Archive of Our Own

'Cause paradise is anyplace where I can be with you
Leave behind the heartache and the pain that I've been through
Safe in your arms
Safe in the world tonight
For you are my paradise

One thing about Mel is she loves birthdays. She loves the planning, the organizing, the decorating—everything that comes with celebrating the lives of the people she loves.

Three weeks ago, when Abby called to ask if she could pick Tanner and Penny up from school because she and Frank were both stuck at work, Mel happily obliged and offered to take them to do something fun. Abby thanked her, and she was already grabbing her keys.

Mel had been put on the certified pick-up list for the kids—shortly after she and Frank had finally named what had been brewing for embarrassingly too long—for times just like this. It wasn’t the first time she’d picked them up, and it wouldn’t be the last, but the kids were always so excited to see her red Jeep pull up to the curb.

The first thing the kids wanted to do was get ice cream. Mel—of course—messaged Abby to make sure it was okay, and when she said yes, they made their way to the ice cream shop downtown.

Mel got cookies and cream, her all-time favorite ever since she was a kid. She had fond memories of sitting on the porch swing, the cold seeping through the bowl onto her thigh, while Becca, tucked close beside her, warmed her shoulder.

Tanner and Penny both got Superman, which, to nobody’s surprise, was also Frank’s favorite flavor.

Once they were done satisfying their ice cream craving, Mel brought the kids to the antique store on the corner. Frank had mentioned getting a record player for the living room in their apartment, but he still hadn’t acted on it. 

Mel had found one on Facebook Marketplace and claimed it almost immediately, terrified someone else would get to it first. It was still sitting carefully wrapped in the trunk of her Jeep.

She had already been planning to bring Tanner and Penny to pick out records for his birthday at some point, and today felt like the perfect opportunity.

The bell above the door jingled softly as they stepped inside, the dusty, aged smell of other people’s old stuff hitting them almost instantly.

“Well hello, how are you lovely people doing today?” the old man behind the counter asked cheerfully.

They all gave their own variations of “good” as they wandered farther inside.

“How are you?” Mel asked politely.

“Just peachy,” he said with a grin. “Anything I can help you with?”

“We’re looking for records. Is there one section in particular, or—”

“They’re pretty scattered,” he interrupted warmly, glancing down at Tanner and Penny. “But there’s some hidden gems if you know how to look. It’s like a treasure hunt. Only the best pirates can find the gold.”

Tanner and Penny giggled immediately.

“Okay, thank you. Come on, guys. Let’s start digging,” Mel said, smiling down at them.

The kids lifted their hands with dramatically curled fingers and gave their best exaggerated “Arrrrr,” dissolving into laughter as they hurried toward the first alcove of antiques.

They spent the next hour flipping through every milk crate full of records in the entire building, dust clinging to their fingertips. Mel gave Tanner and Penny complete freedom, letting them pick whatever they wanted with absolutely no input from her. 

She knew that no matter what they chose, they would become Frank’s favorites purely because they came from them.

Penny found “Blind Melon” tucked away near an old rocking chair and decided it was the one Frank absolutely needed because she had worn a bee costume just like the girl on the cover for her first dance recital. 

Mel had looked at her with a surprised smile, genuinely impressed by the choice.

Tanner held up a “Buck Owens' All Time Greatest Hits” record, sounding out the name carefully in his head before his eyes widened.

“I’ve definitely seen this guy playing on Dad’s radio in the car,” he said excitedly. “This is the one I’m getting.”

“Sounds great, Tanner. These are really good choices, guys.”

Honestly, Mel was pleasantly surprised by both of them. Penny had no idea Frank loved Blind Melon, and Tanner only vaguely knew Frank liked Buck Owens. 

He didn’t know the deeper significance—the memories tied to it, Frank growing up listening to him while helping his Papa work on cars in the garage back home.

Mel, however, only had one album in mind, and every time she picked something else up, it never felt quite right enough to settle on. She flipped past what felt like the trillionth copy of a “Bing Crosby's Greatest Hits” record and froze.

