10
Rebecca watched as Cole placed yellow candles on the cake she’d designed. For her, each candle represented a year without Kimmy.
“Remember the one to grow on, too, Daddy.” Kimmy eased in beside him, tugging on his sleeve. “Did you think of a wish?”
It was just the three of them. Cole had explained that Patty was placed on official bed rest. Her husband, Derek, would be by in a bit to drop off Kimmy’s gift. In the meantime, they’d enjoy cake and ice cream as a trio.
Of misfits...
The thought startled Rebecca. Were they three misfits, really? The day, despite the unimaginable circumstances, had been more than lovely thus far. She’d helped Cole decorate the kitchen with helium balloons and a shiny banner emblazoned with crepe streamers. Then the three had moved to the expansive yard where she and Cole took turns pushing Kimmy on a plank swing Cole had strung from an enormous oak tree.
“Higher, Daddy, higher.” Kimmy’s pleas were peppered with squeals of laughter. “I want to catch the sun!”
Rebecca stood back, watching Cole’s muscles strain beneath a T-shirt untucked from a pair of faded jeans. This was the way she remembered him—purely masculine and without the suit and tie. Her pulse stuttered as he laughed along with Kimmy, and she found herself joining in, as well.
He’d kissed her, and she found herself wishing he’d do it again.
“You give her a push, Bec.” Cole stepped aside. “Give it a whirl.”
“Push me, Miss Rebecca.” Kimmy pumped her legs, and pink glittery tennis shoes sparkled in sunlight. White lace ankle socks were already littered with dirt, and her knees were smudged with grass stains. “Higher than Daddy, even.”
Rebecca placed a hand on the small of Kimmy’s back and gave a slight shove. The connection brought tears to her eyes. How she had dreamed of a moment such as this!
“You’re a brave girl to swing so high,” she murmured. “You’re flying, Kimmy.”
“Like a bird.” She let go of the swing for just a moment, holding her hands out straight to her sides. “I’m a big girl, now.”
“Yes, you are.” Becca melted at her giggles. She tucked the moment away in her heart as she offered Kimmy another gentle push.
After a game of Hide and Seek and a round or two of Follow the Leader, the three shared a meal of Kimmy’s favorites—macaroni and cheese, grapes, and fruit snacks. An odd combination, but somehow it all fit together perfectly.
“Where’s the pink candle, Daddy?” Kimmy’s voice drew Rebecca back.
“Right here.” Cole showed Kimmy a candle, larger than the others, of baby-soft pink and garnished with swirls. The wick was dark, evidence that it had been lit before. Wax congealed along the sides. “Do you want to place it on the cake?”
“Uh huh.” Kimmy thought for a moment, and then finally set it into the frosting opposite the others and beside a mound of fruit snacks. “How’s that, Daddy?”
“Perfect.” He smoothed her hair and then turned to light each candle one by one. The aroma of burning wax filled the room, and a soft glow cast shadows along the kitchen table. “Time to sing.”
Rebecca’s gaze drifted over Kimmy’s head to lock with Cole’s. He nodded slightly and then segued into a wobbly rendition of Happy Birthday. She joined in as Kimmy took both their hands, one on each side.
Rebecca’s voice cracked as she struggled to keep up with the words. The birthday song…finally. But would this first time also be her last? After today, what came next?
Kimmy clapped as the song ended. “Make a wish, Daddy.”
“But it’s your birthday.”
“Don’t you remember? I gave my wish to you.”
“Oh…” He turned away, but not before Rebecca saw the tears that clouded his eyes. “Right. OK.”
He closed his eyes and surprised Rebecca by reaching for her hand. She waited until he finished his silent wish, all the time wondering what he was yearning for.
“The pink candle is still burning.” She motioned to the larger candle, now the lone burner in one corner of the cake. “Don’t you want to blow that one out, too, Kimmy?”
She hesitated and looked to Cole for guidance before answering.
“That’s Mommy’s candle,” she explained. “She always lit it for my other mama, the one who carried me in her tummy. Right, Daddy?”
“That’s right.” Cole nodded.
“I don’t understand…” Rebecca’s knees turned to pudding. The floor pooled beneath her. “What do you mean?”
“Leah started the tradition on Kimmy’s first birthday,” Cole explained softly as he squeezed Rebecca’s hand. “Though she didn’t know Kimmy’s birth mother, she wanted to honor her. It’s almost as if she sensed…”
“My other mama took care of me, didn’t she, Daddy, ‘til I came to you.”
“Yes, she did.”
“But who will blow out the candle now?”
“Rebecca should.” Cole pulled her close, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to help steady her. “Hold my hand while we say our prayer first.”
“Can I say the prayer, Daddy?”
“You most certainly may.”
Kimmy reached for Rebecca’s hand and bowed her head. “God, thank you for my other mama…the one who loved me enough to give me to Mommy and Daddy.” She squeezed her eyes tight. “Daddy said she’s real special.”
****
The words tugged at Cole’s heart. He felt Rebecca tremble beside him and wished he could take the pain from her and carry it as his own. It was so much for her to bear…too much.
“Daddy, why’s Miss Rebecca crying?”
Cole’s head snapped up as Kimmy’s question registered. Rebecca grasped his hand as if it were a lifeline. Tears streamed down her cheeks and dripped onto the tile floor.
“Hey, there…” He gathered her in, cradling her cheek to his shoulder. “Don’t cry, Bec. It’s going to be OK now.”
“The candle…” Her voice cracked as she burrowed deeper into the safety of his embrace. “All these years, you did that?”
“Leah did that, mother to mother. She must have known how hard it was for you.”
“Daddy…” Kimmy tugged the hem of his T-shirt. Her green eyes were round with concern as she gazed up at him. “Is the pink candle for Miss Rebecca? Is she my other mama?”
“She could be.” Cole pressed a hand to her hair. “We don’t know for sure yet, but maybe she is. Would you like it if she were?”
“Yes.” Kimmy eased in close to Rebecca and raised her arms to be lifted up. “Am I too big to carry?”
The words brought a torrent of tears as Rebecca turned to gather her up. “No, honey. You will never be too big for me to carry.”
“Daddy told me you were special.” Kimmy wrapped her arms around Rebecca’s neck and settled against her chest. She sighed deeply. “Oh, he was right.”