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"Look at her."
Dana tips her seltzer can toward the other side of the backyard. "The first woman to ever tame the big, bad surgeon."
Beside her, Trinity lets out an offended little huff. "Excuse me?" She raises an eyebrow. "I believe that was me, D."
"You married her, kid." The charge nurse lowers her sunglasses just enough to peer over the top of the frames. "That counts for something."
She takes another sip. "But I bet she never looked at you like this."
Trinity follows the subtle tilt of Dana's chin this time.
Across the backyard, Yolanda is stretched comfortably across one of the deck chairs they'd dragged onto the lawn for the afternoon. Lily is perched squarely on top of her stomach, balanced between her bent knees while Yolanda keeps both hands resting lightly at her sides, ready to catch her if she topples.
The one-year-old is babbling with absolute conviction.
Tiny hands fly through the warm evening air, punctuating every syllable like she's delivering the keynote address. Whatever she's explaining is clearly of great importance.
Yolanda, for her part, watches with complete attention.
Not the half assed nodding and smiling thing that adults sometimes give children while waiting for them to finish.
No, she's entirely captivated.
Every animated little sound earns another expression of fascination. Every dramatic gesture is met with a nod, as though Lily is making an exceptionally compelling argument.
There it is again.
That look. Warm and full of wonder.
Utterly, helplessly in love.
Trinity has to admit... Dana has a point.
Very few people ever receive that particular expression. Including her.
"Touché," Trinity says, turning back toward Dana with a grin as she clinks her lemonade glass gently against Dana's can.
"She's taking up talking." She laughs softly, unable to stop herself. "And it's so fucking cute."
"It is." Dana smiles, though there's a thread of melancholy woven through it.
"Enjoy it while it lasts, Santos." She looks back toward Lily.
"Next thing you know she's out of the house."
Trinity shrugs, making a deliberate effort to look far less affected than she actually feels.
Inside, something squeezes painfully around her heart. She doesn't let herself linger there. Those thoughts don't belong at her daughter's first birthday party.
"That's not going to be a problem." She waves dismissively toward Lily. "She can't even walk yet."
Dana snorts. "But once they start running..."
She shakes her head slowly, smiling to herself as though replaying a hundred memories all at once. "...they never stop."
Trinity opens her mouth, ready with some clever comeback.
She never gets the chance.
Lily lets out a delighted shriek that rings across the entire backyard.
Without warning, she launches herself forward with complete confidence, tiny hands grabbing enthusiastically for Yolanda's face.
"Oh!" Yolanda catches her effortlessly. Then, somehow, she melts even further.
The smile that spreads across her face is so open, so unguarded, that Trinity feels it somewhere beneath her ribs.
She is not even a tiny little bit jealous that Lily can do that.
Absolutely not.
Truthfully, she understands it completely. She feels the exact same pull every time her daughter reaches for her.
Judging by the way conversations around the yard momentarily fade, everyone else does too. A few heads turn.
Even the music drifting quietly from the speaker near the patio seems to disappear beneath Lily's infectious laughter. The whole backyard feels suspended for a heartbeat.
Early summer has settled gently over the evening. Strings of lights have begun to glow overhead, casting a soft golden haze across the garden while the last streaks of pink and orange fade from the sky.
The air carries the smell of coal, grilled vegetables, and fresh herbs, mingling with cut grass and blooming lavender from the flowerbeds lining the fence.
The barbecue itself has somehow grown into something more elaborate than either Trinity or Yolanda had planned.
There are close to twenty people scattered throughout the garden.
Hospital friends occupy the outdoor sofa, arguing animatedly over whose residency had been objectively the worst.
Dennis has somehow become trapped in a conversation with Yolanda's cousins near the grill, gesturing dramatically with a pair of barbecue tongs while Baran quietly takes over actually cooking.
A long wooden table is filled with homemade salads, grilled corn, fresh bread, bowls of chips and birthday cupcakes with excessive sprinkles.
