"Eggs, flour, baking powder, vanilla extract, sugar, butter and oil," Red reeled off her list, checking off each item as she spotted them on the counter top. "Then for the decoration; icing sugar, butter, food dye and sprinkles."

"Don't forget the pans," Nicky said, tapping the cake tins together so that they rattled. "Looks like we bought enough to keep Hobby Lobby in business for a while."

Behind her, Parker shrieked, pulling at the hem of her mom's skirt in protest. Toddling now, she was interested in everything around her and unafraid to show it. Nicky hauled her up onto the counter top amongst the ingredients and tugged her dress down. She handed her the pans despite knowing she would bang them together, and looked unapologetically to Red, who winced when she did so.

"She'll dent them," Red warned, tickling the bottom of Parker's feet, which hung off the edge of the counter. She prised the pans from Parker's little hands, setting them down on the kitchen island away from her, despite her protests. "Uh-uh," she chided, ignoring the starfish hands reaching out for the pans again. "Here," she said, plucking a clean wooden spoon from the drawer, and placing it in Parker's lap. "You can play with this."

Nicky raised her eyebrows. "Dents in the pans are the least of my worries," she remarked, flicking through the cookbook she had also picked up in the baking aisle. She heaved a sigh and slammed it shut. "Maybe I should just order a cake like Marka suggested…"

"She was just trying to relieve some pressure," Red said gently. Her expression brightened as she watched Parker playing the drums with her wooden spoon. "Besides, Parker won't care what the cake looks like. She'll love it. If you let her have a piece, that is…" Red raised her eyebrows.

Nicky rolled her eyes. "Of course she can have a piece of her own birthday cake."

"Well, you've been so caught up in organic this and no preservatives that, I'm surprised it isn't a sugar free cake." Red huffed. "One article about how sugar is the work of the devil and you won't even let my little Iva have a lick of ice cream at the beach."

Remaining nonplussed, Nicky grabbed the cookbook and flipped to the cake recipe she had chosen for Parker's party. "You're right," Nicky said, leaning against the side and sighing. "Parker won't care what it looks like. Let's just get it over with."

Red pushed the cookbook aside. "You don't need this. You think I don't know how to make a cake?"

"I know you do, Red," Nicky said patiently, her hand still resting on the book. "But I can't read your mind."

"I'll tell you what to do and you follow me to the letter, how about that?"

Nicky made a face at Parker, who gave her away by falling into peals of giggles. "Fine," she agreed, bopping Parker's nose with the spatula.

"Okay," Red said, one hand on her hip as she leaned against the kitchen island. "Measure out two cups of sugar."

"Cups?" Nicky asked, her nose wrinkled. She fished a mug from the tree stand on the sideboard. "Is this one okay?"

Red looked heavenward. Handing her the cup measurement and placing the mug from Nicky's hand to the countertop, she rolled her eyes. "You weren't kidding about your baking ability."

A few hours later, one perfectly decorated baby pink cake sat on the countertop. Next to it, a tiny smash cake that Red had convinced Nicky to make along with it. With Parker down for her morning nap, they had managed to knuckle down and get it baked, cooled and decorated. Nicky looked proud, and she felt good. Despite everything that had happened in Parker's first year, she had made it to her first birthday, she was healthy, happy, and the cake looked half-way decent.

"She'll love smashing that," Red said, a twinkle in her eye. "I can't wait to see it. Aren't you excited, Nicky? I can't believe she's one already! It goes by so fast."

Nicky had thought the same thing when she had woken up that morning. As she'd crept into Parker's bedroom, the nightlight illuminating the room, she couldn't believe she had a one year old. Leaning over the cot, Nicky had accepted the sloppy kiss Parker had reached out to give her.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you…"

Nicky lifted Parker out of her cot, nuzzling her cheek gently. She patted her back, turning her to rock her. In her sleepy state she didn't fight it like she usually would.

"Happy birthday dear Parker, happy birthday to you."

She'd brought her out of her bedroom for a special birthday breakfast where both grandmas waited for her. Red had smothered her in kisses and whispered happy birthday in Russian in her ear, to which Parker had giggled. Marka had waited for her to toddle over to her before leaning down and kissing her cheek.

"Happy birthday, darling," she'd said. "Your babushka and grandma made you pancakes. Are you hungry? Come on. Grandma will feed you whilst Mommy has her coffee. You know she's a zombie until then."

Parker had squealed, loving being centre of attention. Nicky rolled her eyes, but inside, she had wondered when she'd gotten so lucky.

Nicky sighed wistfully, squeezing Red's hand.

"Me either. And it looks perfect, but it's missing something," Nicky said, referring back to the cakes she had pinned on Pinterest for weeks leading up to Parker's big day on her phone. "Shoot, I know. A cake topper! I can't believe I forgot to order one."

