THE HEIR'S REVENGE

chapter 52

I waited till the birthday ended. I didn't even have to force myself. It was all natural to me and I was happy how the event turned out.

I looked around for Yemi but it seemed like she didn't show up for the party.

I felt terrible. Like I'd ask her to come and she didn't but I felt really bad when I thought about how Lily would feel about them.

But as I was about to turn away. I saw her. In a purple dress, looking more beautiful than I know.

I wanted to go speak to her, to tell her how beautiful she looked but I hesitated. I wasn't supposed to forget that Yemi was my employee and I shouldn't cross lines.

The party ended by six.

The kids left in small groups with their parents. These children really took a great deal of butterflies and bouncy castles, I found out.

Lily stood at the gate with Mr as we thanked and said goodbye to every single guest individually. I was grateful to their parents.

Most greeted me with a smile on their face while others simply glared at me. They must think that I was below them since I was still young.

Mia was the last to leave. Before she did, Mia whispered something in her ear. Lily nodded like it was an agreement and just then, Mia's mother came in to pick her up.

She greeted each other and that was it. Mia hopped into the back of the car while still waving Lily goodbye.

When the last guest had gone, Lily looked at the garden, the tables, the garlands, the bouncy castle. She looked at them all for a long moment.

I could see the look of satisfaction on her face.

Then she looked up at me.

"It was perfect," she said.

"Yes," I said.

"Even better than grandpa's parties," she said. After she said that, she looked like she shouldn't have made that comment.

"I think he would be glad to hear that," I said.

She considered this. Then she nodded slowly like she had decided to accept it.

"I am very tired now," she announced, yawning.

"I know."

"But I don't want to go to bed yet because then the birthday will be over."

I looked at her. "The birthday doesn't end when you go to sleep," I said. "You wake up tomorrow and you are still six."

She thought about this carefully.

"That is true," she said.

"Come on," I said. I held out my hand.

She took it and we walked back into the garden together. She was satisfied with how everything played out but I wasn't just satisfied, I was happy I could give her the birthday she deeply wanted.

The clean up happened almost immediately.

Henry had made sure to arrange everything before he left. Two staff were clearing tables while others swept the floor.

Emma was still there.

She glared at the garland like she wanted to fall aggressively.

She had not been asked to stay and help with the cleanup. She had simply stayed.

When Lily saw her, she let go of my hands and walked over to Emma. Emma also turned when she heard little footsteps.

Lily looked at the folded garlands on the chair. Then at Emma.

“Hi, Emma.”

“Hi, Lily. Are you going to bed now?”

Lily nodded. "You are being careful with them," she said.

"Of course," Emma said. "You made them.

I watched Lily's movement and wondered if she was being nice or if she truly wanted Emma to be a friend since she was making conversation herself.

"You can come to my next birthday too," she said. "If you want."

Emma looked at her.

Something moved across Emma's face that she did not manage to control and did not try to. Her eyes went slightly bright and she looked down at the garland in her hands for a moment before she looked back up.

"I would like that very much," she said. “But what I'd love most is to visit you every now and then. I mean if that's what you'd like.”

Lily looked up at me like she was waiting for my approval before giving her an answer.

I didn't answer her, I wanted her to make that decision alone.

“Well, I go to school most of the time, so I guess you can visit on some Saturdays if Brother, here is not too busy.”

I tried to hide my smile but Emma must have noticed. She nodded and thanked Lily for even considering her.

Lily nodded like this was settled.

Then she turned around and went to find Yemi which was where she went when she had decided a conversation was complete.

I had been standing a few feet away watching all of this.

Emma looked at me.

I looked at her.

Neither of us said anything. At least I had nothing I wanted to say to her but looking at her, I guess she still had so much to say.

I turned to leave. But she stopped me. “Can I talk to you?” She paused. “Maybe not now, I mean later.”

I nodded agreeing to that without thinking much of it.

Lily had her bath and changed her clothes to the purple pajamas that I had given her. She said she couldn't eat because she was too excited to eat anything.

But I couldn't let her go to bed with food so we sat across from each other at the kitchen table while she ate.

She was quiet, which was not normal for someone like

I sat across from her at the kitchen table while she ate.

She was quieter than usual. Not sad, quiet. Full quiet. The specific quiet of a child who has had a very large day and is now processing it in the way that children process things which is slowly and without rush and from the inside out.

She ate three quarters of the pasta and then put her fork down.

"Brother," she said.

"Yes."

"The butterfly that landed on my finger," she said. "Do you think he knew it was my birthday?"

I thought about this seriously because Lily always knew when you were not thinking seriously about a question.

"I think he chose you specifically," I said. "Out of thirty one children he chose your finger."

She looked at me. "Why?"