Three Chances, Then Gone

Stanley paused, then laughed like it was all no big deal.

"Babe, don't be like this. So I dropped Archie off first—what's the big deal? Why are you mad at a little kid? Look, Luca didn't eat his cake yesterday, right? I'll book a place and get a new one. We'll celebrate tonight, okay?"

That voice—sweet, like he was coaxing a toddler.

I wanted to shut it down.

But Luca looked up at me, hopeful.

"Mom, he still has two chances left. Please? I want him at my birthday."

I sighed. Long and slow.

"Okay."

***

Maybe it was Stanley's promise, but Luca was buzzing the whole ride home.

"Mom, what kind of cake do you think Dad'll get? Maybe a Transformers one? I didn't open my gift yesterday. After we blow out the candles, can we open Dad's? He promised me a Lego set this year."

He kept going like we were back before Hallie and her kid showed up in our lives.

I smiled, heart soft.

"For sure. You told him, like, a hundred times you love Transformers. He'll remember."

At 7 sharp, I brought Luca to the restaurant.

Stanley was already there, an eight-inch cake on the table.

Luca let go of my hand and ran.

"Da—"

"Daddy!"

A louder voice cut him off.

Archie shot out of the bathroom and launched into Stanley's arms.

"Daddy, the bathroom here's tiny. Not like Disneyland's. When are you taking me again? I wanna sit on your shoulders and watch fireworks!"

He looked up, soaking in all the attention.

Disneyland?

Luca's excitement vanished.

I didn't have to guess—he was already wondering when that trip happened, and why he wasn't there.

He bit his lip. Voice barely a whisper.

"Dad, I want to—"

"Stanley!"

Hallie popped up outta nowhere, all smiles like some perfect wife-mom combo.

"Archie ran ahead. I could barely keep up. Loretta, you're here too? Sit—Archie's about to cut the cake."

She said it like she was hosting and Luca and I were just tagging along.

"Archie's cutting the cake?"

Luca blinked up at Stanley, confused.

"Dad, didn't you say it was my birthday? I wanna blow out the candles..."

Stanley frowned, already annoyed. "Why are you being difficult? It's just a cake. Let Archie have this. Be good, okay?"

Here we go again.

I shut my eyes, drained.

Part of me wanted to grab Luca and leave.

But more than that—I needed him to see who his dad really was. So he could finally let go.

The box opened.

Not the cake Luca wanted.

Raspberry filling—his least favorite.

I watched, ice-cold, as Stanley shoved candles into it and popped a party hat on Archie.

Then he slid the cake in front of Archie and let him blow out the candles.

First slice? Archie handed it to Hallie.

"Mom, you eat it."

The boy, curled up in Stanley's lap, nudged the plate toward her.

Then kissed Stanley's cheek.

"Dad, you and Mom eat together."

Luca snapped.

Eyes glassy, voice cracking—"He's my dad!"

Hallie blinked, then instantly welled up.

"Stanley, I'm sorry—I didn't raise Archie right. Luca's just jealous... because of me. Archie just really wants a dad..."