CHAPTER 29: The Birthday Without Her
Noah’s first birthday was held in the backyard under white string lights.
There were no photographers. No foundation donors. No engraved invitations. Just friends, June, Mrs. Nolan, Rachel Kim, a few trusted colleagues, and a ridiculous cake shaped like a moon because Clara had once called Noah her little night light.
Noah wore frosting on one cheek and a paper crown he kept trying to remove.
Ethan filmed him laughing.
Clara laughed too, and for a second Ethan stopped recording just to hear it without a screen between them.
Later, after guests left and the yard grew quiet, Ethan found Clara standing near the fence.
“You okay?” he asked.
She nodded.
“I thought I would think about her today.”
“Did you?”
“A little.”
Ethan waited.
Clara looked toward the house, where Noah slept upstairs.
“But not with fear. More like… there was a storm last year, and today I noticed the roof held.”
Ethan took her hand.
“I still feel guilty.”
“I know.”
“I should have protected you before I had proof.”
Clara turned to him.
“Yes,” she said.
The honesty hurt, but he needed it.
Then she added, “But you protected us once you saw the truth. And you didn’t ask me to make peace with someone who hurt me just because she was your mother.”
Ethan swallowed.
“I never will.”
From upstairs, Noah cried once. A normal cry. Sleepy, annoyed, alive.
Clara smiled.
“I’ll go.”
Ethan followed her inside.
May you like
This time, no one ran in fear.
They went together.
