“Happy Birthday to you . . . 

Happy Birthday to you . . . 

Happy Birthday, dear Elizabeth . . . 

Happy Birthday to you!”

The little beauty leaned forward and blew out her candles in one big breath.

“I did it, Dad! I did it, Papa!”

“You did it, Bizzy!” they exclaimed with her.

“Can I have two pieces?”

Raff laughed. “How about we start with one. Wow, Gladys, this cake is gorgeous. You’ve really upped your game recently.”

“Thanks, Raff! As soon as I heard that Elizabeth wanted a rainbow theme, I knew I had to give this one a shot.” Each of the seven layers of her beautiful creation was a different color, and on top of the cake was a big number 5. Elizabeth was five years old today.

The rec room was decorated with rainbow-hued balloons and streamers, and her classmates from Stellar Landing Pre-K Through 8 School were there, standing around waiting for their share of the sweets. A small pile of gifts sat at the table nearby.

April in Stellar was warmer than usual this year and, after cake and presents, the children took off to play outside, while the adults relaxed with coffee.

“How are the boys adjusting to preschool?” asked Denise.

“Great!” Raff replied. “It’s just a few days a week, but they really are benefitting from the structure. Eric already knows his ABCs. Edward has no interest in learning anything except about trucks and elephants, but he’s got time. They’re only three, after all.”

“And how are you two adjusting? It’s been almost a year now. You can’t run out and get Ethiopian food any time of day or night like you can in New York City, and we don’t have a decent zoo. Do you ever miss it? Any of it?”

Raff and Chris looked at each other.

“We do, sometimes,” Chris said, “But that’s why we go back every Christmas and Thanksgiving. That’s really the best time of year to be in New York anyway.”

“The pace of life is just better here,” Raff added. “And it’s a lot cheaper.”

“Pardon me for interrupting,” Gladys said. She tossed a large stack of magazines on the table. “Denise, I need you to start looking at bridesmaid’s dresses. The wedding is in five months, and we need to order now.”

Denise promised that she would get on it right away but, as Gladys walked away, she rolled her eyes. “I love that girl to death, but who thought that Gladys would be a bridezilla?”

“Really? That is surprising,” Chris said. “What’s she doing?”

“She’s got me and Celia as her bridesmaids and making us throw her a wild bachelorette weekend in Vancouver. And she wants live butterflies at their reception. I’m not even sure if that’s possible in Alaska in September? She wants the entire reception to take place on top of Flat Rock in the State Park. Plus she’s making her own wedding cake, which I predict will be a control-freaky disaster.”

“That sounds expensive,” Raff said.

“Oh, did you hear that Cranky Craig’s parents are filthy rich? They’re paying for the whole thing, and Cranky is their baby, so nothing’s too good.”

Raff and Chris sputtered with laughter. “Don’t let her hear you calling him Cranky.”

They were happy for their friend though. She was a wonderful woman who celebrated and supported them all, and they would do the same at her wedding, even if it meant she went a little nuts.

After the party, Raff and Chris each carried an exhausted boy in their arms, and Elizabeth dragged a boxful of gifts up the elevator to their home. Plastic sheeting hung up over one large hole in the wall, through which workers spent the weekdays converting a second condo into a master bedroom, bath and playroom. It was when this second condo went up for sale, cheap, when Raff and Chris realized that they could make it work.

The unthinkable had happened. Little Stellar, Alaska, and the building that housed most of its population, had stolen their hearts from New York City.

After the children were asleep, Raff and Chris snuck past the plastic sheeting to see how much work was left to do. They stood at the giant picture window in the empty room, held hands and gazed out at the mountains that surrounded them. Stars were just beginning to shine.

It was quiet, but not the kind of tense quiet that they experienced a few years ago when their marriage was struggling. This was a satisfied peace that meant their day had been spent doing what gratified them most, being with their little family and each other.

In Stellar Landing, every day was a little gift.

Turn the page to get your preview of One Big Family! It is the First book in the Hot Alaska Night Series!