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Eliza handed me a glass of water.
Sarah pulled out a chair.
“Sit, Mom.”
So I sat.
Grant took the chair beside me.
He still looked nervous.
I nudged him.
“Eat, Officer Trouble.”
He laughed.
“Yes, ma’am.”
For the first time that night, I smiled.
Dinner wasn’t perfect.
The food had been prepared hours earlier.
The cake decorations were slightly crooked.
One of the balloons had already started losing air.
But none of that mattered.
My children were finally sitting around the table.
Mark told a ridiculous story from childhood.
Jason interrupted him three times.
Sarah laughed so hard she nearly dropped her fork.
Eliza leaned against my shoulder.
Caleb kept trying to convince everyone that he deserved the biggest piece of cake.
And Grant sat beside me in his uniform, looking happier than I had seen him in years.
Later, when the room became quieter, Grant leaned toward me.
“My graduation ceremony is coming up,” he said.
I looked at him.
“I saved you a seat.”
I smiled.
“You better.”
He nodded.
“I will.”
“Because I’ll be there.”
His expression changed immediately.
“You will?”
“Of course.”
He smiled.
I looked down the table at all six of my children.
“Listen to me.”
They stopped talking.
“No more disappearing.”
Mark nodded.
“Deal.”
Sarah smiled.
“Deal.”
Jason raised his hand.
“Deal.”
Caleb nodded.
“Deal.”
Eliza squeezed my arm.
“Deal.”
Grant covered my hand with his.
“Deal.”
I looked at the birthday cake.
The candles I had lit at home were gone.
But these candles were new.
And when my children began singing, they were loud, off-key, and completely ridiculous.
I laughed.
Then I cried.