It took only one trip with Eric's truck to move all of Tris' belongings to his townhouse. The furniture in her bedroom was staying with her parents, so she had only clothes, books, and other mementos and personal items to take She and Natalie had it all sorted and packed in one afternoon.
Eric and Ava had dinner with the Priors, and Eric and Andrew put Tris' things in Eric's truck while the women washed the dishes and did a walk-through looking for anything Tris might have missed. Natalie kept asking her daughter if she wanted to take different items, like her favorite coffee mug or her bicycle, and Tris kept reminding her mom that she was moving across town, not across the country. Anything seasonal that was in storage or anything forgotten could easily be picked up later.
Eric was grinning broadly when he came back into the house. He took Ava and the diaper bag from Tris and kissed her on the forehead. "I'll see you at home," he said, and everyone could hear the pride and joy in his voice.
"I'll be right behind you," Tris said, rolling her eyes at his exuberance.
When Eric left, Andrew enveloped his daughter in a big hug. "Sweetpea, I never thought I would be happy with my daughter moving in with a man. Especially as young as you are. But, I don't know, I just have peace about this. You, Eric, and Ava are a family, and you should be together. And as much as I know you can take care of yourself, the dad in me likes that you have each other."
"Thanks Dad," Tris said, returning the hug.
She pulled back from her dad and stood there for a minute, just looking around at the familiar home. "I've lived here for as long as I can remember," she said. "I always thought moving out would be a big deal. But this hasn't really felt like home since Ava went to live with Eric. This is the only place I've ever called home, yet I've been homesick for months. I belong with my daughter and the man I love."
Natalie, who had been standing in the doorway to the kitchen, stepped forward and hugged Tris. "I love hearing you call Ava your daughter. It's a special bond, mother and daughter."
Tris nodded as she squeezed her mom tightly. She felt tears burning in her eyes but refused to cry.
"When Ava came to stay with us, we knew she wouldn't be staying forever," Natalie said with an amused smile as she pulled back from Tris. "I just had no idea that she'd take you with her when she left."
Tris, Andrew, and Natalie chuckled, and Tris hugged each of her parents one last time before she grabbed her backpack and purse and headed for her car.
Eric and Ava were waiting in the open garage when Tris arrived. Though it was nearing her bedtime, Ava was awake and happy, jabbering away and holding her stuffed doll, which they referred to as Bebe for the way Ava pronounced the word baby. As soon as Tris climbed out of her car, Eric took her backpack and set it down on the garage floor next to her other belongings. He put Ava in Tris' arms, then squatted slightly and scooped up Tris bridal-style so he could carry her across the threshold and into their home.
Tris laughed. "You hold me, I hold Ava, and Ava holds Bebe. We're like nesting dolls.!"
"Good thing I'm so strong," Eric teased, laughing along with Tris.
"Are you calling me fat?" Tris asked mockingly.
"Never," Eric said. "You weigh pretty much nothing, Duchess. Ava might be getting chunky, but you and Bebe are light as a feather."
"Good recovery," Tris teased. "Blame the baby."
"Bebe!" Ava squawked, and they all laughed.
"Mommy's home!" Eric said to his daughter. "Yay!"
"Ay!" Ava cheered, clapping her hands.
Tris laughed as Eric set her down in the kitchen. She put the baby to bed while Eric carried her things into the house. He helped her unpack for a while, then they got distracted with what Eric called "christening their home."
.
Tris was done with finals and all unpacked well before Christmas. She turned her attention to planning Ava's first birthday party, which the family decided to hold on Christmas Eve. Tris thought it would be hard to get people together on a holiday, but she knew that her parents and Caleb would be there since their family planned to celebrate Christmas on the 25th. Aunt Kathy was coming in for the weekend, so she would join the Priors' at Eric and Tris' home. Tori, George, and Amar had no family but each other, so they had been invited as well. Eric had been surprised when Tori asked if she could bring a date, but he agreed. Caleb had asked Tris if he could bring Susan Black, and Tris had happily complied with that addition as well. Other friends were invited, but many of them had travel plans or family obligations.
Eric gave Tris free reign when it came to planning Ava's party. He put extra cash in the fox cookie jar and insisted that she should spare no expense for their daughter's big day. She decided on a sunshine theme since that was a nickname they often used for the happy golden-haired child. Christina and Marlene, who were unable to attend the whole party but promised to stop by before their family Christmas gatherings, excitedly jumped in to help with the planning.
They ordered a small two-tiered cake from Popovers, the bakery next to Flapjacks. The white cake had lemon filling in the bottom tier and raspberry filling in the top tier so guests could choose. The buttercream icing was applied in a ribbon style, dark yellow on the bottom that got lighter and lighter in color so that the top was pure white. Tris ordered a yellow sunshine on a stick that would go on the top of the cake.
