Where Promises Must Glide

24 - Juliette

The party was a success.

I was almost appalled when I came down stairs to see the whole backyard decorated. Kids from the daycare Ophelia used to attend, plus some of the neighborhood children, all came to celebrate her birthday. My heart melted at the amount of kids who showed up, and Ophelia's smile was the widest I've seen it.

I spent the morning helping Theo set up and making her favorite breakfast. As tradition, I'd show her photos of her throughout the years—she only started to enjoy this tradition last year when she grasped the concept of being a baby at a point.

Some photos of her playing in the snow in her little thermal pink jumpsuit, while Monique gave her a crown and tutu to add flair—as she always does. All my college friends surrounded her in their quite skimpy outfits. The background of that photo is that it was the first snow of the year and everyone wanted to do a snow bunnies recreation photo for some reason.

Ophelia was barely two months old, and I participated in it for about one photo before Ilixa—who I deemed most responsible to watch Ophelia by her self—came and said that she wouldn't stop crying. It was fun while it lasted, but when your almost twenty, in college, and have a baby, sometimes a few sacrifices can happen.

But Ophelia's smile as I showed her the photo of her as a baby was probably the best result of the sacrifices that I would make any time of day just to see her give me that reaction all over again. Once we finished having our moment of reflecting on the past, I took a photo of her with her birthday breakfast, sash, balloons, and birthday crown—something to look back on in the following years.

Theo spent the whole morning preparing, while I shopped for some of the final stuff, and picked up the cake. When I came back, it was glow in the dark wonderland—which I had Theo shop for since some parents would be thoroughly concerned at a four year old John Wick party.

Ophelia was running around with her friends, in her beautiful outfit we picked out weeks before her party. I had a wine in my hand, as I am not one to interact with parents while sober. Theo seemed to be on the same level as he sipped his beer—and god he looked so handsome doing it. Like how can such a mundane task make someone look so good.

His tattoos were on full display on this unusually hot fall day. He wore a beige polo Henley and black trousers. It was such a basic outfit, but only Theo Callahan could wear something as simple as that and make it look so sexy. Probably the tattoos. The tattoos always make it better. He even wore rings today and god I was practically drooling.

I wanted his tattooed hand around my neck and to feel the cold metal of the rings against my throat—

Oh my fucking god I have a serious problem.

"You good, princess? Maybe get under the shade your turning red." Theos thick voice spoke over the horrors that were my inner thoughts. He grasped the small of my back, guiding me to the patio shade. Ophelia came over to me, her poofy purple skirt bouncing with every step and jump she made.

"Mommy look at my magic wand auntie Bell got me!" She was waving around what looked to be a custom Harry Potter wand that Annabel got her, probably from when she went to Florida to cover some news on Harry Potter world.

Annabel was smirking, she had a thing for wanting to gift everyone the best presents—we joked it was her love language.

Theo was entertaining her happiness, and my heart ached at how adorable it was. After she returned to her buddy's, I took a long swig of my drink. Theo scooted dangerously close to my stoop by the window.

"She's happy," he said, his voice was full of peace and calmness. It was new. We had been trying to mend our relationship for the past week, and I think it's really working out. I haven't seen him as much since my training has gotten more vigorous as the days countdown till the Olympics. But he makes it a priority that we at least spend one meal together—and it usually ends up being dinner since I come home at around six.

"All thanks to you," I tip my glass as a salute to his efforts.

"Well she deserves everything," he shrugged. "By the way, love when you two match, princess." His eyes trailed down my outfit. I had a lilac silk maxi skirt—which was only similar in color, contrast to the lilac frilly skirt Ophelia rocked. And a white tube top, along with a white cropped cardigan. Ophelia wore her favorite John Wick shirt, which was also white.

I didn't want to force her to match as much, so I based my outfit off hers. "Thanks, but it's all her." I take another sip of the boozy beverage, taking in the sunny sight of my child filled backyard.

Theos warm body and linger touch's became apparent the more we shared this stoop. "You look ravishing, darling," he spoke in a mocked British accent, which had me laughing.

"Posh and tattoos don't work well together, polar opposites," I told him through my fit of laughter.

"Scandalous ice skater is also quiet polar opposite if you ask me," he declared, shrugging.

"I'd like to think I'm closer to a Tanya Harding than Nancy Kerrigan in my ice skating career," I explained, which caused a huff of laughter.

"Last I checked everyone remembers Tonyas name more than Nancy," he whispered in my ears.

"They also called Tonya some very degrading names," I replied nonchalantly.

His smile was wide. "Well sweetheart, I'm not one for degradation, but I do know one thing that riles you up."

I practically purr; "and what is that?"

"You think I haven't seen the books on your bookshelf? See in the beginning I only did my research so I could talk to you about them, but then found some crazy things. Crawling was a common theme in a few, which I found very fascinating—but I'm a visual learner." His words came out smooth, and my limbs started to feel like jelly as my face heated.

He read my books. Oh I'm so completely fucked, there were some very, very, graphic scenes in some of those books. I try to not be ashamed, a women deserves some fun, but at the same time it was embarrassing and sweet that he read the books.

Before I could get a response out, Ilixa and Annabel all came running towards us. "Girl Isaiah is here, and if you don't hurry I think Monique is going to put her rings to use." Annabel was the first to scramble to words. Ilixa was calm and collected, but worry flashed in her eyes.

"What do you mean 'Isiah is here'?" The words felt fake as they left my mouth. Like hearing them out loud wasn't enough of a conformation, that seeing him step into the backyard just had to make it more real.

"I mean that," Annabel winced as she watched Isiah walk over to the four of us. Monique's stern ass trailing right behind him, I don't think she was done listing his worst traits because that was exactly what she did as he came over to me.

"Your a lying skunk who forced her to do shit she didn't want! All because you were the eastern seaboards golden boy!" Her manicured finger was pushing into his shoulder.

He brushed her off as he came to greet me. Gray eyes, buzzed hair, and the same tan skin I fell in love with all those years back. Isiah Jimenez.

And my daughter was too busy with a goddamn wand to realize the significance of this moment.