"Thanks for helping me with this, Mar-Bar," Alya said as she added another flower to the cupcake in front of her.
"No problem Allie-Cat," Marinette replied as she finished the leaves on Alya's previous cupcake. "I haven't had time to help with a baking project in awhile."
"I thought you dropped by your parent's place just the other day?"
"Yes, but it was just to invite them to Emma's dance recital on Thursday," she said with a sigh. "I didn't really have time to do more than invite them and then run out to go pick up Louis from his gymnastics and grab Hugo from the groomer."
Alya laughed. "I still can't believe that you insisted on getting all three of those names in your family so much that you had to name the dog Hugo."
Marinette frowned at her friend for a moment. "What are you talking about?"
"You're kidding right?" Alya pitched her voice high and began to flutter her eyelashes. "And then Adrien and I will get married, have three kids: Emma, Louis, and Hugo, and maybe a hamster." She looked at her friend and arched one brow, "Sound familiar?"
Marinette was stunned for a minute then broke out into a huge laugh. "I totally forgot all about that." She was thoughtful. "I guess that's why I didn't fight Adrien when he wanted to name Louis after his mother's father?"
Alya snorted as she passed her cupcake to Marinette and picked up another one to start putting the decorations on the top.
"Besides, Hugo just looks like a Hugo," she said in defense.
Alya nodded. "That's true. I can't imagine him having any other name."
They worked in comfortable silence for several minutes.
"What time will your parents be bringing the kids back from the movie?" Alya asked.
Marinette looked at the clock.
"They're supposed to be done by 1:30, but then you have to figure in some extra spoiling time for Pelée. So probably 2:30?"
"They don't have to do that you know," Alya said frowning in concentration as she added another rose.
"I know it, and they know it, but you just have to face facts," Marinette said and smiled at her friend. "Every child that comes within a five foot radius is now considered their grandkid."
"I blame Nathaniel for that," Alya replied. "Him and Luka showing up at the bakery with their adorable new baby, nearly in tears after Nath's mother just shut the door on them, and then thinking that your folks weren't going to do something about it."
"I'm sure they just thought my parents would coo over their little one and offer a slice of cake on the house," Marinette chuckled. "They should have known better than that."
"I still can't believe it was your mom that nearly knocked his parent's door down and dragged them to the bakery to introduce them to 'her' new grandchild! And then almost stuffed Nath's dad in the oven when he used that slur in her presence."
"I think dad would have done it, but he was holding the baby and there's no way he was putting him down anytime soon."
Alya teared up a little. "I really love those people, you know."
"I kind of guessed it when you made Pelée's middle name Sabine and Maleek was given Thomas for his."
"I guess that is something of a clue," Alya chuckled.
There was silence as each woman thought back on the past and the role that Tom and Sabine played in their lives.
"So when is everyone else going to be here?" Alya asked.
"Well Luka and their lot will be here exactly at 2:37," Marinette began.
"So five o'clock for the art colony," Alya said knowing that between the artist and his husband, the musician, the concept of "on time" was a lost cause.
"Yeah," Marinette said arranging the cupcakes into a tasty looking bouquet. "And Chloe and Alix are supposed to be here around three." Marinette looked at the arrangement and switched the position of two cupcakes. "Bridget should be here any minute, but Félix won't be able to come until he gets off work. Your parents are picking up the twins from university and then they'll be here about three-ish. I haven't heard back from Nora, so who knows with her. Nino's parents are planning on picking Ysabel up at the airport right about now, so they should be here in half an hour? Maybe longer?" She started filling in the spaces between cupcakes with green frosting shaped like leaves. "And of course, Adrien is taking his job of distracting Nino until four o'clock very seriously. He's already taken Nino to a fancy four-course lunch, shopped for party decorations, and they're," she looked at her most recent phone message, "looking at various steam cleaners they could rent to clean the rug," she looked back at her phone, "but he just realized that should have been done a couple of days ago if the carpet is going to be dry in time for the party." She looked at Alya. "Are you sure you don't want to tell him that you've moved the party here so Nino can stop freaking out?"
Alya giggled and shook her head. "It's the only thing I could do to surprise him for his birthday! Over the years I've tried so many ways to surprise him and it never works. Organizing parties on the down low? He always finds out at least a week before! I've tried hiding presents, giving him candles that don't go out, gag gifts, a no birthday-birthday (sadly he really liked that one) everything I can think of to surprise him, but it never works. This time I might have gotten him!"
She sighed when Marinette's phone pinged again. "It's getting hard on him since he thinks we still have to clean up the more public rooms for this party, that I let him plan, and decorate, and get the food ready, and put the drinks to chill."
"Oh that reminds me," Mari said as she put the finishing leaf on the cake bouquet. She put the decorating bag into the bowl in the sink. "Help me get the tub down for the drinks?"
Alya grabbed the step ladder and followed Marinette into the walk-in pantry.
"I had to turn my phone on silent because it's getting hard to ignore his texts," she said as she climbed up to be able to reach the metal tub used at every gathering. "I'm pretty sure he's going to want to erase those before I see them."