There it was.

The cover of “Return to Paradise” slightly worn at the edges, the deep blue tones softened with age. STYX stretched across the top in glowing letters above a neon-lit street scene, all cool colors and old marquee lights. It had that dramatic, nostalgic feel old rock albums always seemed to carry.

Mel gasped so suddenly and so loudly that Tanner and Penny both jumped beside her.

“Oops. Sorry, guys,” she apologized immediately, pressing a hand to her chest as her excitement spilled out before she could stop it.

But it really was that serious.

It was Frank’s favorite Styx album. One of his favorite albums in general. Big and dramatic and nostalgic all at once, full of songs that sounded even better played way too loud in the car with the windows down. He once told her he liked that it was a live album, that you could hear the crowd sometimes if you listened closely enough. Said it made the songs feel alive.

Early on, he had labeled “Paradise” as their song, and it had quietly threaded itself through their relationship after that. It became the soundtrack to car rides to work, to mornings spent shoulder to shoulder in their nearly-too-small kitchen making chocolate chip pancakes for the kids and Becca, to nights curled together on the couch while the soft melody drifted from the speaker Frank had badly Jerry-rigged to the wall.

She knew she was never going to settle for anything else. If she hadn’t found it here, she would’ve gone home to their apartment with only Tanner and Penny’s records and spent the rest of the night scouring the internet for an overpriced copy.

So when she found it, it really did feel like finding buried treasure.

They walked back to Mel’s car happy with their choices, all of them for different reasons, but good ones nonetheless.

One night, months ago, Frank had mentioned missing his mom’s baking back home. When Mel asked what in particular he missed, he lit up almost instantly.

“Her apple stack cake,” he said without hesitation, smiling in that soft, nostalgic way he did whenever he talked about home. Said his mom always made it for birthdays and holidays, and somehow it tasted even better the next morning straight from the fridge.

Mel committed that to memory immediately.

So she knew exactly what she was making him for his birthday.

She messaged Mrs. Langdon and asked for the recipe, and she happily sent it over within the hour.

Anything for my Frankie. You’re so good to our boy. Thank you, Mel. I’m so glad he has you.

Mel had smiled down at her phone for a long moment after reading it. She had grown incredibly fond of Frank’s mother. She had that sickly sweet Southern charm that reminded Mel of her mom’s side of the family, except with none of the hidden sharpness that so often came with it. 

Mrs. Langdon was warm in a way that felt effortless. 

Genuine.

Frank had taken Tanner and Penny out for a day together, just the three of them. He insisted it was all he wanted for his birthday.

“I just wanna hang out with my totally awesome kids,” he’d said that morning, smiling genuinely down at them. “That would make this the best birthday ever.”

“You’re totally awesome, Dad!” Tanner had exclaimed immediately, throwing his arms around Frank’s waist while Penny followed suit a second later.

So Mel got to work.

Truthfully, she had always preferred baking over cooking. Baking was precise. Structured. Predictable. If you followed the instructions, measured carefully, paid attention, things usually turned out the way they were supposed to.

Cooking, meanwhile, was always full of phrases like just eyeball it or go with the flow, and every single time someone said they’d “play it by ear,” Mel wanted to rip her own ears off.

So baking suited her.

She braided her hair back, reread the recipe twice just to make sure she understood it correctly, and started peeling apples at the kitchen counter. The smell of cinnamon and brown sugar slowly filled the apartment as the filling simmered on the stove. 

The cake itself took time. Thin layers baked one at a time, carefully stacked with the apple mixture spread between each one. It was tedious, honestly, but in a satisfying way. A labor of love in the truest sense of the phrase.

By the end, flour dusted the front of her shirt, the kitchen was a disaster, and her feet hurt from standing for hours.

But the cake looked perfect.

She set it carefully in the center of the table, then placed the record player and the albums beside it before finally collapsing onto the couch to wait for them to get home.

A few minutes later, her phone dinged four times in quick succession.