Aside from the birthday girl herself, almost everyone here is an adult. It makes for an oddly peaceful first birthday. Only Harrison and Kian are running aroud somewhere as well, but the Al-Hashimi backyard is large enough for their laughter to become faint background noise.
People chat over drinks. Cassie laughs loudly near the fence, debating... something with Vic and Parker.
No one seems particularly concerned with organized games or opening presents on a strict schedule.
Every now and then, someone simply wanders over to Lily, makes a ridiculous face that earns another delighted giggle, and drifts back into conversation.
Exactly the kind of celebration Trinity had hoped for. Easy.
Filled with people who already loved Lily long before she'd learned to say a single word.
Across the lawn, Yolanda murmurs something that sends Lily into another fit of delighted babbling.
Trinity watches them for another long moment, before checking back into the conveersation.
"Sorry, D, what was that?"
"Thanks again for lending us your space."
Yolanda lifts her glass toward Baran, who, despite insisting she'd contribute nothing but her garden, has somehow slipped effortlessly into full host mode.
Every now and then, she's checking whether someone needs another drink or quietly replacing empty serving bowls.
Baran smiles that familiar, thoughtful smile. "Look." She shrugs one shoulder. "You two deserve a break."
Her gaze drifts toward the clusters of people chatting comfortably across the yard.
"And if you need to leave, this is simply a barbecue." She says it so matter-of-factly it almost sounds obvious. "You don't have to kick anyone out."
Yolanda follows her gaze.
People are relaxed enough now that the party would probably continue without them.
Princess and Perlah have started another round of cards at the patio table.
It really has become less of a first birthday party and more of an excuse to gather everyone they love in one place.
"That's true," Yolanda admits, taking another long sip.
In her lap, Lily's attention immediately fixes on the glass. She points with complete conviction.
"Ru'." Her tiny eyebrows pull together in concentration. "...Ruse."
Yolanda giggles. It still catches her off guard every time.
"No, love," Yolanda says gently. "This is juice."
"Mmh." Lily nods once, accepting the correction without argument.
She doesn't try the word again. Instead, she looks around for something else to identify. She's spent almost the entire afternoon doing exactly that: pointing determinedly at the world and assigning names to it. Sometimes close, others existing only in her own wonderfully confident language.
Baran watches with obvious amusement. "Besides..."
She gestures farther down the gently sloping garden. Near the fence, the boys are racing around with the garden hose, shrieking every time someone gets sprayed unexpectedly.
"Kian loves her."
Yolanda smiles. "That's true."
"Last week," Baran continues with perfect seriousness, "he asked whether he could babysit Lily." A beat. "Alone."
Yolanda immediately shakes her head. "That's not happening for a long while."
Kian is barely in primary school.
Still... Maybe someday. Childcare isn't exactly inexpensive.
"'Ian?" Lily cranes her neck, searching the yard.
"Yes." Yolanda points toward the boys. "Kian."
"There."
Lily spots him after a long moment. "There."
"He complained for years about not having siblings," Baran says quietly. There's no bitterness in her voice. Just a small sadness that time has softened.
"Then first he got something like an older brother with Harrison."
She smiles to herself. "And now..." Baran rubs a tired hand across her face. "...he's basically decided Lily is his little sister."
As if hearing his own name from halfway across the yard, Kian suddenly appears.
Harrison jogs beside him.
Both boys are dripping wet, barefoot, and wearing nothing but swim trunks. They stop in front of the deck chairs, breathing hard.
"Maman." Kian pants. "Dr. Yolanda." He takes another breath. "Can we borrow Lily?"
Without thinking, Yolanda's arm tightens instinctively around her daughter. Lily, entirely unbothered, reaches toward Kian with enthusiasm.
"What for?" Baran asks before Yolanda has a chance.
Kian points eagerly behind him.
"We..."
He turns.
"...uh..."
Down the gentle slope of the yard, Yolanda notices a long strip of bright blue tarp stretched across the grass.
A hose running steadily across the top.
"...we built our own water slide."
