Khady’s first birthday had come and gone but Ridge and Talaya had decided that their youngest daughter needed a party.

Lavender, pink and pearl balloons lined the ceiling of the reception and dining rooms of Ridge and Talaya’s home. Twirly strings hanging from each gave a waterfall effect that Imani loved dancing through once the designer was finished.

In each corner of the rooms were balloon columns in the same color scheme. The dining room table was covered in a pearl cloth with tiny flecks of lavender. The cake was a three-tier masterpiece in an ombré pattern, going from lavender on the top to a deep purple on the bottom. There were pink and pearl butterflies all around it.

One table was full of gifts. Another with food. There was face painting and a clown, music playing in the background and Donovans everywhere.

Linc, Jade and their girls were here. Tamala and Torian taking over as supervisors of the smaller children that Talaya had invited from Imani’s class. A grinning and drooling Khady had been glued to Torian’s hip since the teenager arrived. Tamika sat in an armchair rocking a fussy Rayder while Aunt Birdie was stationed on one corner of the couch, a rare smile on her face.

“Are you having a good time, Aunt Birdie?” Talaya asked as she took a seat next to the family matriarch.

Birdie nodded and turned her smile to Talaya. “I am. This is a beautiful celebration. It’s so good to see our legacy continuing with these children.”

“We just wanted to do something to show Imani and Khady that they’re officially a part of our family now. The adoption paperwork and name change documents were finalized last week. Since there was no contesting from either side, in either case, it had been a smooth transition. So, it’s official they’re legally Donovans.” Joy, unlike anything she’d ever imagined filled Talaya as she looked around the room, her gaze finally finding her girls.

Her girls. Not one, but two daughters, when there’d been a time when she resolved to never have a family of her own. But now she had one, a big gregarious one that she was proud to be a part of.

She turned back to Aunt Birdie when she felt the woman’s long fingers touching her own. Easing her hand over, Talaya accepted Aunt Birdie’s and looked down as the older woman linked their fingers. Weathered mocha skin against her smoother pecan-hued hand.

“They belong here, just like you do,” Aunt Birdie said. “It’s fine that you and Ridgley took care of the legalities, but the truth is the four of you were meant to be a family. Ridgley was always meant to be a father and you, because of your trials—not despite them—have the heart to be a great mother. Don’t let the past haunt your future.”

There was an intensity to the older woman’s words. A hint of sadness and quite possibly regret in her eyes. But Talaya couldn’t think too long on that because Imani was now at her side, tapping her on the shoulder.

“Can we cut the cake now, Mama?” she asked. “Khady’s gonna fall asleep and I want a pink butterfly.”

With a smile, Talaya rubbed a hand over one of her daughter’s two puff balls. Diamond star studs that Ridge had bought her when Talaya took her to get her ears pierced, glittered in her ears.

“Yes,” Talaya replied. “We can cut the cake, baby.”

A few moments later, Ridge held Khady, her little head resting on his shoulder. Talaya had styled her soft curly hair in puff balls that matched Imani’s. Suri started singing the Stevie Wonder version of Happy Birthday right after Imani and her classmates had led the way with the traditional song. Jade, Linc, Roark, Tamika, Ridge and even Aunt Birdie rocked their heads, clapped, and sang along. Talaya wisely kept her drone voice low as she stood behind Imani, who was almost out of patience for cutting that cake.

When the song finally finished, Talaya began cutting the cake and after putting a small slice on a plate for Khady, Imani finally got her piece.

Ridge sat down with Khady on his lap, but he let their baby girl lean forward and squish the cake between her little fingers before stuffing it into her mouth.

“She’s gonna want another slice in about five minutes,” he said to Talaya while nodding his head in Imani’s direction.

“Yeah,” she replied looking over at their oldest daughter who was almost finished with her first slice.

“And you’re gonna give it to her, aren’t you?” he asked.

“I’m gonna give her the world,” Talaya vowed. And turned her attention to Ridge. “I’m going to give both of them the moon, the stars and everything in between.”

“They deserve it,” Ridge said, a sexy smile spreading over his lips. “And so do you.”

Talaya moved in to press her lips against his. “I do,” she whispered. And for the first time in far too long, she actually believed those words.

She did deserve the world and from this day until forever, Ridge, Imani and Khady would be her world.