. She shrugged, and Fawn took that as a yes. She pulled Liv upstairs and into her bathroom to re-apply her makeup.
When Fawn was with her cousin, there were usually several stories being traded between them. Liv and Fawn were some of the quieter women in their big family, but they were open with each other. Liv didn't usually keep things from Fawn. But, as Fawn did her little cousin's makeup, she couldn't help but feel the weight of silence in the room.
She didn't want to pry, but Fawn was concerned. Finally, as she applied some blush to Liv's cheeks, she asked her once again what was going on.
"You don't have to tell me everything," Fawn added, "just give me something. I'm worried."
Liv rolled her eyes, "fine, God."
Fawn relaxed, grateful that her cousin was finally gonna tell her what was going on. There were a few more beats of silence before Liv spoke up. The news surprised Fawn so much that she sprayed a bit of setting spray in Liv's hair. After the shock, it made the both of them laugh, and it was the happiest Liv looked since she walked into the house.
******
Fawn couldn't even count parents, and kids, she'd said 'hi' to. Most of the kids just ran right by, or under her, and she tried to keep the conversations with their parents kind but short. She still had a lot to do before she switched with Kevin to watch their daughter. Just as Fawn was about to go ask him about the cake, there was another knock at the door.
She opened it, and there stood Kevin's best friend and his family. Fawn beamed at them, "Rudy, Michelle! Thank you for coming!"
"Thanks for inviting us," Michelle told her while Fawn hugged Rudy. She then hugged Michelle, making sure not to crowd the child she was holding.
"Hi, Cody!" Fawn gave the toddler a little wave, and he just barely smiled.
Rudy shrugged, "he had a bit of a rough night."
"That's okay," Fawn smiled, very aware of how tough things could be for kids at that age. "I bet some treats and playing with other kids will make him feel better. Almost everyone, including your bestie, is in the backyard."
The term 'bestie' made Rudy and Michelle laugh. They thanked Fawn again before going out to see everyone else. Fawn checked on a few things in the kitchen, and grabbed some more snacks before she joined them out there.
Everything was perfect. There was a table where the magician was setting up, and Fawn quickly spotted her daughter watching the woman. Ami was barely able to contain her excitement. Several kids were at the bouncy castle, and there was a little line outside of it. There were also some games on the ground, like hopscotch and 'red light, green'. The many parents around watched their kids and talked beside the refreshments and snacks.
Hopefully, Fawn would get a chance to enjoy it as well. As long as the cake was fine, she was fine. She made a beeline towards Kevin, who was talking to one of his friends. He spotted her quickly, and she could tell by his face that he knew exactly what she wanted.
Kevin smiled at Fawn, "the cake is in the garage."
Fawn's eyes got wide, and she made circular motions with her hands as she spoke, "Kevin, why did you put the cake in the fridge?"
His smile fell a bit, and gone was the carefree composure. "Was I not supposed to do that?"
She didn't wanna seem like they were fighting in front of anyone, which they weren't, so Fawn smiled at Kevin's friend before she pulled into the house. She asked Talia and Liv to keep an eye on Ami, who was now getting ready with a few other kids to watch the magician.
"Please take pictures of her, in case I miss it?" Just the thought of that made Fawn's voice quiver.
Liv and Talia caught on, and they promised to capture as much as they could. Kevin also noticed, and he hoped to God that the cake was still okay.
"Okay, you didn't pick it up forever ago, so it's gonna be fine, right?" She glanced over at Kevin as she led the way into the garage.
He just nodded, afraid to say anything in case the cake was a pile of melted sugar and flour now. The box was easy to spot, large and white on a table that they had in the garage. Fawn inhaled, loudly, then exhaled even louder as she approached the package. She bit her lip, her hands on either side of the thing, then gingerly lifting the cover. Kevin's eyes moved rapidly between his fiancee and the soon-to-be-seen cake.
