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Aaron carefully balanced the fresh floral arrangement that he had picked up from the florists’ in his right hand as he unlocked the front door. The flowers were for his and Jack’s visit to Haley’s grave tomorrow. Tomorrow was her birthday, the second one since her murder. And days like today, the pain felt as raw as it had that day. Aaron knew that he would carry the guilt of Haley’s death with him forever but today, that guilt felt heavier than usual.
“I’m home,” Aaron called as he stepped into the house. A sweet aroma drifted from the kitchen and he could hear Emily and Jack’s laughter from the kitchen. “That smells amazing.”
“It should, I had the best chef helping me,” Emily remarked as Jack darted over to hug Aaron, mindful of the flowers. Aaron set the flowers onto the table before he picked Jack up and hugged him properly.
“We made Mommy a birthday cake,” Jack explained as Emily turned her attention to the tray of brownies that were cooling, waiting to be cut. “And brownies because Mommy loved them too.”
“Mommy loved to eat anything sweet,” Aaron commented fondly. “When you were in her tummy, she ate so much honey that Aunt Jess called her Winnie the Pooh.”
“Is that why the photo in the living room has Jack in a Winnie the Pooh onesie?” Emily asked as she checked on the cake in the oven. It needed a few more minutes. Although she wasn’t fond of cooking, there was a different enjoyment that she found in baking.
“It is,” Aaron confirmed. “Honestly, she had to have honey on everything. Even a pasta carbonara that Dave had made.”
“How did he handle that?” Emily asked with a laugh as Aaron set Jack down again and he scampered over to her. “We’re going to make the icing now.”
“How do you think?” Aaron asked, the only reason Rossi hadn’t kicked them out of his house had been because Haley was pregnant. However the memory of the look of sheer horror on Rossi’s face as Haley stared him down while she poured honey onto the plate was one he treasured.
As Emily and Jack measured out the powdered sugar for the buttercream icing, Aaron noticed the bright foil of the helium balloon that bobbed and danced aimlessly, tethered in place by the ribbon and weight securing it to the floor. Although the bright colours and cheerful message of ‘Happy birthday’ would be a contrast to the black marble of her headstone, Aaron knew that Jack would want to take it with them tomorrow.
Along with the balloon, there was a handmade card on the table. The cake on the front had been painstakingly drawn and coloured by Jack however the curved, cursive writing was undoubtedly Emily’s. Inside the card was Jack’s own lopsided, messy handwriting as he wrote a birthday greeting to Haley. Aaron gently placed the card back onto the table and watched Emily and Jack. Jack busied himself with stirring the bowl of icing as Emily opened the oven and pulled out the cake.
“Do we ice it now?” Jack asked eagerly as Emily placed the cake beside the brownies to cool down.
“Not yet, the icing will just melt.” Emily explained as she turned to Aaron who had been watching them quietly. “What is it?”
“Nothing,” Aaron replied, despite the wave of affection and love that he felt for Emily as he watched her and Jack work together. “I’m just going to get changed.”
“OK,” Emily smiled as Jack tugged on her sleeve, a jar of sprinkles in his hand and an excited look on his face. Aaron could hear Jack’s excited laughter as he left the room and entered his bedroom.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Aaron leant against the door and let the tears that he had been holding back from the moment he entered the kitchen fall. He had been replaying the final conversation that he had had with Haley in his mind all day. Her final, desperate plea that Jack was happy, loved and knew love. There had been many times when he wondered if it would be yet another promise he had broken to Haley. How he would be able to show Jack the happiness, love and family that he deserved. For a long time, he had had no answer.
Emily was the answer.
Their love had been one that had been built over time, a foundation of trust and friendship upon which they had added bricks of affection, humour, laughter and tears, alongside heaping of denial on both sides before they had finally been able to admit their feelings for one another. The adoration that Jack and Emily had for one another helped to confirm how she and Aaron felt for one another. Together they had created a home, a family, somewhere where Jack knew he would always be safe and loved. Together they had been able to keep and honour Haley’s final wish and request.
“I think we’re doing good, right Haley? Happy birthday.” Aaron whispered as he wiped his eyes and went to change his clothes. They would enjoy the brownies tonight and take the balloon, card and flowers to Haley’s grave tomorrow. When they got home, they would have her cake and if Jack wanted them to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Haley; then that was what they would do.
If it made Jack happy, then there was nothing that he and Emily wouldn’t do.