Landon’s sixth birthday fell on a Thursday that year. We planned a birthday party for the Saturday following his birthday. We knew my parents would have a party for him on Sunday, so the gathering at our home was more for our family to celebrate the occasion. I let the older children know with a text message more as a matter of respect than due to any expectation of them attending.

Erin was a sophomore at Kansas State University. Alec was a freshman, playing basketball on a scholarship. Derek was a senior in high school, preparing for college, and maintaining his perfect GPA.

I prepared myself for the fact that none of them could – or would – attend. Realistically, I couldn’t expect them to.

Eight months pregnant, and looking like she was carrying twins, Jess strung crepe paper streamers over the doorways. Balloons dangling from every archway followed. As Landon and Lily played around the lake that backed up to our new home, Jess waddled to the edge of the dining room and admired her handiwork.

“Looks good, Baby,” I said.

“When should we call them in?” she asked.

I looked at my watch. “One?”

“What time is it?”

“Fifteen ‘till.”

“Okay.”

A knock at the door surprised me. I knew Teddy and Heather would stop by, but we weren’t expecting them until dinnertime. Since being reunited, they hadn’t been away from one another for a single moment.

I looked at Jess, shrugged, and walked to the door. Opening it revealed two extremely tall men, and one smiling woman.

I stepped aside. “Come in.”

My daughter hugged me and then yelled at Jess. “Oh my God. You’re so cute.”

“I’m huge,” Jess complained. “Scott still says twins.”

Derek grinned. “Where’s Landon?”

“They’re down at the lake.”

Alec stepped through the door and patted me on the shoulder. “Afternoon, Pop.”

“Good afternoon, Son.”

He glanced around the house. “Nice digs.”

“Thank you.”

“Kids down at the lake?” he asked.

“They’re playing down there, yeah.”

“Come on, Dee,” Alec said. “Let’s go down there.”

“I uhhm.” The words got stuck in my throat. “I appreciate you guys making it.”

Alec turned to face me. “It’s my little brother’s birthday. Wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

Something as simple as a birthday party shouldn’t have brought out so much emotion. That’s what I told myself. Yet. As Alec and Derek walked down to the lake, I fought back tears. It wasn’t an easy struggle. I had yet to cry since that day when I was twelve, and for whatever reason, it seemed I took pride in realizing it.

After we opened the gifts, Alec and Derek went down to the lake and played with the remote-controlled boat that Landon got for his birthday.

“I had one of these when I was your age,” Alec said. “Dee and I each had one. We lived not too far from here.”

“Oh really?” Landon asked.

Alec pointed toward the western sky. “Halfway to Starbucks. The house backed up to a lake, just like this.”

It was the home I lived in when I was arrested. The children loved that home, and still talked about it regularly. I desperately tried to forget it. I found it strange that an object could bring such satisfaction to one, while causing another such grief.

The boys played for hours. Alec taught Landon a few tricks with the soccer ball. Football followed. Then, the fall sun set along the western horizon.

After another piece of cake and cup of coffee, the big kids, as Jess called them, announced their need to go.

Erin hugged Jess. “Can’t wait.”

Derek then hugged Jess and grinned. “I still think it’s going to be a boy.”

Alec patted me on the shoulder. “Nice seeing ya, Pop.”

After he hugged me, he looked at Jess.

Jess waved.

He waved in return. “See ya, Jess.”

The day’s events made clear that as a family, we’d made progress. It wasn’t perfection by any means, but we were getting close.