When the cover was completely off, Fawn and Kevin let out sighs of relief. It was fine, just below room temperature, and the design and colour were exactly as they were supposed to be. Fawn smiled at Kevin, and knew that she could finally enjoy her daughter's party. They moved the cake into the kitchen and onto a safe spot on the counter.
They were back outside just as the magician was inviting the birthday girl up to assist her with a trick. Fawn whipped her phone out, and Kevin insisted she give it to him so he could film while she watched. She still took some photos on his phone, though. Ami beamed when a rabbit appeared out of this box, even though it was gone moments before. She waved over at her parents.
"I did the trick!" Ami exclaimed, and Fawn clapped with even more enthusiasm.
Once the magic show and games were done, everyone gathered in the house to cut the cake. Liv stood next to Ami, who was kneeling up at the head of the dining table. She waited patiently for the cake, and Nuru and Jessie kept her busy by asking her to show them that magic trick. Again.
Fawn and Kevin placed a '3' candle in the middle of the cake, along with a tophat made of sugar and a few sparklers around the perimeter. Fawn lit up the candle and the sprinklers, then grabbed a special purple plate before she and Kevin walked over to join everyone.
Liv smiled, recording everyone's reactions when the cake finally made its appearance. Ami's eyes popped open, and she shook with excitement when she saw the design. Her scream was loud and piercing, but no one faulted her for that. It was her day, and she was elated.
"Uniqua!" Ami pointed at the cake as everyone around her started to sing happy birthday.
Talia and Liv gave Fawn a look, and she just shrugged. When they were kids, one of their favourite shows was The Backyardigans. Once Fawn grasped the idea that generations had their own trends and shows that they watched, she decided that her kids would love the pack of animal friends as much as she did. Liv thought that was unlikely, and Talia deemed it impossible. But she could tell by the mystified looks on her cousin and sister's faces, as Ami clapped at the pink spotted, that they realised they were wrong. She had, in fact, created a superfan.
"Make a wish, buttercup," Kevin nudged Ami while he held a camera in his hands.
The 3-year-old smiled at her friends, then at her parents. She watched her mom, who nodded, before she looked back at the cake of her dreams. Ami closed her eyes for a few seconds, and some of the adults in the room whispered about how cute that was. Then, she blew out the candles, and everyone clapped.
Fawn's mom took charge of cutting the cake, and a few others helped her hand out pieces. They made sure to give Ami the tophat and the Uniqua figurine. Chatter filled the room, and more drinks were brought in. Though most of the kids had left half-empty cans outside, they weren't shy about asking for more Sprite and Nestea.
"Okay, family photo!" Talia took the phone out of Kevin's hands, then pushed him and Fawn over so that they could get a photo with their daughter.
She called out, "smile," then snapped several shots. Talia looked through the photos, then gave a thumbs up, telling everyone that they were to her liking.
Kevin and Fawn thanked her, and gave Ami a kiss on each cheek. The little girl giggled, but made sure to grab their hands before they could go too far.
"Can I share my wish?" Ami whispered.
There was enough chatter that only Fawn and Kevin could make out Ami's words in her hushed tone. Though the traditions said it was bad luck, Fawn and Kevin wanted Ami to believe that she could make her own rules. Especially for things like birthday wishes.
"You can tell us if you want," Kevin said. That was enough for Ami.
"I wished for a hot pink car that I can drive," she started, which made her parents smile, "and a little sister. Or brother."
Fawn's mouth fell open, and she stared at Kevin. They wanted to tell Ami all about the baby that was coming into their lives, and this was starting to seem like the perfect time. But, they'd decided it was gonna be her day, and they could tell her tomorrow.
So, instead, Fawn just pulled Ami in for a tight hug and said, "bonne fete, ma cherie."
*********
Final A/N
Thank you so much for coming along this journey and reading this story. Most of my sentimental words were said in the last chapter, but I hope this one is a satisfying end. As always, make sure to vote and comment.
Sending you lots of love!
-Ruth.