Don't Let Us Go

She Is The Moment

Guests trickled into the party room as pizza and wings were distributed to the party goers. Forcing a smile on her face, Olivia kept away her emotions at bay as Spencer stood beside her, handing out plates to their guests. Speaking through gritted teeth, Olivia tried her best to hide the tension brewing between herself and Spencer.

"I don't know what that was downstairs, but you can explain yourself at a better time," She demanded with a tight lined smile, continuing to make plates and half them to their friends and family.

"I will, I promise," Spencer vowed, trying his best to appear happy with a feigned grin towards the guests that passed by Jim. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you ear-"

"I don't want to hear about Tanya, or Charles, or what messed up situation you are in right now. Right now is about our daughter. Tanya already bombarded her way into enough of this afternoon. We will finish at the house. End of story," Olivia snapped, dropping her false smile entirely to glare at Spencer to convey the seriousness in her demands. Curling her lips back on cue with the appearance of his mother walking up to them, Olivia went back to playing the role of a happy mom.

"Hey, everything alright over here. You two seem tense?" Miss Grace questioned quietly of the quarreling couple after sensing the grievance between them from across the room.

"Yeah, Ma. We are good." Spencer lied through too big of a smile, "I'm going to speak to Nel about something real quick."

"You do that," Olivia groaned, not bothering to hide her hurt feelings from his mother that had already seen through their facade.

As her son shook his head, walking away from his upset girlfriend, Mama Grace joined Olivia's side.

"What's going on?" Mama Grace requested to let in.

"Tanya was here. She did not make any trouble, but I could tell from how she and Spencer addressed one another that she came to make trouble," Olivia stressed. "I wanted today to be perfect for Gigi. For her to finally have the family she deserved with a perfect birthday surrounded by people who love her. Then that wench shows up and almost ruins everything," Olivia confided to Spencer mother's as Mama Grace rubbed her back, trying to soothe the young mother.

"First of all, calm down, and look around," Grace insisted, gesturing to all the content guests around the room that were oblivious to Olivia's pain. "Nothing is ruined, Olivia. Your guests are happy. Your daughter is happy. Everything is going well. Secondly, stop giving Tanya so much importance. She is of no worth today. I don't care if she showed up, groveling for forgiveness. That girl should not even be a forethought," Mama Grace advised. "Focus on your daughter and give her the birthday you envisioned. That's all you need to do. The rest can wait until what is really important is completed."

Nodding, Olivia processed then applied Grace's advice. Avoiding the subject of Tanya for the remainder of the afternoon, Olivia focused on Gracianna. After pizza and wings, everyone gathered around a large gymnastics-themed cake that earned a large beam from the birthday girl. Singing the birthday song in unison, the friends and family of Olivia and Spencer celebrated the special day of Gigi having all her loved ones together for the first time.

After blowing out the candles and receiving a round of applause, Gracianna moved to the gift table to unwrap her presents. It was a very long process going through the large pile of gifts.

Laura and Billy bought her a haul of summer outfits from Claire's. Uncle Jordan gifted her an Airtag and the latest version of the Nintendo Switch. Aunt Simone and Cousin Shay decided on a pair of reeboks and a matching outfit patterned in Gigi's favorite colors. Grandma Grace and Granddad Carter purchased a new pair of boots for Gigi to wear during her next visit to the countryside during the upcoming summer break. Uncle Dillion supplied her with a miniature art canvas kit that he planned to her teach her how to use during her visit to his mother's home in Tennessee. Uncle Darnell and Aunt Kia provided her with new leotards for the next gymnastics season. While cousin D.J built her a Lego castle from his personal collection. Uncle Asher and Aunt Jamie bought her a new hoverboard picked out by their son A.J. Aunt Davita and Uncle Tony bought her a new Polaroid camera that Gigi wasted no time in taking pictures with for her new photo album that they bought to go with the camera. Making quick drop-in in show of good faith, Coop and Patience gave Gracianna karaoke machine. Joining them for a quick drop-in, Layla gave Gigi a pair of wedged ankle boots and a new denim summer dress to accompany the shoes. Her parents of her three best friends from Portland followed a yearly traditional of gifting Gracianna, a new charm for her charm bracelet that each of their daughters owned to match with one another. One is in the shape of the number eight, a bejeweled crystal, and the last in the shape of an angel. Last was the gift from both her parents; a chained locket with a family picture of all three of them from their day at the icerink back in New York on side. The other side was engraved with a quote, "We love you to the moon and back."

Grinning, Gigi looked up from her locket into the video camera lens that her dad currently recorded the gift exchange on. "And I love you guys past the milky ways and stars," She verbally replied in a phrase that she'd grown accustomed to stating to then each night before bed.

Applause and awes rang out around the party room as Mom and Dad embraced their little girl with tears of their own. At that moment, everything was perfect.

"Happy birthday, baby girl." Spencer mumbled, repeatedly kissing her all her head and face, causing his daughter to laugh
squeamishly.

"Ok, Daddy!" Gracianna squealed, engulfed by her dad's affections and her mother tender hold.

Once they pulled off her, Spencer gazed Olivia hesitantly, surprised to find her smiling at him. Reciprocating the smile, he knew things we were going to be alright.