Chapter 18
It was the day of Mikayla’s birthday party, and even though she might not remember much from it, Janiyah still went all out.
I informed the hospital not to call or page me.
I was off for the day, and I wanted to keep it that way.
I wasn’t going to let anything get in the way of celebrating this milestone.
This was the first of many birthdays with Mikayla, and I wanted each one to be memorable.
I wasn’t going to be that father that missed important events, and birthdays were important.
This one in particular was even more special because had she been in the car with her parents, she might not have been here.
To Janiyah and me, that was even more of a reason to celebrate.
Janiyah had put the final touches on everything while I kept Mikayla occupied.
The night before, we put up the decorations and set out the tables for the food and gifts.
The party was at our house, and it was nothing big, since we didn’t have a whole lot of family.
We extended the invitation to Monica’s and Trevor’s parents, but we weren’t sure if they were going to make it.
We did know that my parents, along with Janiyah’s grandmother, would be there.
I could only imagine how many gifts they got Mikayla.
Onyx had come into the emergency room, so I invited him and his family.
Their son, Obsidian, was around the same age as Mikayla, and we thought it would be a good idea to have a couple of kids at the party.
Janiyah and I didn’t talk to that many people, so there was really no one else to invite.
No matter how many people came, Mikayla would have a good time.
“Aww, don’t you look so cute.” Janiyah gushed as she entered Mikayla’s room.
Janiyah had gotten Mikayla a dress that made her look like a little princess. She had small earrings in her ears and a necklace. Janiyah had done her hair in a few ponytails, and she’d even gotten her a crown.
“She does, doesn’t she?” I took pictures of Janiyah and Mikayla as they stood in the middle of Mikayla’s room. “You look good too, baby.”
Janiyah had on a dress similar to Mikayla’s, but less princess like, with a pair of sneakers. Her hair fell down her back in loose curls, but I had a feeling it wouldn’t stay like that for long.
“Thank you.” Janiyah blew me a kiss, and I pretended to catch it. “Everyone should start arriving soon, so I guess we can head down.”
“Works for me.” I’d gotten dressed before spending time with Mikayla, so the only thing I had to do was put on some sneakers. I wasn’t fancy like them. I just had jeans and a shirt. Comfortable enough, but decent enough for pictures because I knew there would be plenty of them.
Majority of the party stuff was set up inside, but since the temperature had been unseasonably warm, I rented a bouncy house.
“I see you added more stuff,” I mentioned as we made it downstairs.
Mikayla’s eyes lit up, and she squealed. She looked up at Janiyah like she was asking for permission, and as soon as Janiyah told her she could check it out, she ran off. There was a small ball pit in the middle of the living room, and Mikayla ran straight to it.
Janiyah looked at me and smiled. “I couldn’t help it. I found some other things yesterday while I was out. I had to get the ball pit.”
“I’m sure you did,” I teased. I wouldn’t be surprised if she stays in there for the whole party.” I chuckled.
The theme of the party was a safari. There were stuffed animals spread around the room, as well as big, fake trees. Janiyah even had teepees in the backyard. Even the food was safari themed.
We had sandwiches shaped like animals and a lion’s mane veggie tray, among other things.
A few minutes later, the doorbell rang, so I went to answer while Janiyah and Mikayla played in the ball pit.
“Hey, Son,” my father greeted when I opened the door.
I took the gift bags from him, then hugged him before I kissed my mom on the cheek.
“I can tell she’s having fun already,” my mom said as she took off her coat.
As soon as we entered the living room, Mikayla climbed out of the pit and ran straight to my mother and father. She let them love on her for a few minutes, then ran right back to what she was doing.
Janiyah had gotten out to greet my parents, then she put the gifts on the table.
Not too much later, Onyx, his wife, Maverick, and their children arrived. Their oldest, Turquoise, was kind of big for the ball pit, but that didn’t stop her from playing with her brother and Mikayla.
“Thanks for inviting us,” Onyx said as he sat next to me on the couch.
“Of course. I know we aren’t close because you all antisocial and shit, but I’d like to think that we were cool enough for our families to mesh. Plus, your wife is cool.”
Onyx laughed as he looked over to where Janiyah and Maverick were talking, more than likely about one of Janiyah’s books.
“First of all, I’m not antisocial. I just don’t mess with too many people, but you alright.” He smirked. “But nah, for real. I don’t mind building a friendship. Besides my son, I’m surrounded by women in the house, so I may need to get out sometimes.”
“I got you. Let me ask you a question.” I got serious for a minute.
Onyx leaned in a little when he noticed my voice was lower because I didn’t want anyone else to hear me.
“How do you balance work and family?”
Being a firefighter was demanding as well, but from what I saw, Onyx and Maverick seemed to be handling it well. I could have asked Maverick since she was a doctor as well, but I wanted another man’s opinion.
“My family means everything to me. When work is done, or even when I can’t work anymore, I have my family.
I will do whatever I need to do to make sure they are good.
Maverick and I also have conversations and check-ins.
We also make time for each other.” He looked over at his kids playing, then at his wife.
When she noticed him looking, a smile spread across her face as he winked.
“That’s basically the same thing my pops told me. I’ve been making it work as best as I can. I just wondered if I could do more. I know my wife wants a child of her own, and I want to give her that, but I never want to make her feel like a single mother.”
“And you won’t. You’ll do what you have to, to make sure of that.”
All of a sudden, I saw Mikayla climb out of the ball pit and run toward me.
“Daddy, play.” She grabbed my hand, but my heart stopped.
She tried to pull me up, but I couldn’t move. That was the first time she called me that, and it made me emotional. My eyes watered as I looked up at Janiyah, who had come over to us.
“Did she just say daddy?” Tears fell from Janiyah’s eyes as they fell from mine.
I nodded because I couldn’t speak over the lump in my throat.
“No cry, Daddy.” Mikayla climbed into my lap, and I broke down as I held her against me.
Onyx got up and went to his wife as Janiyah sat next to me. She put her head on my shoulder and wrapped her arm around Mikayla and me.
“Are you okay, baby?” she whispered.
“I am. I’m better than okay. I can’t believe she said that.”
“I can, because you do everything a father would do. No matter how this all came about, you are her father.”
Everyone else around us was talking among themselves, but I knew they were listening and watching. Not to be nosy, but because this was a pivotal moment for us—for me. My parents knew the hesitation I had at the beginning of this, but to see how things were now was full circle.
I kissed Janiyah on the top of her head, then put my arm around her.
“You are just as much as her mother as I am her father. I love you.” I kissed her again.
I spotted my mom across the room taking pictures of us. When I looked at Onyx and his family, he nodded at me.
Mikayla would know who her real father was once she was old enough to understand, but for now and until the day I was no longer on Earth, it would be my honor to be her daddy.