I felt like a damn teenager coming home from work every day. I sped through my end-of-day paperwork so that I could leave the clinic as soon as possible so that I could see Oliver. We hadn't progressed beyond kissing. It was too awkward with the constant threat of Chloe walking in on us and we didn't have much time with birthday preparations. Besides, I was comfortable with taking it slow. I hadn't dated since Jen, and we'd been together five years before we had Chloe. I was extremely rusty in this getting to know someone game. And it was strange with Oliver, because I did know him. But we were redefining our relationship, and that may have been harder. I had high hopes that things would progress soon. Chloe's grandparents had started the yearly tradition of taking her to Disneyland when she was just a year old, and they would be picking her up in a week. It would be a prime opportunity for us to...explore.

Oliver finally gave up attempting to help me plan the birthday party, but he wasn't above giving me a list of things to do, which worked well for me. He'd been working almost non-stop from after dinner every night, hiding the preparations from Chloe. I stole his attention when I could, and he was more than willing to give it.

And now today was the big day. Oliver had found the most ridiculously adorable, quintessential three-year-old girl's dream invitations with unicorns and a castle and sparkles. We'd prepared the guest list together, my half mostly people from the clinic and his a few little girls from the library and some neighbors. First thing when she woke up, Chloe had put on her favorite tutu and princess crown. Oliver made her purple and pink rainbow pancakes, and then sent me off to pick up the pizza while they took a break over at the cafe for her birthday sprinkles. He had commandeered my time the night before to decorate the house, but we wrapped the night with a rewarding make out session.

All the work he was putting into this event almost made me feel guilty for just buying a cake and lighting a couple candles during dinner with Helen and Chloe last year. But she'd only been turning three, there was no way she would remember it. And maybe she wouldn't remember this birthday, but I would, and I would make sure that all the birthdays to come would be just as memorable. And maybe Oliver would be there to help.

Oliver and Chloe were already greeting guests when I returned, and soon, the house was full with little girl squeals. They loved pinning the horn on the unicorn, and that game kept them occupied for at least twenty minutes. After pizza and cake, Chloe opened up her presents and it was clear that everyone knew my little girl fairly well: unicorns and kittens and puppies covered just about everything. When we came to the end of the wrapped presents, Chloe looked up at Oliver and me with big, sad eyes. 

"Daddy? Didn't you get me a present?"

My heart nearly broke that she thought I might not get her a present. I couldn't speak past the lump in my throat, and Oliver saved me yet again.

"Of course he did, sweetie, but we're saving the best for last. So my present first, and then your daddy's. But for my present, you have to come outside."

Chloe and I gave him twin looks of confusion, but we obediently followed him out onto the front porch. Oliver had been keeping his present a secret, refusing to tell me even when I had him drunk on my kisses. Not that I was able to push very hard, being equally drunk on the taste of him. My jaw dropped. In the road, pulling a white carriage with gold trim, straight out of a fairy tale, was a real, live unicorn.

Chloe screamed and jumped up and down, launching her tiny body at Oliver in a full tackle hug. "Is he real? Can I ride in the carriage?"

"If your daddy says it’s okay," Oliver said.

As if I could deny her. "It's okay, Chloe bug."

She screamed again and ran down the sidewalk. 

"Careful, Chloe! Slowly, you don't want to scare the unicorn!" I couldn't believe that sentence had just left my mouth.

"How did you do it?" I asked Oliver as the little girls all piled into the carriage. One of the other girls' mothers offered to chaperone, and soon they were pulling away from the house. 

"Unicorn rentals are all the rage these days," Oliver said loftily.

I grabbed his waist and pulled him in close for a quick kiss. "You're amazing," I murmured.

"No, Chloe's amazing," he deferred.

"I won't argue with that, but it doesn't diminish your accomplishments." I suddenly realized we were under pretty intense scrutiny from the other adults and I reluctantly let Oliver go. I could thank him more thoroughly later. "My present is going to pale in comparison."

Oliver snorted. "If you think that, you don't know your daughter all that well."

"Wanna bet?" I asked.

"What are the stakes?"

Everything that popped into my mind right then was completely inappropriate.

Oliver's eyes sparkled as if he could read my mind. He turned away from me to go back into the house, most of the adults following him. I trailed after. The girls took a few more turns around the block, harassing almost every adult to go at least once, and then we all waved good-bye to the unicorn and his driver.

"Now it's time for daddy's present!" Oliver proclaimed. I'd found the perfect one about a week ago and had kept it over at the clinic once I'd gotten Oliver's approval. It had killed both of us to wait, but we didn't want to spoil the birthday surprise.

Sally came into the living room and nodded. She'd run over to the clinic to pick up the present for me while the girls were on their last ride. I passed her with a quick thanks and picked up the box with the completely ridiculous giant bow Oliver had attached to it. I held it firmly on both sides as it started to wobble as I picked it up.

"You need to sit down to open this one," I told Chloe and set the present in front of her. Oliver had wrapped the box and top separately so all she had to do was remove the top. And there was her present. A tiny Pomeranian mix, no more than four pounds, and about two or three years old. I'd observed its behavior before even talking to Oliver, but the dog rarely barked and she was very alert and intelligent. It was full-sized but still looked like a puppy. I couldn't think of a more perfect fit for Chloe.

“His name is Sprinkles!” she screeched.

If I had thought she had been excited when she saw Oliver's unicorn, that was almost nothing compared to how excited she was with this dog. Oliver slipped next to me with a mischievous twinkle and leaned over to whisper in my ear, "I won. What do I get?"

As much as I loved my daughter, I couldn't wait to ship her off with her grandparents.