She reached for it immediately, smiling before she’d even unlocked the screen.

We’ll be home soon.

Then a picture.

Frank stood between Tanner and Penny at the mini golf course, all three of them posing dramatically with their clubs and golf balls like professional athletes. Frank’s smile was huge and unguarded, Penny was mid-laugh, and Tanner looked deeply committed to the bit.

Tanner and Penny insisted on one more round.

Then finally—

I love you.

That last one always made her blush.

It didn’t matter how much time passed or how many ordinary moments stacked together spent side by side. Frank still made her feel like something inside her had been quietly set on fire.

Just like the first day they met.

When he told her she was doing great.

When he told her she was making a great first impression.

When he got down on the floor beside her, looked her directly in the eyes, and told her he needed her.

The effect he had on her never changed. Never softened or dulled with time.

If anything, it became sharper. More deeply rooted. Frank’s love settled into every part of her life so naturally that sometimes she didn’t even realize how much space he occupied until moments like this—sitting alone in their apartment, smiling at three simple words on a phone screen like they were the most important thing she’d ever read.

She smiled, wide and helplessly giddy, as she tapped back a response.

Sounds good. I’m so happy you guys are having fun. I love you more.

A little while later, she heard the sound of excited little feet pounding up the stairs, followed seconds later by Tanner and Penny bursting through the front door. Frank followed close behind them, both arms overloaded with bags. 

Mel barely had time to stand before the kids crashed into her, hugging her tightly while immediately launching into excited retellings of everything they had done that day. Their voices overlapped so completely that she honestly couldn’t understand most of what they were saying, but she nodded along anyway, laughing softly as they practically bounced in place.

“Smells good in here,” Frank said after a moment, pausing to sniff the air.

Mel looked up at him, only to find he was already looking at her.

And God, he looked happy.

Not just happy because it was his birthday, or because he’d had a good day with the kids, but deeply, almost disbelievingly happy. His eyes flicked between Mel and Tanner and Penny like he still couldn’t quite believe this was his life now. Like some part of him was still waiting for it to disappear.

But it hadn’t.

Mel standing in the apartment with his kids wrapped around her, smiling at all three of them like they hung the moon—it filled something in him he’d once been convinced had gone empty for good.

“Alright,” Mel whispered dramatically to the kids, leaning down toward them conspiratorially, “bring your stuff to your rooms and get your PJs on. We’re gonna have a pajama party.”

Tanner and Penny let out matching screams of excitement so intense they were almost primal, both of them pulling their elbows tight to their sides and clenching their fists in celebration before snatching their bags from Frank and sprinting toward their rooms.

Frank watched them disappear down the hallway before turning back to Mel, pure happiness written all over his face.

“Happy birthday, Frank,” she said softly, smiling back at him.

He dropped the remaining bags onto the table by the door and crossed the distance between them almost immediately, wrapping her up in a hug so tight it felt like they were reuniting after years apart instead of a few hours.

“This has truly been one of the best birthdays I’ve had in years,” he murmured into her hair before pressing a soft kiss to the crown of her head. “Maybe ever.”

“I’m so glad,” she said, smiling into his chest. “You deserve it. And it’s just getting started.”

He pulled back just enough to cup her face in both hands, his eyes searching hers for a moment before he kissed her gently, like he was pouring every good thing the day had given him directly into her.

“I love you so much, honey,” he said quietly once he pulled away.

Mel looked up at him, and for a moment she was struck by how light he seemed. The tension that used to sit permanently in his shoulders had eased. The exhaustion in his eyes no longer looked bone-deep. It was like life had finally loosened its grip on him enough to let happiness settle in properly, filling spaces that had been aching empty for far too long.

“I love you so much, Frank,” she whispered back.

She rose onto her tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek just as the kids came running back into the living room wearing their favorite pajama sets, freshly washed and folded neatly onto their beds earlier that afternoon by Mel.

She was already dressed for the night herself, wearing one of Frank’s old Pittsburgh Pirates t-shirts with purple sleep shorts, but Frank was still in the clothes he’d worn out all day.

