Jennica, with Valentina in tow, arrived first, announcing her pregnancy with a huge grin. The three friends squealed with delight for five minutes. The Singletons hadn't taken long to conceive after Jennica finished her musical.

Jennica confessed they'd started trying before the musical ended, as morning sickness hadn't been immediate. She and Cameron had eagerly wanted to expand their family.

Since Jennica was three months pregnant, the Hale twins and baby Singleton would be slightly less than two years apart. This would provide a built-in friend close in age, especially once they were old enough to play together.

They were still discussing this when the next group arrived: the Hale Investments team, minus Roger, who was picking up Alice.

Aiden was teasing Cameron but fell silent upon seeing the women. Keeley's curiosity piqued, but her husband's "I'm home" kiss immediately diverted her attention.

"Hey, Aaron," she smiled, as he put an arm around her waist. "How was your day?"

"Alright. Though I've been craving cake since 10 AM."

"Of course you have."

His sweet tooth was surprising, though only for her baking. He was utterly smitten.

The intercom buzzed. "Roger Clark, Alice Wheatley, and Robert Hall are here to see you, Mrs. Hale. Shall I send them up?"

"Yes, thank you!" Keeley replied.

She started toward the kitchen to remove food from the warming drawer, but Aaron's arms stopped her. She urged him forward; this needed doing. Why was he so clingy?

Despite her complaints, she secretly enjoyed the attention; it made her feel loved. She'd grown accustomed to Aaron's embrace.

[The promotional sentence about Novelfire has been removed as it is irrelevant to the text and constitutes advertising.]

Once everyone arrived upstairs, Keeley and Aaron buckled the babies into their high chairs, offering finely chopped steamed vegetables and leftover unseasoned penne—too young for strong flavors. They were curious to see the babies' reactions to birthday cake, as they'd never had sugar before.

Keeley remembered photos of herself and Kaleb with cake-covered faces on their first birthdays. She wondered how her children would fare.

Some guests didn't know her father, so he introduced himself as she served the pasta bake. Everyone ate eagerly, conversation taking a backseat to the food.

Little chats emerged as the meal progressed. Keeley noticed Roger's attentiveness to Alice. She hadn't determined if anything was definitive between them, but the chemistry was undeniable.

As far as she knew, the divorce wasn't finalized, but Alice's lawyer was optimistic. They had a court date; it wouldn't have been necessary if Brock Kelly hadn't been so greedy. He refused to fairly divide the assets.

A fleeting thought crossed Keeley's mind: if she'd lived long enough to sign those divorce papers in her previous life, Aaron wouldn't have been so meticulous. He'd likely have given her more money than she could spend and sent her abroad for safety.

Working against his enemies this time had been tiring, but she was grateful for his trust and partnership. He'd kept her safe and informed—not mutually exclusive concepts.

She dismissed these thoughts as everyone finished eating. It was time for cake and presents. Kaleb and Violet needed help opening the wrapping paper.

They received so many toys Keeley hadn't seen before. Had everyone raided a toy store's toddler section? It was helpful, though; the twins tired of toys quickly, requiring weekly rotations. Their memories were short at that age.

After presents, the babies were returned to their high chairs—much to their displeasure, as the new toys beckoned. While blowing out candles was useless for one-year-olds, they sang "Happy Birthday" before cake was placed on each tray.

Aaron removed their shirts, anticipating a mess, and filmed them with his phone. Kaleb, the more adventurous twin, dug in first, smearing cake on his face while aiming for his mouth. Upon tasting it, his eyes widened; he shrieked with delight and banged on his tray.

Violet, curious, sampled the cake. She didn't shriek but shoveled a large amount into her mouth, also getting cake in her hair.

Everyone laughed at the mess, but Valentina was especially amused.

"Aww, I could watch them eat cake all day! They're so cute and funny. I'm really going to miss them when I leave for my residency."

She'd been accepted into a family medicine residency in Connecticut, starting after graduation in June. The nearly three-hour drive back to New York City and lack of a car meant friends would have to visit her.

"I've never been to Connecticut, but I've heard it's nice. We'll have to visit," Keeley said lightly, though her heart was heavy.

Seeing Valentina less often since they stopped being roommates had been hard. Living further away would make it worse.

With a best friend moving away, it was time to expand her social circle, even if it meant enduring strange looks in Mommy and Me groups.