First Birthday
Annabelle looked at the small, store-bought cake she had purchased for the twins' first birthday and she placed two, small candles in the frosting. HAPPY1ST BIRTHDAY CONNOR AND MURPHY was printed on the top of the cake in blue icing and Annabelle sighed.
"Everythin' ready?" Sibeal asked and she looked at him.
"Aye. But I think we should wait jus' a little longer," Annabelle said with a frown.
"Annie…"
"No! He will be here!"
She carried the plate with the birthday cake on it to the kitchen table as she looked at the small pile of birthday presents and she placed the plate with the birthday cake on the table. The twins were sitting in the highchairs as they wore paper crowns on their heads and Connor grinned at the sight of the cake.
"Looks like someone wants cake," Sibeal said with a grin.
"You'll get cake when Da gets home," Annabelle told Connor and Connor pouted. He thumped his hands on the plastic tray and Murphy, who didn't want to be left out, started pounding on the plastic tray in front of him. "No! Stop that!"
Connor and Murphy gave her a stunned look while Connor's bottom lip began to quiver and Murphy's lower lip stuck out. Large tears rolled down their cheeks as Annabelle felt a knot forming in her chest and she walked to the highchairs.
"Oh…. Don't cry. Mama's sorry," she said in a soft voice and kissed their damp cheeks.
"We better give them some cake," Sibeal said.
"I think you're right."
Annabelle headed for the table when she used a match to light the two, small candles then she picked up the plate with the birthday cake on it. She and Sibeal sang the birthday song while she held the plate with the birthday cake on it toward the twins and Connor and Murphy smiled.
"Alright. Make a wish an' blow out th'candles," she said, but the twins didn't understand what she wanted them to do.
"I think we better…," Sibeal said when Connor blew out a few puffs of air and the small candle went out. Murphy's eyes slightly widened when he blew out a few puffs of air and the other small candle went out. "Good boys!"
"I wonder what…," Annabelle said when the door opened and Noah walked in the apartment. The twins clapped their hands as Noah smiled and removed his flat cap.
"Sorry if I'm late," he said as he walked to the highchairs and the twins reached up for him. "Happy birthday, Lads."
"Better late than never," Sibeal said with a smile and he followed Annabelle to the table. Annabelle cut a few slices of cake as she placed the pieces of cake on the plates and Sibeal frowned. "You don't think…"
"Doesn't matter. Jus' glad he's home," she said with a grin and she went to give Noah a plate with a piece of cake on it.
"But fer how long?" Sibeal whispered as he watched Noah and Annabelle fed the pieces of cake to the twins and he sighed.