Chapter 6 - THE BIRTHDAY PROMISE
Nathan knew my thirtieth birthday mattered to me.
Not because thirty frightened me.
Because my mother had died when I was twenty-three.
She had a habit of making birthdays too large.
At twenty-one she rented a rooftop.
At twenty-two she filled my apartment with yellow tulips.
The first birthday after she died, Lucio sat with me in silence and burned dinner.
We never became good at replacing her.
For thirty, I wanted something simple.
Dinner.
Cake.
Family.
Nathan promised.
“No disappearing for work.”
“No phones at the table.”
“No surprise speeches.”
“No mother taking over.”
That last promise was his.
He failed all four.
The Croft and Castellani families both attended because Lucio’s private club had room for everyone.
The adjoining council room was supposed to remain closed.
Lucio had a short meeting before dinner.
Nathan was supposed to arrive at six.
At 5:47:
Running late. Do not start cake.
At 6:03:
Twenty minutes.
At 6:24:
Handling one thing for you.
At 6:46, the Halcyon receipt notification finally pushed me past suspicion.
I had seen it earlier but told myself it might be a work booking.
Now his office did not know where he was.
Diana did.
I saw it.
She denied.
Then told me to stop asking before guests noticed.
I said:
“I’m not smiling through this.”
Diana said:
“You are hosting.”
“I’m leaving.”
That frightened her.
May you like
Not because she cared about my birthday.
Because she needed me to remain exactly where Nathan expected me when he came downstairs.