He looked at her, then at the kids, pretending to narrow his eyes suspiciously.

“Alright, well, I’m officially jealous of how comfy you guys look, so I’ll be right back.”

He gave Mel a quick kiss before leaning down to press soft kisses to the tops of Tanner and Penny’s heads, then disappeared toward their bedroom.

When he came back out a minute later, he looked infinitely more comfortable, relaxed and warm and fully ready for a night spent celebrating in the place they had slowly, carefully shaped into something that belonged to all of them. 

The place they called home.

Mel led them all toward the kitchen, keeping her eyes fixed on Frank’s face the entire way. The second he turned the corner, his expression lit up completely. 

He looked like a little kid seeing Cinderella’s castle at Disney World for the first time, all wide-eyed wonder and barely contained excitement.

She had decorated everything.

Balloons and confetti covered the table, streamers and garland hanging from nearly every surface she could reach, with a brightly colored happy birthday sign taped crookedly against the wall.

Then his eyes landed on the center of the table.

Mel caught the slight glimmer that formed in them immediately.

He looked back at her, mouth parting softly, and for a second she genuinely thought he might cry.

“Is that my mom’s cake?” he asked quietly, almost reverently, as his arm slid around her waist and pulled her firmly against his side.

Tanner and Penny had already climbed into their seats at the table, practically vibrating with impatience to start celebrating.

“It sure is,” Mel said, smiling up at him knowingly.

Selfishly, she had been hoping for exactly this reaction. She loved surprising the people she loved with things that made them feel deeply known.

“Your heart never ceases to amaze me, Melissa King,” he murmured, and the look on his face made it clear he meant every word.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead before finally sitting down at the table.

Mel lit the gold 35 candle perched on top of the cake, then flicked off the kitchen light. The room softened instantly beneath the warm glow of the candles and string lights she’d hung earlier.

She sat between Tanner and Penny while Frank settled across from them.

Mel watched him carefully as they sang “Happy Birthday,” the kids loudly throwing in a dramatic cha-cha-cha between every line. Their rendition was completely unserious and painfully off-key, but somewhere in the middle of it, she caught the single tear that slipped down Frank’s cheek before he could stop it.

She just smiled at him softly, and after a second, he smiled back.

She knew it was a happy tear. Still, something in her chest ached a little at the thought that something as simple as a decorated kitchen and a homemade cake could move him this much.

She couldn’t help wondering what his birthdays had looked like before her.

If he had always been celebrated like this. Like he deserved to be.

Judging by the look on his face, it was easy for her to assume the answer was no.

When the song finished, he blew out the candles and the kids erupted into applause.

Mel cut slices for herself and Frank, then grabbed the cupcakes she’d hidden in the fridge for Tanner and Penny. 

They hated apples.

Frank always jokingly told them, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” and every single time one of the kids would immediately respond with, “But Daddy, you are the doctor,” which never failed to make him laugh.

They all dug in, and the second Frank took his first bite, a soft, involuntary sound escaped him.

Mel smiled immediately.

He closed his eyes and leaned back slightly in his chair, savoring the taste slowly like he was trying to hold onto it for as long as possible. He didn’t say a single word until he’d completely finished the slice.

Then he set his fork down and sat back in his chair with his hands resting over his stomach, his eyes immediately finding hers again.

“That was so perfect, Mel,” he said softly. “Did my mom give you her recipe? Because that tasted exactly like hers.”

“Yeah, she did,” Mel replied with a pleased little smile as she finished the last bite of her own slice. “I’m glad I did it justice. It really is ridiculously good.”

Frank looked over at Tanner and Penny then.

“Are you sure you guys don’t wanna try some? Nana would be very happy to hear you got to try her cake,” he said, smiling at them convincingly.

“Okayyy, I’ll try a little bite,” Tanner agreed cautiously after a moment.

“I’ll try some too,” Penny added.

Mel cut them both tiny slivers and slid the plates toward them.