"Absolutely not." The answer leaves Yolanda's mouth before he's even finished speaking. "You know how—"
"Sorry, Dr. Yolanda," Harrison interrupts diplomatically. "We don't want to make her slide on it."
He elbows Kian gently. "You should've led with that."
Kian winces. "...Yeah."
"We just want to show her." Harrison smiles. "It's pretty cool."
Yolanda looks toward the tarp again. Then at the two soaking-wet boys practically vibrating with excitement.
Then at Lily. Who has somehow already started bouncing impatiently on her lap.
"...Tah?"
She points toward the hill.
"You want to see?"
"Ta!"
Yolanda sighs in defeat. She shifts Lily securely onto her hip before standing. "All right, boys." She points one finger toward them. "Show me what you've got."
The boys immediately spin around and race back toward the hill. Yolanda follows at a far more dignified pace.
The "water slide" turns out to be considerably more sophisticated than she'd expected.
The tarp has been stretched neatly down the natural slope of the lawn and carefully anchored with tent pegs. A garden hose snakes across the top, spraying a constant stream of water that keeps the whole thing slick. Someone—almost certainly Harrison—has even placed pool noodles along the sides "for safety."
"We tested it," Harrison explains earnestly. "A lot."
"Six times," Kian corrects proudly.
"And nobody hit the fence," Harrison adds, as though this is the strongest endorsement imaginable.
Lily stares at the construction with enormous eyes. "Woooow," she breathes. The boys exchange delighted looks.
"I'll go first," Kian announces.
He scrambles to the top, throws himself dramatically onto the tarp, and rockets down the hill with both arms stretched triumphantly into the air.
About halfway down, he decides screaming makes it faster. It doesn't. But it is considerably funnier.
Lily bursts into delighted laughter. Her tiny hands clap together so enthusiastically that Yolanda has to steady her.
"Again!" Kian shouts before anyone can answer. Harrison rolls his eyes with practiced fondness.
"My turn."
His approach is entirely different.
He crosses his ankles and folds his hands behind his head.
Attempts to slide with perfect dignity.
Which lasts three seconds before he spins sideways, flails spectacularly, and reaches the bottom laughing so hard he can barely sit upright.
Lily squeals, then giggles so hard she starts hiccuping between breaths. Both boys immediately begin inventing increasingly ridiculous poses.
Sliding backwards.
Pretending to swim.
Going down on one knee like dramatic superheroes.
At one point Harrison manages an entire pirouette before collapsing into helpless laughter at the bottom.
Every single attempt earns another delighted shriek from Lily. Yolanda feels herself laughing just as hard.
Without realizing it, she'd relaxed completely.
"They're good with her." Trinity's voice appears quietly beside her.
Yolanda hadn't even noticed her walking over.
She glances sideways. Trinity is smiling so broadly it almost hurts to look at. She holds out both arms. "I can take over."
Gratefully, Yolanda transfers Lily into her embrace.
The moment the extra weight leaves her arms, she rolls both shoulders with an appreciative groan.
"I've developed muscles I didn't know existed."
Trinity laughs. "Wanna make her try it?" She nods toward the slide. "Just once?"
Yolanda gives her a look. "I just forbade it. You better not undermine my authority."
Trinity places one hand solemnly over her heart. "Of course." A smirk remains, though. "What if I did it, holding her very safely?"
Yolanda sighs.
Dennis keeps one eye on the grill and the other on the yard.
It's a balancing act.
Flip the burgers, turn the sausages. Check the corn.
Look up. Repeat.
The string lights overhead have started to glow brighter as the daylight softens, bathing the backyard in warm gold.
Every so often someone wanders over.
"Smells incredible."
"Need another drink?"
"Thanks for doing this, Dennis."
He accepts every compliment with an embarrassed grin and another turn of the tongs. It's the least he can do.
It's Lily's very first birthday. She almost certainly won't remember any of this.
But there will be plenty of photos.
Vic had brought her old Polaroid camera, and it's been a hit all afternoon. Every few minutes another picture slides out with that familiar mechanical whirr, only to be passed around while everyone impatiently waits for the image to appear.
