Chapter 15 - One Year Later
Leo’s ninth birthday arrived under a clear blue sky.
No carnival post.
No competition.
No inheritance games.
The party took place at a public park.
There was pizza.
A soccer ball.
A magician who accidentally dropped his cards.
And one ordinary piñata hanging from a tree.
Leo stared at it.
Vivian noticed.
“We can take it down.”
He shook his head.
“No.”
Olivia approached.
“You sure?”
Leo nodded.
“But you hit it first.”
Olivia smiled.
“With you.”
They held the bat together.
Everyone moved safely backward.
They swung.
Missed.
Laughed.
Swung again.
Candy exploded across the grass.
Children cheered.
Vivian covered her mouth.
Damon slipped his arm around her.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.”
She was more than okay.
A memory had just been rewritten.
Not erased.
Rewritten.
Later, Leo opened presents.
No signet ring.
His favorite gift was a telescope.
Frank had sent nothing.
That was deliberate.
He had asked Damon whether sending a gift would pressure Leo.
Damon said yes.
So Frank respected the boundary.
For Vivian, that meant more than any expensive present could have.
After sunset, Leo used his telescope.
Olivia wore her gold star pendant.
“So many stars,” she whispered.
Leo touched his matching one.
“Yeah.”
Vivian watched them.
Two children Frank had tried to turn into symbols.
They had become themselves instead.
That night Damon gave Vivian an envelope.
She raised an eyebrow.
“No surprise empire?”
“No.”
Inside was a handwritten note.
Would you marry me again?
Vivian stared.
“We’re already married.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
“Because the first time, I promised things I didn’t understand.”
He looked nervous.
“I want to ask again someday. Not tonight. Not because we survived something. Just because I want our next promise to be one we both choose.”
Vivian folded the note.
“Someday.”
Damon smiled.
May you like
“Someday is good.”
And it was.