They each took reluctant bites, and almost instantly both of their faces lit up in surprise.

The kids hummed happily around their mouthfuls, and Mel laughed as Frank threw his hands up triumphantly.

“I told you you’d like it! You gotta listen to your dad more. I know everything.”

Mel laughed harder at that, and Frank shot her a playful glare across the table.

“Can I have a real slice, Dad? Please please please?” Tanner asked a moment later.

“Me too… please,” Penny added quickly, giving her dad her best puppy dog eyes and pouty lip.

“No, you cannot,” Frank said, though he was already smiling. “We already had ice cream, and you both just ate cupcakes. I don’t want you getting a belly ache. You can have some tomorrow. It’s even better the next day anyway.”

He stood and carefully carried the cake over to the fridge.

Mel rose right after him and walked over to where the presents were waiting on the table.

“Time for presents,” she announced excitedly, clapping her hands together quickly in front of her chest.

She picked up the stack of gifts and carried them into the living room, setting them carefully on the coffee table before settling onto the couch. The others followed behind her, Frank dropping down beside her while Tanner and Penny immediately claimed spots on the floor in front of them.

Mel lifted the three flat gifts off the top of the pile and set them to the side before tapping twice against the larger box.

“Open this one first,” she said, smiling so excitedly it was almost impossible for her to sit still. Her hands squeezed tightly together in front of her face as she watched him.

Frank was starting to get more excited just from watching her excitement.

He carefully peeled away the rainbow polka-dot wrapping paper, only to reveal a plain brown cardboard box underneath.

He looked at her suspiciously for half a second before opening it.

Then his entire face lit up.

“No way!” he exclaimed, pulling the record player out immediately and setting it onto the coffee table. He flipped it open and started fiddling with the knobs and switches like a kid who’d just been handed the coolest thing in the world. 

“Thank you, baby. This is awesome.”

He turned toward her without hesitation and pulled her into a tight hug.

Seeing him this happy over something he had casually mentioned wanting months ago filled her with a ridiculous amount of joy.

“Open ours, Daddy! Open ours!” Penny shouted from the floor, climbing onto her knees and clapping excitedly, her toothless grin spreading across her entire face.

Mel laughed softly and leaned forward to grab Tanner and Penny’s gifts first. She settled back against Frank’s shoulder and placed the records carefully into his lap.

“To Daddy, love Penny,” Frank read dramatically. “Hmm. I wonder what it could be?”

Penny giggled impatiently as he slowly unwrapped the flat package.

The second he saw the album cover, his smile somehow widened even more.

“No way, Pen! I love Blind Melon!”

He looked over at Mel with genuine surprise, smiling at her like she had orchestrated the entire thing.

Mel immediately raised both hands in surrender before pointing toward the kids wriggling excitedly on the floor.

“This was all them. I gave them zero input.”

“Really?” he asked, clearly impressed. Then he looked back down at Penny. “I’m impressed, my girl. Great choice. Thank you so much.”

He patted the top of her head affectionately, and Penny beamed so proudly she practically glowed.

“I picked it cause her bee costume looks like the one I wore!” she explained.

“You’re absolutely right, it does,” Frank said warmly, smiling at the memory.

“Mine next! Mine next!” Tanner blurted out, practically vibrating with anticipation.

Frank started unwrapping Tanner’s gift painfully slowly on purpose, dragging out every second dramatically.

“Hurry up, Dad! Come on!” Tanner begged, lunging forward to try helping him tear the paper.

“Hey, man, this is my gift,” Frank protested immediately, pulling it away from him with exaggerated protectiveness.

Tanner groaned loudly while Mel laughed beside him.

Finally, Frank finished opening it, and the second he saw Buck Owens staring back at him from the album cover, his eyes widened.

“Tanner, this is great, buddy,” he said, genuinely excited now.

“I saw the name and recognized it from the radio in the car!” Tanner explained proudly.

“You’re right. I do listen to him in the car,” Frank said, smiling down at him. “Great observational skills.”

