Epilogue
Cliff
I had considered renting the little room at Chained for the big day, but Brax insisted that Edwin would rather have his first birthday party as part of our family at our very own home.
And I had a feeling he was right. But it was a whole lot more work, starting with cleaning from top to bottom then decorating, cooking, and setting up games.
And a bounce house. Sounded a bit daunting until my two very best boys insisted that they were big enough to help with it all before they were little enough to enjoy it.
Edwin, as it turned out, had not had a celebration of any kind for his birthday since he was very young, and when Brax told him about our plans, it brought a tear to his eye. He buried his face in my chest and arms around my waist. “You don’t have to have a party just for me, Daddy,” he sniffled.
As if that would stop us. “Yes, we do. Just like we’ll have one for Brax when his birthday comes.”
“And Daddy likes to go out for dinner for his,” Brax put in helpfully. “Besides, your party will be fun for all our friends. You wouldn’t want them to miss out on such a good time, would you?”
And, of course, he didn’t.
We planned the event together, hoping to make it half as good as something Ms. Lily at Chained would do. She was a professional planner, handling not only the little room but many charity functions at the club, raising tons of money for the less fortunate, both people and animals.
We were working on the invitations, hand drawn and colored by my two artists, when Edwin said, “Daddy, I was thinking about the party we had at Chained last week for the animal rescue.”
“That really was fun, wasn’t it?” I folded the cardstock for them to work on. “What about it?”
“We helped the rescue to take care of all those different animals. They have donkeys and sheep and a miniature cow.”
“I know. Would you like to pay a visit there sometime? They welcome guests, and you can help them if you like to feed or clean out their stalls. All sorts of jobs that need doing.”
Brax nodded. “I’d like to do that, wouldn’t you, Edwin?”
“Yes,” he said. “But can’t we do more?”
“What did you have in mind?” I asked.
“Can we put on the invitation that instead of gifts, to make a donation to the rescue?” Edwin’s grip tightened on the purple crayon. “Would that be okay?”
My boy who had not had a party for himself in all those years wanted to give up the chance for toys and other gifts for the benefit of the animals.
He’d already left his things at the Little House for the other littles to play with, and now this?
I wanted to tell him “go ahead and get your presents” and I’d make a donation, but the more I thought about it, the more I knew that was the wrong thing to do.
My boy was the kindest, most generous person I’d ever met.
Very similar to Brax in that way. So, I said, “Of course, you can. It’s your party.
” But I promised myself that it would be the best party a little ever had.
On the big day, everything was in place.
My boys had worked hard on getting things ready, but I had a few surprises up my sleeve.
Like the bounce house on the back lawn. I sent Edwin and Brax to the store to pick up some milk and ice while things were being delivered.
The summer days made it possible for me to also get a water slide, and I had let the other daddies know on the hush-hush that their littles would need bathing trunks and a towel.
The cake was three tiers tall and had animal figures dancing on all three, and we had a tub of ice cream big enough for even the largest appetite.
Hot dogs were on the barbecue, chips in big bowls on the table, and I was even more excited than Edwin and Brax, if that was possible.
“Anyone home?” Bridger called from the side gate.
“In the backyard,” I replied. “Come on through.”
He entered with Hudson on his heels. “Oh my gosh!” The little ran over to check out the slide. “This is going to be the best party ever!”
We had all sorts of games set up and even a small train that ran around a track. I figured it would fulfill Edwin’s train dreams without the scary sounds and other moving parts.
“You’ve really done it now,” Bridger said, shaking his head. “I’ll never be able to top this.”
“I wanted it to be special. It’s his first birthday with us, and he deserves it.”
“We made the donation he requested. You’ve got a fine boy there,” he said. “Two of them.”
“I know. Hudson is pretty great, though.”
We were standing there smiling and sharing stories about the littles we loved when the kitchen door opened to reveal my boys, still in their big clothes, but with their mouths open in Os of wonder. “Daddy?” Edwin’s voice vibrated. “When…how? This is all for me?”
“This is for you, from Brax and me.” Even if Brax hadn’t known all about it. “Are you happy?”
“Happier than any boy in the world! Thank you, Brax!” He gave his little friend a big hug. “And you too, Daddy. I’m going to go change into my train overalls and get back here right away.”
He ran off followed by Brax and was back in a few minutes, both of them ready without the usual help they liked from me.
They were too excited to wait. And soon the yard was filled with littles playing games, eating hot dogs, riding the little train and everything else.
We’d have a whole bunch of tired boys, but it would be worth it.
Making my boys happy was my job. Best job in the world.
That night, I tucked them both in, the two so exhausted they’d barely made it up the stairs. Sleeping like angels, they were a sight to make a daddy’s heart full. But not break. These boys would have a care for my heart as I did for them. Love, when it’s right, works like that.