Chapter 10 - The First Birthday
In August, we celebrated Sophie’s first birthday.
It was a sunny Saturday afternoon at our townhouse, surrounded by friends, nurses from the NICU who had cared for Sophie, Maya, Clara, and Ethan.
Sophie, now a chubby, energetic one-year-old with bright eyes and a infectious laugh, sat in her high chair wearing a little pink party crown.
She smashed her hands into a small vanilla smash cake, covering her nose and cheeks with pink frosting, making everyone in the backyard burst into laughter.
Ethan stood beside her high chair, gently wiping frosting off her tiny chin with a napkin, looking at her with pure fatherly devotion.
"Look at her, Elena," Maya said, standing beside me on the patio, holding a glass of iced tea. "One year ago, she was fighting for her life in an incubator. Now look at her."
"She’s a fighter," I smiled, feeling a deep, profound peace in my soul.
Later that evening, after our guests had left and Sophie was fast asleep in her crib upstairs, Ethan and I sat on the porch swing, watching the fireflies dance across the green lawn.
Ethan pulled a small velvet box from his coat pocket.
My heart skipped a beat as he turned to face me on the swing, opening the box to reveal a stunning solitaire diamond ring that caught the moonlight.
"Elena," Ethan said softly, his voice rich with deep emotion. "One year ago, a wrong number brought me to your door. You showed me what true strength, dignity, and love look like. I want to build a life with you, protect you, and be a father to Sophie for the rest of my days. Will you marry me?"
Tears of happiness spilled over my eyelashes as I looked into the eyes of the man who had answered my midnight cry for help.
May you like
"Yes, Ethan!" I wept softly, throwing my arms around his neck. "Yes, a thousand times yes!"
He slipped the ring onto my finger and pulled me into a kiss that sealed our promise under the summer stars.