"I can run out and get one at the store," Red offered. "The party's not for a few hours yet. It'll be fine."

"No, I'll do it," Nicky said. "I'll take Parker with me. She could do with a little fresh air before the party. So could I, after that." She wiped her sticky fingers on her apron. "Will you let the decorators in?"

Red rolled her eyes. "I could have blown up balloons and curled a few ribbons," she said. "I don't know why Marka paid someone to do it."

"You saw the pictures," Nicky said, shrugging. "They do a good job to be fair. I don't want you climbing on step ladders and breaking your back anyway."

"Nicky, how old do you think I am?"

Nicky grinned sheepishly. "I think that's a trick question."


Once at the store, Nicky set a blanket down in the shopping cart and then buckled Parker into the seat. Something about grocery stores always made Parker inexplicably happy. Probably because of the bright colors and lighting that made Nicky hate the experience. A party store, Nicky reasoned, should have Parker jumping up and down with excitement.

Strolling through the aisles, Nicky threw a few packages of decorations in the cart. The decorators would make it perfect, she was sure, but she couldn't resist picking up a few bits and pieces. A balloon display was particularly eye catching to baby Parker.

"You want a balloon, Parker?" Nicky asked, shaking the clear balloon in Parker's eyeline. Confetti rattled around inside and she watched, enthralled. She let out a little cry as Nicky held it just out of her reach, in fear of her popping it and scaring herself. "Fine," she said, tying it to the cart in her line of vision but out of her reach. "You're the birthday girl, after all."

She kept walking, looking at the shelves with intrigue. She'd never known how much stuff one person could possibly buy for a party until she came here. Truthfully she was beginning to see the sense in hiring a decorator, though she baulked at the price. Red had baulked at the price of Parker's outfit for the occasion. Nicky had neglected to mention the price of her own.

All of a sudden, Nicky stopped short in the aisle. Her breath caught in her throat as she gripped the cart handle tightly, her knuckles turning white. In front of her, a man tried to convince his daughter that one pack of party streamers wouldn't destroy the planet. It had been a simple stroll through the party supply store, but upon stumbling across the scene unfolding in front of her, she found herself struggling to put one foot in front of the other. Not even Parker's babbling brought her back to earth. She swallowed hard.

"Honey, don't you think an engagement party is a good enough reason to relax your rules a little? Hopefully, you'll only have the one." He laughed, shoving his hands into deep pockets.

"You've had three, Dad," his daughter said reproachfully, firmly placing the package back on the shelf. She rolled her eyes at her father, but looked up to him with a gaze that could only be adoration. "How about we try the eco-friendly ones I found on Etsy? They're a little pricier, but don't you think it's worth it?" Her voice rose hopefully. "It'd make me really happy…"

"Fine, princess," he sighed. "Anything for you. You know that."

Nicky cleared her throat, loudly enough for the two to hear her. They turned toward her and she raised her eyebrows.

"Hey, Dad," she stammered. Then she nodded toward the woman, who stared back at her with no recognition, naturally. "You must be Sammi."

Parker craned her neck to follow her mother's line of vision. Two big blue eyes studied Les and Sammi, little rosebud lips twisting into a frown. Red often remarked that Parker never met a stranger, yet on this occasion she seemed to sense her mama's apprehension. Her stream of babbling trailed off and she became fussy, reaching out for Nicky. Nicky rubbed her arm soothingly.

Sammi spoke first, having recovered much more quickly than Les appeared to. "You're...Nicky?" she asked tentatively, her eyes flickering from Nicky to Parker.

Nicky nodded, her chin high. "Guilty as charged."

"I didn't expect to see you in this part of town, Nicky," Les said, his voice steadier than Nicky had managed for her own. She resented that. "Your sister is getting married. We're shopping for party supplies."

Nicky nodded, deliberately ignoring the 'sister' comment. "Well, I didn't think you were catching a movie in a party supply store."

As much as she hated to admit it, the blatant way he ignored Parker's presence stung. His only granddaughter was sitting in front of him, and he had barely given her a second glance. Even when she stared at him, he said nothing. Nicky steelily held his gaze.

How could he not just love her? Nicky turned the idea round and round in her mind. She understood why he didn't love her. She was abrasive, she pushed people away...she had been called 'hard to love' in the past. But Parker? The thought was unimaginable. She was pure light. Innocence wrapped up in gorgeous blonde curls and blue eyes, and a tiny, mischievous giggle that could brighten the darkest day. Even Marka had fallen instantly in love with her. The toddler had everyone wrapped around her pinky.

Les let out a strained laugh. He glanced down at her cart. Inside, there was a cake topper that read wild one, a pack of party hats for the kids, various packs of sparkly confetti, and a pack of accessories and signs for the photobooth that Marka had arranged.

Like it wasn't obvious, he asked, "What are you celebrating?"

