“Good.” She nods and lets Ryder take her outside where we have everything for her party set up.
My parents flew in for the occasion, plus they’ve been dying to see Wyatt. Ryder’s parents are here too. I’ve gotten to know them well and they practically feel like my own parents at this point. They even treat Ava like she’s really their granddaughter. Loraine drove up for Ava’s party too—she tries to see her at least once a week, if not more, and now that Ava’s a little older I promised to start letting her keep her overnight sometimes. I like for Ava to spend time with Loraine and learn more about her dad. I talk to her about him too, tell her how we met, and how great he was. Even though Ryder is the only dad she knows, I want her to know that Ben loves her too. His love might not be one we can physically feel, but it’s still there.
I finish with the cake and carry it outside.
“Ooh! It’s pwetty mommy! Tank you!” Ava jumps up and down eagerly.
“You’re welcome, baby girl,” I tell her, sticking the five candles in and lighting them. I bend down to whisper in her ear, “Happy Birthday.” I kiss her cheek. I lift her up and join everyone in singing “Happy Birthday”. When the song finishes, I say, “Make a wish, baby.”
She blows out the candles and everyone claps. I lower her and cut her piece first. She takes the plate from me and runs over to sit on my dad’s lap. That girl has her grandpa wrapped around her little finger. Talk about spoiled.
I cut everyone a piece and finally take a seat myself between Ryder and Ivy—who’s newly married to that guy she liked at work, Jeremy. Casey, Chloe, and Hannah are there too. Cyrus is glued to Hannah’s side. I’m pretty sure he thinks she walks on water. Casey has a boyfriend now too, and I have a feeling this is the one but she’s too stubborn to admit it.
“Hey, gorgeous, you have some cake just there.” Ryder points.
“Where?” I ask, about to frantically wipe at my mouth.
He grasps my face in one hand, holding Wyatt in the other. “Right there.” He kisses me. When he pulls away his eyes are lit up with mischief and our son coos in his arms, kicking his legs wildly.
“I love you,” I say.
I’m still in love with Ryder Cooper as much today as I was all those years ago. He stole my heart, and I don’t want it back. Not ever.
“Mommy?” Ava prompts.
“Yes, baby?” I look over at her, bouncing on her grandpa’s knee.
“How twill I know if my wish came twue?”
“You’ll know, baby girl.”
Her nose wrinkles. “I dwon’t tink I twill.”
“What’d you wish for?” I ask, my brows drawing in.
She opens her mouth to tell me.
“Wait,” Cole cries. “You can’t say or it’ll never come true.”
“Is dat wight, Mommy?”
“It is,” I say sadly, “but you can come tell mommy quietly and it’ll still come true.”
She hops off her grandpa’s lap and scurries over to me. I bend down so she can whisper in my ear.
“I wisheded fowr my daddy in hweaven to know I wuv him.”
My breath catches. I think I stop breathing altogether.
From the moment I found I was pregnant with Ava that’s all I wanted—for my child to love Ben even if he’s not here.
I hug Ava to my chest, fighting tears. “He already knows, Ava. I promise you that.”
“How dwo you know?” she asks, her blue eyes wide.
I smile. “Because, he’s here.”
“He wis?” Her eyes brighten.
“Yes,” I whisper, poking her stomach lightly. “You see these paper cranes?” I point to the ones on the table and there are even more hanging in the tree. She nods. “Every single one of those is a piece of your daddy’s love left here on this Earth.”
“Wow,” she breathes. “He weft a wotta wuv.”
I swallow thickly. “That he did.”
Ben may be gone, but his love and heart certainly isn’t it. He lives on in The Paper Crane project—which completely took off, becoming a sensation. Now, wherever we go, we always seem to find a paper crane. Each one brings a smile to my face and reminds me to cherish every single day. Life can be cut short in an instant, so make sure to live with no regrets and love with all your heart.