The other decorations were yellow and white with rainbow accents, and everything was in the sunshine theme. Tris made rainbow fruit kabobs with dip, two slow cookers of pulled pork and shredded chicken for sandwiches, pasta salad, and potato salad. She also bought all the buns, chips, and condiments, as well as bottled water and lemonade.
On the morning of Christmas Eve, Tris started the food in the slow cookers and sent Eric to run errands. She needed him to go to Popovers to pick up the cake, and to the party store to pick up the mylar sunshine balloons she'd ordered. While he was gone, Christina and Marlene arrived at the townhouse. Tris and Eric had already cleaned, so the girls just had decorating to do before the party-goers arrived. They hung rainbow streamers from the highchair tray, and laid out a yellow tablecloth on the table. They shut the blinds over the patio door behind the table, and hung a 'happy birthday' banner in front of it. The soft white blinds, festive banner, and balloons that Eric was picking up made a perfect backdrop for the rainbow-festooned highchair.
Tris began to lay out food on the kitchen island. She prepared lemonade in a large server which she had borrowed from the Priors, and set out all the yellow and rainbow cups, plates, and silverware that she had purchased. The girls wrapped water bottles in yellow and white duct tape and put them on ice in a white party bucket that Tris had also borrowed from her parents.
Christina and Marlene took Ava upstairs to dress her in her birthday party outfit while Tris tended to last-minute details. The friends had insisted on buying Ava a special outfit as part of their birthday gift, and Tris couldn't wait to see it.
Eric came home with the cake and balloons. He also brought a bouquet of tulips in a rainbow worth of colors.
"Flowers?" Tris asked. "In December?"
"Those are for you," Eric said. "I saw them through the window of the flower shop and I couldn't resist. My baby's first birthday has made me sentimental."
"Eric," Tris said in a warning tone. "You spoil me. Flowers are expensive in the winter. You didn't have to do that."
"I wanted to," he insisted, leaning in to give Tris a kiss.
One kiss became two, and soon Tris and Eric were wrapped up in one another.
"Ah-hem," a voice interrupted from the foyer.
Tris blushed as she turned in Eric's arms to see Christina and Marlene walking in with Ava. The birthday girl was decked out in a white long-sleeved onesie with a big yellow sunshine on it. On the bottom she wore a rainbow-colored tutu. The girls had painted the baby's fingernails bright pink, and the nails on her bare toes were painted in a rainbow of colors. Her fine blonde curls had been brushed, and she wore a hot pink headband with a bright yellow sunshine on it.
The highlight was Bebe, clutched in Ava's pudgy fist as usual. The fabric doll was wearing a matching rainbow tutu, which Christina had made from a hair elastic and some strips of colored fabric.
Ava squealed when she saw her parents, and squirmed to get down. Christina complied, making sure the little one was steady on her feet before she let go. Ava toddled to her father as Tris set the bouquet of tulips on the credenza in the living room.
"Look at you, Birthday Girl!" Eric enthused as he picked up his daughter. "You look so pretty!"
"Bebe!" Ava said, insisting that Eric should look at her baby doll.
"Yes," Eric replied. "Bebe has a pretty dress on too. Look at all the pretties that Mommy, Christina, and Marlene did." He turned in a circle, pointing at the various balloons and decorations around the house.
"Ooh," Ava exclaimed appreciatively. She pointed at her highchair and waved Bebe at her daddy. "Bebe! Bebe!" she said as she pointed to the chair.
"I know," Eric said. "Your highchair is pretty like you and Bebe."
The doorbell rang, and Tris hurried to answer it.
.
The house was soon filled with family and friends, and everyone was fawning over the birthday girl. "Nama," "Papa," and Aunt Kathy had been the first to arrive, followed by Uncle "Bub-bub" and Susan. Marlene and Christina left, but the doorbell rang again just a minute later. Tris opened the door to find Amar, George, Tori, and her date.
"Bud?" she said, seeing the photographer with Eric's coworkers and the tattoo shop owner.
"Merry Christmas," Bud said. "Or should I say 'happy birthday'?"
"It's good to see you!" Tris exclaimed. "Come on in! Tori, why didn't you tell us that you were bringing Bud?"
"Um, surprise?" Tori said nervously as they walked into the house.
Amar and George laughed. "She did a tattoo cover-up job for him and they've been hanging out ever since," George explained.
"She's helping him forget his ex in more ways than one," Amar said mischievously.
"That's my sister," George whined.
"And my teacher," Tris teased.
"Oh please," Amar fired back. "That didn't stop you from falling for Eric. Teachers need love, too."
"Yes we do," Eric said, joining the conversation. He shook hands with the new arrivals and welcomed them to Ava's party.
Since all the guests had arrived, Eric got everyone's attention.