He set both albums carefully onto the coffee table before opening his arms wide toward the kids.

Tanner and Penny immediately launched themselves into him.

Frank wrapped them both up tightly, pressing loud kisses to the tops of their heads and all over their cheeks until they started groaning dramatically and wiping at their faces.

“Dad, stopppp,” Penny whined through laughter.

He just grinned and tucked his face into the space between them, his voice going softer when he spoke.

“I’m so lucky to be your dad. Thank you so much. You guys made my birthday so, so special. I love you to the moon and back. Forever and ever.”

The kids melted against him instantly after that, curling comfortably into his arms with their heads resting against his shoulders, completely at ease beneath the steady, unconditional love Frank gave them so naturally.

Mel watched them quietly from the side, her chest pulling tight in that warm, aching way they always seemed to leave her feeling. There was something about the way he loved his kids that undid her completely—so open and instinctive, so endlessly patient. 

He loved them loudly, without hesitation or embarrassment, like they had never once given him a reason not to.

And they loved him just as freely in return.

Frank glanced up at her then and, without saying a word, lifted one arm away from the kids and held it out toward her in invitation.

Mel smiled immediately and shifted closer, wrapping her arms around all three of them as far as she could. Frank’s arm settled around her shoulders easily, pulling her into it like there had always been space waiting for her there.

Watching them together always made something soft bloom inside her. The kind of bliss that settled deep in her bones and made her think, with complete certainty—

I could watch this for the rest of my life and never get tired of it.

After a moment, Penny popped her head back up and pressed a loud, wet kiss to Frank’s cheek before wriggling out of his grip and sliding back down onto the floor.

Tanner followed shortly after, reaching for the last gift still sitting on the coffee table before handing it carefully to his dad.

“This one’s from Mellie! She was super duper excited when she found it,” Tanner said eagerly, holding it out toward his dad.

“Well, I’m very excited to open it,” Frank replied, already looking over at Mel with a grateful smile tugging at his mouth.

Mel settled beside him on the couch, practically buzzing with anticipation. She’s always loved giving gifts—loved the exact moment someone realized she had found something meant perfectly for them. 

And she was good at it too. 

Almost annoyingly good at it.

Frank peeled the wrapping paper back carefully, but the second the familiar cover came into view, he sat up straighter, disbelief breaking across his face.

“No way. How did you find this?” he asked, looking genuinely stunned.

“She looked for a very long time, Dad. We were there for like… forty hours,” Penny informed him from the floor, making Mel laugh softly at the dramatic exaggeration.

“I did look for a very long time,” Mel admitted with a small shrug. Heat crept up the back of her neck from the way he was staring at her now—like he couldn’t quite believe someone had cared enough to do that for him.

Without hesitation, Frank set the record down and leaned toward her, wrapping his arms tightly around her neck and pulling her against him.

“I love you so much, sweetheart. Thank you,” he murmured into her hair, voice thick with sincerity as he pressed a few gentle kisses to the crown of her head. “You’ve made this birthday so special. I’m so lucky to have you.”

Mel pulled back just enough to look at him, her smile softening immediately at the emotion sitting openly in his eyes.

“You deserve to feel special and loved every single day,” she said quietly. “I’m just glad I could help make today as wonderful as you are.”

She leaned up and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

“I love you more.”

The kids quickly abandoned the emotional moment in favor of inspecting the record player like tiny archaeologists uncovering some ancient relic.

“What does this weird stick do?” Tanner asked, pointing curiously at the tonearm.

“That,” Frank said, crouching beside them, “is the tonearm.”

He explained it in the simplest way possible, showing them how the needle rested in the grooves and how the record spun beneath it, his voice animated and warm the entire time.

“Your great-grandpop had one just like this in his garage when I was a kid,” he added fondly. “I used to sit out there with him for hours listening to records while he worked.”

“Cool!” Penny exclaimed instantly. “Can we listen to music now?”

“We sure can,” Frank laughed. “Let’s pick a spot for it.”

