"Stop stressing Sera, it's just family." Ethan was trying to calm me down.
"I know but it's her birthday and I want everything to be perfect."
"She's turning 10, not 16. It will be amazing, you try to hard. She wants a happy mom not a crazy stressed out mom. You happy will make this day perfect." Ethan was rubbing my back. I sighed. Of course he was right. He is always right, it's so aggravating.
"No what would make it perfect is if we could tell her that she would have a sibling." I whisper. Ethan turned me around and hugged me tight to him. We stood there for a minute just holding each other. "Sorry, I shouldn't have went there right now."
"It's hard on all of us, and there's never a great time to discuss how it makes us feel." Ethan soothed. Nine years of trying to have a baby. Nine years of fertility treatments, tests and failures. I always wanted to know what it felt like to grow a little human, but I may never get that chance. It's also hard because I know it's me that is the problem. Obviously, Ethan could father children, but apparently I can't carry children. I try to console myself that at least we have one child, even if I'm not her biological mom. She doesn't know and I try to be the best mom to her that I can be. I probably work harder than I would if she was my biological child to be honest.
"I know, but we should focus on the happy today. Our little girl is growing up and she deserves to be celebrated." I love the person Olivia is becoming. I'm amazed at her, she really is amazing.
"Well then come Lady Maxwell, let's go make a not quite so little girl very happy."
"Lets do that Lord Maxwell."
This had become our little inside joke as we were now Lord and Lady Maxwell but didn't feel quite right being addressed by the titles. Ethan's dad had decided to retire and handed him the title. Luckily laws had changed so he could do that and not just pass on the title at death.
Olivia was very loved and possibly a bit spoiled, she lived with three grandparents as Mom was living here as well as Ethan's parents.
We found our way to the main area of the house, the ballroom had been turned into a children's paradise. Olivia and the three grandparents in the house had already made their way here. Everyone was due to arrive any time now.
Charlotte and Michael were the first to arrived, with their children Charlie and Catherine. Charlotte and I spend quite a bit of time together as she helps me run the Caring Eye Center. It is something I dreamed up when Olivia was a toddler. We set up the clinic near where I grew up and we cater to those who cannot afford regular eye care, it's mainly geared toward to children. We do also help adults who are unable to get care elsewhere. Dad has been great at helping get us donors to fund our center and Charlotte is amazing at taking care of the managing of the funding and overseeing the staff. It's small, but we have a receptionist and one other optometrist. We've been running the clinic for four years now and it helps to fill the hole in my heart that is there due to our fertility struggles. At most we have five years to do any more treatments and at this point I'm not optimistic anymore.
Nathan and his wife Georgina were next with their two rambunctious boys, Tristan and Colin. They would be staying the night in their set of rooms in the family living area. Ethan was excited to spend some more time with Nathan. They'd been out of the country for the past few years and had just recently moved back.
Dad followed closely behand and he came by himself, thankfully. Dad and Miranda were still married although basically living separate lives. Neither willing to give up money for happiness. Dad has been much more involved in my life and is a good grandpa to Oliva. I honestly don't think our clinic would have happened if not for him and the donations he sent our way.
Shauna and Sean arrived after Dad, they hit it off at our wedding and cliché as it is, the best man and maid of honor ended up getting married but they took it a lot slower than everyone believes Ethan and I did. Honestly I think if it wouldn't have been for them spending more time together with us after we'd gotten married they might have drifted apart, but they didn't. Of course, they might have just decided to not date because of how close their names are to each other. They get grief about that all the time! They got married five years ago and have one cute little Sean Junior.
Keenan and his wife Sophia arrived last with their little Isabella. I wonder when they're going to let us know that Sophia is pregnant. I'm happy for them and wish others would just let us celebrate with them instead of trying not to hurt our feelings. Charlotte is good at keeping me up to date on upcoming arrivals as she knows my views on this as we've discussed it a few times at the clinic.
We had a great birthday for Olivia and she enjoyed playing with her cousins, even though they are younger than she is. As the children played in the wonderland we'd set up for them inside the ballroom, the adults chatted.
"Just look at all that energy those kids have, it makes me tired just looking at them." Mom commented.
"Isn't that the truth. It's not fair they can run circles around us." Shauna agreed.
"Am I the only one who thinks they just drain our energy to use for themselves?" Charlotte asked.
"You know that has some merit." Georgina agreed.
As always happened when we got together, the women had one conversation while the men had their own. We all started out together but they grew tired of our repetitive talk on the children. Although I loved hearing the latest cute thing that one of my nieces or nephews did. As I looked around the group, I was so grateful for the family I had in my life now. It was crazy to think that growing up it was mainly Mom and I. Now there were twelve adults and all the children that were family, because we considered Shauna and Sean family. I feel in awe every time we're all together, it's more than I ever dreamed growing up, especially since I know we'll always have each other's backs.
Later that night after Olivia was asleep, Ethan found me reading in the library.
"Everything was perfect today." He said stroking my hair and bringing my head to his leg.
"As close as it can get with kids and their craziness." I agreed.
"So are you tired or you up for other things?" Ethan waggled his eyebrows at me.
"I could be up for other things."
"Good, because you still have to make up for making me wait so long."
"Pretty sure we've made up for it already." I grumbled. "And it wasn't that long. After all it's not like we dated for years, we connected for a month before we got married. I didn't think I'd still be paying for making you wait until we got married 10 years later."
"Oh honey, you'll be making it up for the rest of our lives." Ethan said and pulled me up and led me out of the room. I giggled quietly not wanting to wake up Olivia or give us away to any of the other occupants. I'm so glad that Ethan and I are still head over heels in love. Our happily ever after has been a bit more rocky than I thought, but having him by my side is what matters.