March 2015

As Keeley put the final touches on the twins' birthday cake, she paused, reflecting on how incredible it was that they had been alive for a whole year. Kaleb was already walking surprisingly well, but Violet, still shaky, preferred crawling.

Both twins could say "mama" and "dada," though Violet knew a few more words. Keeley and Aaron instinctively addressed them as "Mommy" and "Daddy," cooing phrases like "Mommy loves you" from the start.

Keeley was wiping down the kitchen counters while the babies played on the floor when it happened. She heard a small thud and an indignant screech.

Looking over, she saw Violet engaged in a tug-of-war with Dinah, the cat, who had apparently stolen Violet's toy after the baby threw it. The scene was hilarious, but the laughter died quickly. Violet, yelling "mama" twice, had turned to her mother for help in her feud with the cat.

Keeley blinked in shock, then grinned. Violet had said "mama" first! Aaron would be so jealous; he'd been eagerly anticipating this milestone for weeks, based on their baby books.

She immediately retrieved the toy from Dinah. Feeling affronted, Dinah received a couple of cat treats to appease her.

Kaleb, not to be outdone, started saying "mama" repeatedly after seeing his mother's excitement. Neither twin said "dada" for another week, despite Aaron's constant encouragement. They stubbornly stuck with "mama," perhaps teasing him, until Keeley was on the terrace gardening and Aaron was inside watching them. He burst onto the terrace, holding both babies, urging them to say "dada" in front of Keeley. A tiny chorus of "mama dada, mama dada" brought tears to both parents' eyes.

"Mama, mama, mama!" Violet cried, tugging on Keeley's pant leg.

Keeley put down the frosting bag she was using to pipe "Happy Birthday K+V" onto the cake and picked up her daughter. Violet, pointing insistently at her brother, revealed the problem: Kaleb's diaper had exploded, and some of the mess had reached the hardwood floor. Keeley was relieved it hadn't happened on the carpet.

The smell hadn't yet reached the kitchen, so if Violet hadn't alerted her, the situation could have become much worse. She sighed; this needed immediate attention, and she was almost finished with the cake.

Keeley dealt with the diaper situation before cleaning the floor. Years of handling lab rats had clearly desensitized her to such things.

Once that was done, she played a ten-minute video the babies enjoyed, giving her enough time to finish the cake.

Practically everyone they knew was coming to the twins' birthday party: the Singletons, Aiden, Valentina (whose schedule finally worked out), Alice, Roger, Kyle, and Keeley's father.

Since becoming a stay-at-home mom, Keeley's social circle had shrunk considerably. Returning to work and interacting with diverse people would be wonderful. She'd been feeling so isolated that she'd been researching Mommy and Me groups.

Her hesitation stemmed from fear of recognition and potential negative attention. While people no longer stopped her on the street, occasional credit card transactions still resulted in double takes when they saw her name.

The news coverage following Gray's arrest had subsided, but her anonymity hadn't fully returned. Unfortunately, much of New York seemed to know her name, even if they didn't recognize her face.

She glanced at the clock. It was almost 5 PM; everyone should be finishing work soon. Surveying the giant living room, decked out in streamers and balloons (which the twins probably wouldn't notice), she felt satisfied.

The baked penne, garlic bread, and side salad were ready. This was a simple dinner party with friends and family. They'd originally considered eating out, but staying home made cake and presents easier.

She'd always dreamed of such simple dinner parties, a stark contrast to the high-society events she and Aaron had endured.

Until Alice stayed with them, Keeley hadn't realized how much Aaron disliked those events; he'd always seemed indifferent. That idiot. But it was water under the bridge.

She had a lifetime of pleasant dinner parties ahead, rendering the bad ones insignificant. The sting of her past life's memories had faded as she built positive new ones.

The past no longer held her captive. She rarely made mental comparisons anymore, unlike before. She was glad to be done with that.

The repeated advertisement for NovelFire.net has been removed as it is irrelevant to the story.