When I get back, we'll talk. Really talk. A pause. If you want to. I want to, she said quietly.
Okay, good. That's good. They hung up and Lena sat there in the dark kitchen, phone in her hand, feeling like something fundamental had just shifted. The rest of the week passed in a blur. Thomas recovered from his cold.
Marcus served his suspension without complaint, spending the time helping Lena prep for Sophieie's party. Sophieie's actual birthday was on Friday, and Lena made pancakes shaped like hearts for breakfast, let her open presents early, and generally bent every rule about sugar consumption. "Best birthday ever," Sophieie declared, frosting on her face. "Parties not until tomorrow." Still the best.
Saturday morning, Lena woke up at 6:00 to start setting up. balloons, streamers, a table full of snacks that would probably give half the kids a sugar high. The cake was perfect, a castle, because Sophieie was currently obsessed with princesses. Adrien had ordered it months ago before the New York trip, and the bakery had delivered it exactly on time. By noon, the house was full of eight-year-olds running in every direction. Lena had recruited Thomas and Marcus to help supervise, which mainly meant keeping kids from killing themselves on the stairs or breaking anything expensive.
She was in the kitchen refilling juice when she heard the front door open. Adrien appeared, tie loosened and sleeves rolled up, looking exhausted, but present. "You made it," Lena said. "Caught an earlier flight." He scanned the chaos in the living room.
"How bad is it?" "Everyone's still alive. No major injuries. I'm calling it a win." He smiled real and warm.
"You're incredible." Before she could respond, Sophieie spotted him and shrieked. "Dad!" She crashed into him hard enough to nearly knock him over. "You came?"
"Of course I came. Wouldn't miss it." He picked her up even though she was getting too big for it. "Happy birthday, sweetheart." Lena made everything perfect.
We have a castle cake and everything. I see that. His eyes met Lena's over Sophieie's head. She's good at that. The party wound down by four.
Parents collected their sugar crashed children, thanking Lena profusely for hosting. She waved them off, too tired to process compliments. When the last kid left, the house looked like a tornado had hit it. Balloons everywhere, wrapping paper scattered, cake crumbs ground into the carpet. "I'll help clean," Adrien said, already rolling up his sleeves further.
"You just got back from New York. Go rest." "I slept on the plane, liar." He smiled little bit. They cleaned in comfortable silence.
The kids upstairs playing with Sophieie's new toys. When the living room was mostly restored, Adrien sat down on the couch with a sigh. "I hate New York," he said. "Meetings went bad." "Meetings went fine.