Sammi cut him off. "Is that your baby?"

"No, she came with the cart," Nicky said weakly, offering a little half smile to her little half sister. Then she nodded. "We're celebrating her first birthday."

Sammi turned to her dad. "You didn't tell me Nicky had a daughter," she said, clicking her tongue in annoyance.

"I'm sure he didn't tell you much about me," Nicky cut in. She moved the cart back and forth like she had when Parker was really tiny and fussy.

"It didn't come up," Les said, holding his hands up. "You didn't tell me you were having a party for my only granddaughter," he said, passing the buck to Nicky.

"Can I say hello?" Sammi asked eagerly, already walking toward Nicky with a sweet smile on her face. She looked up at Nicky.

Nicky hesitated, but Parker was already reaching out for the smiling stranger. Logically she knew that saying hello wouldn't damage Parker. She said hello to the mailman, she said hello to every person she passed who happened to make eye contact, she even said hello to her own reflection in shop windows. Yet there was a little voice inside of her saying walk away! She didn't want Parker to get attached and then be disappointed when no grandpa or auntie showed up ever again. She never wanted Parker to experience that feeling; she never wanted to imagine Parker as she had been as a child - with one hand pressed up against the glass, her hope rising every time someone who looked vaguely like her father walked past.

Sammi reached out for Parker's hand. "What's your name, pretty girl?"

"Parker," Nicky informed her. She couldn't help smiling as Parker looked from her mom to Sammi. Maybe there was a resemblance there that Nicky couldn't see.

"She's beautiful," Sammi said, smiling up at Nicky easily. She let Parker fiddle with the intricate bracelet hanging loosely from her slim wrist. "I can't believe I didn't know I had a niece! Hi, Miss Parker."

Nicky nodded. A thousand thoughts ran through her head. She supposed there wasn't that air of betrayal from Sammi. Her mother hadn't been cheated on. She hadn't been left in the wake of her father's destruction. Yet she knew it wasn't Sammi's fault. Blaming her for what Les had done would have been akin to likening Parker to her father, and Nicky would have fought that vehemently, had anyone tried.

"So do we get an invite or what?" Les asked, leaning lazily against the shopping cart. "The little rugrat only turns one once."

Nicky crossed her arms. "Yeah...I don't think my mom would like that very much."

Les looked up in surprise. "Since when do you care what your mom thinks?"

"She's worked hard to make this party happen," Nicky said through gritted teeth. She was losing patience quickly. "She deserves to see her granddaughter turn one in peace, don't you think?"

He raised his eyebrows. "And I don't?"

God knows Nicky wasn't Marka's biggest fan. But to discount her involvement in Parker's upbringing would be a disservice to her. Marka loved her granddaughter and Parker adored her. The amount of kisses blown her way was proof of that. The way Parker turned in her high chair when Marka's key turned in the door was proof of that. On the flip side, Marka had cheerios ground into her pristine carpet and barely flinched. She constantly had a toddler pulling at the hem of her skirt and never suggested that Nicky move out. Parker was one lucky little girl; she may not have a father or a grandfather, but she had a mother and two grandmas who looked at her like she hung the moon.

"Let me see. Can you go back in time, look after her for months whilst I'm in prison, let an ex-con move in with us, pay our rent..? How about you get up at 5AM tomorrow when she's screaming for her breakfast?"

Les sighed. "You could have called, Nicky."

That old chestnut. She fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"Well, it's been great seeing you, Les," Nicky said, swiftly moving on. She didn't want to argue over it; it would have been a waste of her energy, and she wanted to spend that running after Parker and all of her little friends. "But Parker needs a nap before her big day. Sammi, nice meeting you. Congrats on the engagement." She paused for a moment. "Parker seemed to like you."

Sammi's eyes shone at the compliment, but before either could respond, Nicky had turned around and strode toward the checkout with purpose. Neither Les or Sammi could feel the wild thudding of her heart or see the slight tremble of her fingers, they only saw the determined way she swept down the aisle and only heard the slight squeak of the wheel of her defective cart as she did so.

Parker looked up at Nicky as she pushed her. At her young age, she obviously didn't know what was wrong - just that something wasn't quite right. She pursed her lips.

"Mama?" Her little voice sounded uncertain.

Nicky looked down at her baby and saw how far they had come since she was born, a whole year ago today. She saw how much they had overcome. Most of all, she saw the person she loved most in the entire world. "Mama's right here, Parker. Always."


A/N:

Hi! Thank you for reading. Thank you for reviewing, Juliette45, whenaspritemeetsaunicorn, Guest and VeraRose19. I appreciate them so much. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. A reviewer mentioned that they'd like to see Nicky bumping into Les and Sammi again so here you go! Hope it lived up to expectations.

Hope you're all doing well.

Stay safe.

- Star xo