“Even though Grandma threw it away?”
Hannah felt her throat tighten.
She brushed a strand of hair away from Lily’s face.
“Especially because you love it.”
Lily threw her arms around her mother’s neck.
Hannah held her daughter tightly, fighting back tears of her own.
Behind them, Margaret let out an irritated sigh.
“This is ridiculous. Daniel, are you going to let her behave like this in front of everyone?”
Daniel looked from his mother to his wife and daughter.
He opened his mouth.
For once, no words came out.
Three hours earlier, Hannah had believed the day might finally be different.
She had spent the previous week preparing for Lily’s eighth birthday party.
Lily had requested a butterfly theme, pink balloons, strawberry lemonade, and a chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream.
It was a simple list.
Hannah had promised her daughter that every detail would be exactly as she wanted.
She had also promised herself that this year would be peaceful.
The previous birthday had been difficult. Margaret had complained about the inexpensive decorations and criticized the gifts other relatives brought. She had even told Lily that her dress looked like something a child from a discount store would wear.
Lily had cried in her bedroom afterward.
Daniel had apologized for his mother’s behavior and promised to handle things differently next time.
So when Margaret called two weeks before the party and announced that she intended to attend, Hannah had hesitated.
Then she had agreed.
She didn’t want to give Margaret another reason to accuse her of dividing the family.
On the morning of the party, Hannah woke at five thirty.
She baked the cake layers, prepared sandwiches, arranged the decorations, and tied little ribbons around the party favors.
Lily came downstairs in her pajamas and stood in the kitchen doorway.
“Is that my cake?”
Hannah smiled.
“It certainly is.”
“Can I decorate it?”
