Chapter Julia’s Birthday
James looked around the backyard that met with Lake Ontario. It was Julia’s birthday. The parents were milling around, talking to one another and having drinks while the kids played in the garden, the swing set and near the lake.
The barbecue was going and it seemed perfect.
Daphne nursed a mimosa as she stood on the deck overlooking the garden. She felt James behind her as he wrapped his arms around her stomach.
After Julia’s confession, it had been two more weeks before she moved into James and Julia’s house in Oakville. Five months had passed since then. With the high-profile case, Thomas and Santiago LLC had grown in leaps and bounds and was now one of the premier corporate law firms in Toronto. They worked with all manner of companies, with a focus on environmental cases. They had taken on more staff and were on retainer to the Wilderness Outreach Incubator.
James’s incubator was expanding to more locations and helping more people dealing with environmental issues and projects.
Still, with it all, they made time for each other and for Julia.
She had even earned the right to drop off and pick up Julia from school and rented out her apartment, making it official. There was no going back.
She didn’t want to. Seeing Julia and having James every day felt right. It wasn’t easy all the time and they did argue here and there. At the end of it all, they would run back to the other, saying sorry and working it out. They put in work and, more than the house, they had become each other’s home.
She leaned backward and tilted so he could kiss her. “Hi.” She smiled.
“Hi.” James squeezed her slightly as she rubbed his arm with her free hand.
She leaned back into him. Her head rested on his chest as she looked over at Julia and her friends. I guess these are motherly feelings? Daphne looked at little Julia. There was no doubt that she cared deeply for Julia and would do anything for her.
“I don’t know what I did right to get a life like this.” Daphne sighed.
“All the right things,” James murmured in her ear.
They lapsed into silence again before Daphne broke it.
“So what did you get Julia for her birthday? You’ve been really secretive about it,” Daphne asked, curious.
“It’s something precious to us both,” James said, mysteriously.
Julia seemed to see them and clapped her hands. She wore a dress and a tiara, the queen of the ball. She charged up toward them, leading a pack of kids. The other parents looked over. They seemed to sense something was up.
“Dad, I told you not to do it yet!” Julia complained.
“I haven’t yet, but should I now?” James asked.
Daphne looked between the two of them as James released her.
“Yes!” Julia jumped, a wide smile on her face.
James’s hand went into his pocket as he looked at the confused Daphne.
“Daphne Thomas, would you do us the honor of becoming Daphne Waters?” James took a knee and pulled out the box in his pocket. Inside there was an engagement ring.
Daphne’s emotions were thrown into chaos as tears rolled down her cheeks. She saw James and Julia, who ran over to her, hugging her legs.
“Say yes!” Julia said with an innocent and wide smile.
Daphne couldn’t help but laugh, rubbing Julia’s head as tears fell down her face. Her wide smile hurt her cheeks. “Yes, yes, I will.” The dams opened as she couldn’t see anymore through the tears.
“Yay!” Julia cheered. The other kids joined in as the parents, seeing what was going on, clapped.
Behind James, Reggie, Lucy, Dom, Cathy, and Paul came out of the house with noisemakers and fired off confetti poppers.
Daphne’s heart was full as James stood, taking out the ring and putting it on her finger.
He grabbed and picked up Julia on one shoulder, pulling Daphne into a hug.
She cried on his shirt, looking up to him as he kissed her.
“Ew!” Julia wrinkled her nose at her mom and dad, making James and Daphne laugh.
“Come here, you tyke.” Daphne put her wine glass down and took Julia from James and hugged her.
“See, best birthday gift ever!” Julia declared.
“I agree.” James’s voice was deep with emotion. His eyes locked with Daphne’s, seeing her smiling so wide as he wiped her tears away with his thumbs and saw Julia celebrating in her arms.