Marinette nodded as she took the article. "He's sent me a couple of texts to ask you to turn your phone back on. I'm afraid I'm throwing you under the bus here because I told him I passed on your message, but that you're not speaking to him right now," she said and grinned when Alya stuck out her tongue in her direction.
"That's fine, but tell him we need more ice," she started to cackle. "I always send him for ice at the last minute. And he knows that I won't accept it from anywhere but my ice store."
"How do you know he actually goes there?" Marinette asked. "I mean it's half way across the city."
"Well, first of all he has to show me a receipt," Alya said. "And you best believe I check the date and time. Second, if I think it was too fast then I'll check the trace I have on his phone, which he knows has to be on or I will send him to go again while I get rid of the inferior ice. Third, is something I only did at the beginning when he was testing my sincerity over how serious I take my ice. I call the shop and talk to the clerks. I know all of them and their loyalty is to me not Nino. So if I ask about him being there they'll confirm or deny his story as the case may be. Oh, maybe I should call right now so they can pass along a message for me?" She looked at Marinette who was shaking her head.
"Alya, no," she moaned.
"Alya, yes!" she countered.
"It's a good thing you two love each other," Marinette said as she started loading juice and sodas into the tub.
Alya just grinned as she called the convenience store to leave her message for Nino. Then she allowed that the inferior ice in Marinette's freezer could be used to chill the drinks, but insisted on making a sign warning everyone not to use the ice.
Marinette got her friend paper and markers as she checked that they were ready for the party. Soon guests were arriving and presents began to pile up. With one text Marinette let Adrien know that Nino could be put out of his misery. Ten minutes later Adrien and Nino's voices could be heard through the door.
"But dude if we're only going to be a minute," the sarcasm was thick for the last five words,"why should I bring in the ice?"
"Because it's kind of hot out there and if you are missing too much of Alya's precious ice we'll have to go back and get more?" Adrien replied.
"Good point," was the response as Adrien's key was turning in the lock.
"Surprise!"
Nino was stunned. Adrien gently took the ice from his unresistant hands as Pelée and Maleek dashed to their father shouting "Happy Birthday!" at the top of their lungs.
Others came forward to hug and wish Nino a happy birthday, but Alya was suspiciously absent. Nino came alive in the embrace of his family and friends. It wasn't until everyone who was there had given him hugs, kisses, and or fistbumps that Alya appeared in front of him.
"Are you mad?" she asked quietly, a little repentant for what she'd put him through.
Nino reached out and pulled her into a tight hug.
"How can I be mad when you've managed to get the most important people in my life into one room?" He eased back on the hug, but didn't let her go. "And they're here because they want to celebrate another year we've had together." He brushed the hair out her eyes so that he could gaze at her. "This is the best birthday present I could ever have received," he said with a huge smile.
Alya pulled him into a searing kiss which was only broken when Maleek came and demanded to be picked up.
After that, music was turned up, food was eaten, and a good time was had by all.
"Happy cake!" Maleek demanded.
"Yes, it's time for happy cake little man," Adrien said as he brought out the bouquet now lit with candles all over the sphere of cupcakes.
Nino demanded that Pelée and Maleek get to help him since he couldn't possibly blow all the candles out in one go. It turned out that he couldn't do it with two very enthusiastic helpers either. (Adrien had kindly switched out the candles for ones that wouldn't go out.)
Once the cupcakes were demolished Nino was seated in a comfy chair to open presents. Pelée helpfully brought each present to him while Maleek was kind enough to help him open them. Alya was mostly on wrapping paper duty, but she also helped when a present was too heavy for her daughter to safely move.
Finally they were down to one present. It was a slim box that normally would hold a bracelet or perhaps a watch, with a large golden bow on top.
"This one's from Mommy," Pelée told Nino as she crawled up into his lap to sit opposite of Maleek.
Nino glanced up at Alya's worried face before saying, "Well then I'm sure I'm going to love it."
The box creaked open and the whole room seemed to hold its breath in anticipation.
Nino just stared at the gray, plastic wand and the word it was flashing in the results window. With a whoop of delight he swept his children up into a hug and turned them around. Then he set them down so that he could hug Alya. Then he pulled the little ones back in a family hug.
"We're getting another baby!" he called to the room of perplexed watchers.
The entire room exploded in cheers. Soon everyone was surging forward to offer their congratulations.
Nino kept one arm around Alya and tried to keep a hand on the head of one of the children until they managed to escape to ask Auntie Nette for more treats.
"I take it you like your present?" Alya whispered in his ear between Alix's handshakes and Tom's crushing hug.
"It was the only thing that could have topped this surprise party," he answered truthfully. He smiled as he kissed her cheek. "Have I ever told you that I just love my birthday present?"
"It wouldn't hurt to hear it again," she replied as she booped his nose.
He leaned in again to kiss her and then whispered, "I love that you are my birthday present." He gently nuzzled her hair. "You've given me the most wonderful family and I am blessed to share this adventure with you." He gently placed a hand on her abdomen. "I can't wait to meet our next great treasure."
Alya put her arms around his neck and rested her forehead against his. "Happy birthday, my love," she practically sighed.
"Yes, yes it is," he whispered back.