The edge of the gift table is already lined with snapshots: Yolanda laughing while setting up chairs, Trinity wearing a paper birthday hat Lily had tried to eat or Dana playing cards with the other ladies.
Dennis has quietly decided he'll steal copies later.
He isn't entirely sure how Lily is still awake. Usually, whenever she's with him, she burns through her energy surprisingly quickly before falling asleep somewhere against his shoulder.
Today, though... She's unstoppable.
An entire afternoon of babbling, being passed from lap to lap.
And somehow she's still announcing important observations to anyone willing to listen.
Dennis glances up just in time to see Lily begin squirming in Trinity's arms. She points emphatically toward the grass.
"Down?" Trinity smiles. "You want down?"
An impatient little noise answers her.
"Okay, okay." She crouches carefully, lowering Lily until both tiny feet touch the lawn.
For a second, Lily simply clings to Trinity's leg. One hand wrapped tightly around her shin, steadying herself.
Dennis smiles automatically. He's seen this before.
Then Lily lets go.
She stands.
Entirely on her own, only for a second. Long enough for Trinity's eyes to widen. Next to her, Yolanda notices too. Without saying a word, she instinctively moves a few steps in front of her daughter.
Close enough to catch, far enough to invite.
"'U'erry!" Lily declares triumphantly. One tiny finger points directly toward the toward him. Dennis blinks, then lifts the barbecue tongs in greeting.
"Hey there." He gives them a little wave. Lily waves back with such enthusiastic commitment that she nearly topples herself over.
"Yes," Trinity laughs. "Huckleberry."
Dennis feels ridiculously proud.
Then, Lily takes one step. Tiny.
More of a controlled fall than actual walking.
Everyone freezes.
A second step. Then a third. Her arms stick straight out for balance. Her whole body wobbles.
"Oh my God," Trinity breathes. "Vic." She doesn't even have to finish the sentence. Victoria is already moving. In one smooth motion she hands Parker her phone. "Video."
Then raises the Polaroid.
Click.
Click.
Another photograph slowly begins developing between her fingers.
"'Ubewy!" Lily announces again. Apparently this entire expedition is still about Dennis. She keeps going. One determined little step after another.
Completely unaware that nearly every conversation in the garden has stopped.
People are watching now, holding their breath.
Even Dennis forgets about the grill for a moment. She's coming toward him.Or at least trying to.
Eventually her legs give a tiny tremble and her balance disappears. With a soft little plop, Lily lands squarely on her diaper.
She's quiet for a moment.
Then she blinks, looks around. And grins.
Yolanda is beside her almost instantly, scooping her up with practiced ease.
"Hey." Gentle hands check tiny knees.
Tiny hands.
Tiny head.
"You okay?" Lily simply yawns. Sleep is beginning to win its long battle with excitement.
"What a show-off you are," Trinity murmurs, kissing her softly on the nose. "Of course you choose your own birthday party to start walking."
Yolanda smiles as she bounces Lily lightly against her hip. "She does have excellent timing."
Dennis chuckles quietly to himself before finally remembering the grill.
"Oh!" He turns just in time to rotate the corn before it burns.
As he continues flipping burgers, a private smile settles onto his face. The mothers have absolutely no idea.
They think today was the first time, but it wasn't.
Whenever he'd watched Lily over the past two weeks, she'd been secretly practicing: One careful step between the coffee table and the couch. Another from his knees to the living room ottoman.
Dennis had never mentioned it and he will take that secret to the grave.
Later, long after the cake has been eaten and the last folding chairs have been stacked away, Dennis is helping carry empty platters back toward the kitchen when Trinity catches up beside him.
She's still smiling, looking a little dazed.
"I've been meaning to ask you something."
"Hm?"
Trinity nudges him lightly with her shoulder.
"Why on earth was Lily trying so hard to get to you?"
Dennis pauses for exactly the right amount of time. Then shrugs, entirely innocent.
"She must've been hungry."