"Thank you all for being here for Ava's first birthday," he said. "Tris and a couple of her friends have gone all out for this, so I know you're going to have a great time. We thought it would be best if we start by having Ava open her birthday gifts, then Tris has lunch ready. Feel free to help yourself to water or lemonade. The restroom is through that doorway," he pointed toward the mudroom where a small bathroom was tucked between the kitchen and the garage. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
Everyone gathered around the open kitchen/dining/living room space, with Ava on her daddy's lap in the recliner. The happy birthday girl babbled on in her baby chatter way. She was comfortable and familiar with most of the party-goers, but a bit shy around Kathy, Susan, George, and Amar, as they were virtually strangers to the little one. Ava was surprisingly friendly and familiar with Bud, in spite of the fact that she only met him twice before. It was unusual for a toddler to gravitate toward a bearded stranger, but Ava just liked Bud, and always had.
Tori and Bud had worked together to create and paint a growth chart as their gift to Ava. It looked like an oversized ruler, and Tori had painted it to match the nursery. George and Amar gave the birthday girl a black toddler-sized hoodie with the Dauntless flame logo on the back and 'Coulter' embroidered on the hood. Aunt Kathy gave the baby a stacking toy and some hair bows. Caleb and Susan bought her a plastic tea set and a dress. Tris' parents gave their granddaughter a child-sized armchair with her name embroidered in pink on beige upholstery. Tris gave Ava their gift last. It was an activity table perfect for her to stand by and entertain herself with all the colorful things to flip, turn, and push.
Ava loved opening the wrapping paper, and often got more excited about that than what the packages contained. She cheered and clapped her hands every time she revealed another package hidden under the brightly-colored paper and bows. Tris and Eric thanked everyone on Ava's behalf, and encouraged the birthday girl to give hugs and kisses.
When the last package was opened, Tris grabbed a trash bag and started to gather the paper mess. Eric and Andrew exchanged knowing glances as Eric passed the birthday girl to her grandpa.
"I have one more thing," Eric said to the assembled guests as he sat back down in the recliner.
Tris was confused. They had agreed to give Ava the activity table for her birthday and to save the other things they bought for Christmas at the Priors.
"Come here, Duchess," Eric said gently. Tris stopped bagging up wrapping paper and walked to where her boyfriend sat. He pulled her across his lap and leaned his head against her shoulder.
"I don't know if there has ever been a first birthday party born of this much joy and pain," Eric began.
Tris put her arm around Eric as everyone became quiet and thoughtful.
"One year ago I was completely alone," he continued. "I was living in a filthy apartment with two other guys. I had just graduated, but was unemployed. I had no family, and I was grieving over the death of my parents a year earlier and what I thought was the loss of my unborn child. I was in a dark place," he confessed, looking around the room at everyone.
Tris drew Eric closer.
"Then the clouds shifted a little, and a ray of sunshine broke through my gloom," he said, smiling up at Tris. "My former student and kind of friend sent me a text and invited me to come to her house on Christmas day. It's incredible now to realize that I became part of a family that day. It's unbelievable that I held my one-day-old daughter and didn't know she was mine. That day with Ava, Tris, and the Prior family changed my life."
Tori sniffled, and Amar reached for his sister-in-law's hand. The two of them had known Eric since he was their student, and they had watched him suffer in silence that fall. They knew as well as anyone there how much he had struggled, and how much the Priors had changed his life.
"Tris and Ava's first meeting is a whole other layer to this story," Eric continued. "I will never stop appreciating how Tris saved my daughter's life. I will never forget the way she gave of herself to love and care for a baby she thought would just be in her life for a few days. Ava's life is a miracle. My family…" Eric choked a bit on the powerful word, "my family is a miracle. This party and that little girl and her future are a miracle. I am overwhelmed by all the miracles, and there's only one thing I want to give my daughter for her first birthday. I want her mommy, not her real mother, but her true mother, to share our last name. Tris, will you marry me?"
Eric pulled a small black velvet box out of his pocket and popped it open with one large hand. Inside was a gorgeous vintage-looking ring with a pear-shaped diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds, all set in yellow gold.
"Eric," Tris breathed in shock as her eyes darted back-and-forth between Eric's loving face and the beautiful ring.
"I love you, Duchess," Eric said nervously. "Ava loves you, too. We're already a family. Let's make it official and legal. Marry me. Adopt Ava. What do you say?"
"Yes," Tris whispered. "Yes," she said louder. "I love you. Yes."
Eric crushed Tris to his chest as the friends and family around them broke out in cheers and applause.
"Ay!" Ava cheered loudly. Cheering and clapping were some of her favorite things to do.
Tris and Eric kissed, and he slipped the ring on her finger.
"I believe my beautiful fiancee made us lunch," Eric announced around a broad grin. "Let's eat!"
.
That night, when the house was empty, the party was cleaned up, and Ava was put to bed, Tris and Eric laid together in their big bed.
"One year ago I sat at the dinner table with my parents and Caleb," Tris began. "We were in awe of the series of coincidences that led to me finding Ava. I had no idea that that discovery was just a part of everything God was about to bring into my life. I love you, Warrior."
"I love you, too, Duchess," Eric agreed.