Secrets of Love

Peyton's Party

"Happy Birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Peyton. Happy Birthday to you!"

We were playing around with the birthday song at Peyton's fifth Birthday party. Baby girl was so happy. She wanted a Rockstar party and that's what she got. She looked so cute in her custom shirt with her name on it and a tutu. We couldn't tell her anything and I prayed it wouldn't be one of those things that she decided she was going to wear everyday. She almost cut off Morgan's air supply with the tightest hug ever when she showed her the customized Converse shoes that she got her. We had rented out a room at the Rec center just so we would have more space and those bad kids wouldn't tear our houses up. She was also having a slumber party later that night and guess which parent had the honor of hosting? Thankfully Morgan and Lexi were staying over to help me out.

"Make a wish baby girl." Brandon urged looking at her.

"Ummmm...I wish that--"

"You can't say it out loud, Tink." Derrick put his finger gently on her lips.

"Daddy, I know! It's not nice to interrush me." She put both hands on her hips.

"Hands, Peyton Camille." Derrick rose his eyebrow at her. "And it's 'interrupt'. Now let's try this again. Make a wish."

She set her eyes on her parents and for a minute it looked like she was going to cry. As I moved towards her she closed her eyes, making her wish and blew out her candles. We all cheered as parents helped me line up the kids for their cake and ice cream. I grabbed the cake knife and put it her hands to help her cut the cake.

"I want granddad to help me cut it." Peyton took the cake knife out of my hand and waited for my dad to come over.

"Well excuse me." I put my hands up and backed away as everyone laughed.

"Mommy, sit. My brother wants cake." She said as she put her piece on a plate and came over to me and fed me cake, leaving my dad and Dot to pass the cake out with Morgan's assistance.

"Pey, we don't know if it's a boy yet. It might be a girl." I rubbed my hand along her curls that were finally starting to come back.

"Trust me it's a boy." She said and told me to bend down so she could tell me a secret. "Sunny told me." She smiled and skipped off with her friends before I could even say anything.

I sat there taking everything in. I was almost six months pregnant and while Brandon and I weren't together he was no longer keeping Peyton from me. I had gotten an apartment and was staying there until we figured out what we were going to do about our marriage. We separated ourselves and made arrangements for Peyton. Both Brandon and I were going to individual counseling and i was waiting on Brandon to decide if he wanted to do marital counseling again.

"Cheer up. It's a party." Zay said tapping my leg.

"I'm cool. Just thinking is all." I smiled at him and looked out in the yard at the kids playing. "Zay, I-"

"Not today, Cam. Let's just enjoy today. Okay?" He wiped s tear that was going to fall with the pad of thumb.

"Xavier! Come on. I want cotton candy." Jasmine walked over to us pulling him from his chair.

"Why is she even here?" I thought I had said it low, but Zay heard me and shook his head.

"Hormones." I shrugged and he turned to tend to Jasmine and her whining.

I got up to get something to drink. Just as I reached for a cup of punch a bottle of water was shoved into my hand.

"You've been here all day and I have yet to see you drink any water." Brandon said with a stern look on his face.