“Hmmm…” Tanner hummed dramatically before pointing toward the TV stand. “Right there!”

Frank stood and carried the record player over, setting it carefully in the empty space before lining the albums up beside it.

A second later the soft crackle of vinyl filled the apartment, followed by the opening notes of “Soak the Sin.”

“Sounds great,” Frank said happily, glancing back at Mel with another grateful smile.

Mel sank back onto the couch as Frank and the kids immediately dissolved into complete chaos in the middle of the living room. 

Tanner was aggressively air-guitaring with absolutely no rhythm whatsoever while Penny spun herself in dizzy little circles beside him, shrieking every time Frank dramatically lip-synced into an invisible microphone. 

Frank matched their energy effortlessly, ducking low to strum along with imaginary guitar solos before throwing his head back laughing when Penny nearly crashed into him mid-spin.

The whole apartment felt alive with noise—music blaring, socks sliding against hardwood, little bursts of laughter bouncing off the walls.

When the song ended, Frank swapped the record for Buck Owens, and soon the twangy warmth of “Act Naturally” filled the room instead.

Frank immediately exaggerated the southern accent in the song, singing loudly and proudly while the kids cackled at him.

“This was your great-grandpop’s favorite song!” he announced over the music. “I spent a lot of time listening to this with him.”

The dancing slowed then, the kids grabbing onto his hands as he guided them around the room in uneven little circles.

Mel stayed curled into the corner of the couch watching them, her chest so unbearably full it almost hurt. 

There was something devastatingly beautiful about the way Frank loved his children—with his whole body, his whole heart, without hesitation or embarrassment. 

Every time his eyes found hers across the room, there was this unmistakable joy in them. 

Steady. 

Certain. 

Like happiness had finally stopped feeling temporary.

When the song ended, Frank walked back over to the player one last time and carefully switched records again.

He scanned the track list before pulling out his flashlight, counting grooves carefully until he found the exact song he wanted.

A moment later, the soft melodic opening of “Paradise” by Styx drifted through the apartment.

Frank reached for the kids instinctively and they grabbed onto his hands. He lifted them gently, settling both of Tanner’s feet onto one of his and both of Penny’s onto the other. They wrapped their arms tightly around his waist while he swayed slowly through the living room with them balanced against him.

Mel watched from the couch completely motionless, her heart pulling so tightly in her chest it almost made her emotional.

This?

This was it.

This was the exact kind of happiness people spent their entire lives searching for.

Frank looked impossibly soft like this—turning slowly beneath the warm yellow glow of the living room lamp with his children clinging to him while music crackled softly around them. 

Tanner’s laughter blended with Penny’s humming as Frank quietly sang parts of the song under his breath, smiling every time they stumbled slightly against his feet.

Mel felt so overwhelmingly lucky in that moment she almost didn’t know what to do with it.

Because somehow, somewhere along the way, this had become her life too.

After another minute, Tanner suddenly hopped off Frank’s feet and ran toward the couch.

“Mellie, it’s your turn!” he announced, grabbing her hand immediately.

“No, guys, it’s okay,” Mel laughed nervously. “I don’t really know how to dance—”

“It’s okay,” Tanner assured her very seriously. “Dad is so good at dancing. He can teach you.”

Penny hurried over to help her brother tug Mel up from the couch until she finally gave in laughing. Together they dragged her toward Frank before Penny crouched down and carefully positioned Mel’s feet on top of his exactly the same way theirs had been moments earlier.

Mel dissolved into embarrassed giggles instantly, dropping her forehead against Frank’s chest while he chuckled softly above her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

“How about you guys go brush your teeth and pick out some books to read before bed,” Frank told the kids gently.

“Okay! Come on, Penny,” Tanner said immediately, reaching for his sister’s hand.

The two disappeared down the hallway, their footsteps fading quickly.

As soon as they were gone, the song swelled into the chorus. Frank’s arm slipped securely around Mel’s waist while his other hand held hers softly out to the side, and together they began moving slowly through the living room.

There was nothing performative about it. No awkward attempt at choreography. They simply fit together naturally, swaying in slow unhurried circles while the music wrapped warmly around them.

Mel stayed balanced carefully on top of his feet, one arm looped loosely around his shoulders while Frank held her close enough that she could feel the steady rise and fall of his breathing beneath her cheek.

Every time she looked up at him, he was already looking at her.

Not casually either.

Completely.

The room around them seemed to blur into softness—the low lamp light, the fading crackle of the record, the distant sound of the kids talking down the hallway. 

All of it disappeared beneath the quiet gravity pulling them toward each other.

“I thank the universe every single day that I’m lucky enough to be loved by you, Mel,” Frank said softly after a while.

Mel melted against him a little more at the sincerity in his voice, resting her head fully against his chest. Beneath her ear, his heartbeat sounded steady and warm.

“You make it very easy,” she whispered back with a smile.

Frank smiled too, and she could feel it against her hair before he leaned down to press another kiss there, lingering this time.

“It’s been years since I’ve had a good birthday,” he admitted quietly. “Honestly, I can’t even remember the last time someone took the time to bake me my own cake. Probably the last time I was back home.”

Mel pulled back just enough to look up at him again, her expression immediately softening.

“You deserve every good thing this world has to offer, Frank,” she said gently, her thumb brushing against the side of his hand. “And I need you to know how grateful I am that I get to love you through all of it. The good days, the hard days, all of it. You make my life so much brighter just by existing in it.”

A tear slipped down his cheek before he could stop it.

Mel reached up immediately and wiped it away with the softest touch imaginable, her hand lingering there against his face.

“You are so deeply loved,” she whispered, voice full enough to ache. “By your kids. By me. By every person lucky enough to know you. And I promise I will spend the rest of my life making sure you never forget that again.”

Her eyes searched his for a second before she smiled through her own emotion.

“I love you so much, Frank. Happy birthday.”

He didn’t answer right away.

He just looked at her, overwhelmed in the quietest way possible as another few tears escaped despite himself. Mel wiped those away too without hesitation.

Finally he smiled shakily and rested his forehead against hers, eyes falling closed.

“I love you, Mel,” he whispered. “Thank you. For everything.”

He wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding her there like he never wanted to let go, and Mel rose onto her tiptoes instinctively just to stay closer.

A second later Tanner and Penny came racing back into the room.

“Dad? Why are you crying?” Tanner asked immediately, concern flooding his face. “What’s wrong?”

Frank laughed softly through the remaining tears and dropped down onto his knees in front of them.

“Oh, buddy, it’s okay. I’m not sad,” he promised, pulling both kids tightly against him. “These are happy tears. I’m just… really, really happy.”

The hug he gave them looked tight enough to steal the air from their lungs.

After another moment, the kids ran back toward their bedrooms again, already distracted by whatever important conversation they had started down the hallway.

Frank stood slowly before walking back over to Mel and taking both of her hands in his.

“I never thought I could be this happy again,” he admitted quietly before leaning down and pressing a long, lingering kiss to her lips.

When he pulled back, his forehead rested against hers once more.

“Thank you for showing me I still deserve a life that feels like this,” he whispered softly.

Mel’s hands tightened gently around his, her eyes shining as she looked up at him.

“You were always meant for a life filled with love, Frank,” she murmured. “You just needed someone who could finally love you the right way.”

Emotion flickered across his face again, raw and unguarded, and she reached up instinctively, brushing her thumb beneath his eye before he could look away from it.

For a moment neither of them spoke. The record crackled softly behind them, the final notes spilling warmly through the apartment. Frank’s arms slipped back around her waist, holding her close like he was afraid this might somehow disappear if he let go for too long.

But it wouldn’t.

Not this time.

Not ever. 

Because standing there in the middle of the living room, wrapped in his arms with the music humming quietly around them and his heartbeat steady beneath her cheek, Mel realized something with complete certainty.

Paradise would never be a place.

It would always be him.