Nikki was almost flying through the kitchen of their home, trying to get everything ready in time. It was Saturday, the day of Sofia's birthday. Daniel went out to the city to pick up the cake while the kids were playing in the living room.

She was left alone. When she threw a look at the clock, she saw that the guests were going to arrive soon. Once more, she rushed into the dining room to see if everything was on the table. There seemed to be no mistake.

At that moment, she heard the bell.

„Shit!", she said, already running to the door to open them. There were Felicia, Emilio, Susan, and Gill standing at the entrance. The woman was so glad both of their parents made it. She was just looking at them talking to each other and ignoring her. That made her raise her eyebrow. Gill was the first to notice her.

„Honey!", he exclaimed excitedly, spreading his arms and inviting her for a hug. Nikki smiled. She hadn't seen her parents for almost a year.

„You look tired.", Felicia stated, peering through the door.

She invited them in and then exchanged pleasantries with the remaining trio.

„It's madness here!", she replied. „Dan hasn't returned from the city yet. I guess he got in the traffic jam so I'm alone."

Susan and Felicia just exchanged glances.

„We're going to help you then.", her mother said. „Where are Sofia and Chris?"

Nikki gestured toward the living room and the four elderly people immediately saw their grandchildren, in the middle of the game.

„Alright, let's go greet them and give them gifts. We're going to take care of everything. You go upstairs and get ready. Everyone will be here in any minute.", Susan said as Nikki breathed out in relief, smiling gratefully.

„You saved me.", she said. Felicia, Emilio, and Susan were already half-way down to the kids but she stopped Gill.

„Dad, where's Andre?"

The older man sighed.

„Somewhere in Pennsylvania. His studies are giving him so much trouble and he has a lot of things to sort out. He wanted me to apologize on his behalf and to call him so he could wish Sofie happy birthday.", he explained.

Nikki understood her step-brother.

„Well, let's hope his hard work will pay off.", she replied, shrugging and then getting upstairs, leaving happy children screams behind her. Both Sofia and Christian haven't seen Susan and Gill for quite some time, so their arrival in Naples was an immense joy.

As she was getting ready, Nikki was thinking of Andre. He had this big desire to be the best which was a very hard thing to achieve in medicine. It meant that the younger dark-skinned man was almost never at home, in Seattle. Even over the holidays and summer, he would stay in Pennsylvania, working, studying and doing everything, sometimes even impossible, just to fulfill his goal. To be a valedictorian. Nikki was very proud of him, though it meant she wouldn't see him as much as she wants. It was so surprising how that rebellious and clumsy boy grew up in self-confident, hard-working, responsible and, no matter how hard things would get, always smiling man. The thought made her smile too.

Soon, she heard Daniel's voice and the bell from the ground floor. Nikki assumed their guests arrived so she hurried with getting ready, wanting to join them.

As soon as she stepped back to the ground floor, she hasn't even had time to speak and the two hands were already pulling her into an embrace.

„Nikki!", Addison called her name cheerfully. The other woman hugged her back.

„I'm so glad to see you.", she replied. Her eyes went down to the living room, where Sofia and Christian were already playing with Jason, Frank, and Lucia. Maia was sitting on the floor, her and Christian making towers with colorful dices for which Nikki was sure that they haven't had them before. Then she spotted a huge number of gift bags, located right down to the sofa. She gasped.

„That's all for Sofia?"

Addison followed her gaze.

„I'm pretty sure half of that is for Chris."

Nikki raised her eyebrows.

„But it's not Chris's birthday."

„Maybe, but try to explain four years old why his sister is getting so much attention and he's not.", the short blonde said, smiling and Nikki.

The two women joined the others who were already sitting at the table. The older ones were settled at one end while the younger ones were at the other end. Nikki cheerfully greeted Aline and Marina. Brian gave her a long hug. Even after so many years, the blond man was still her best friend and a voice of reason who was helping her solve any problem.

They talked about anything and everything, from work to life in general, until it was time to eat. Maia brought the children and the little ones settled around the table, each one up to their parents. They kept up with bright topics, then and there including children who were recounting their school and kindergarten events. Basically, there was a lot of laughter.

„Aline, did you hear from Diego or David?", Marina asked as the Latina raised her head in interest.

A few years ago, Diego joined the American Army, where he married one of the soldiers. Aline and Diego always had the best relationship so he remained in contact with her while contact with the others thinned out. Nikki and Daniel would hear from him for Christmas or birthdays but that was it. The story with David wasn't much different. He married and moved somewhere to Baltimore. They lost contact with him. Although Nikki was a bit sorry, she knew these things are normal in life.

„I spoke to him about two months ago. They were somewhere in Asia but I don't know where precisely. He was in a rush.", Aline explained, the rest of them just nodding. Nikki hoped that the dark-skinned man was happy, no matter where he was.

Cristian suddenly dropped his fork, then pulled the sleeve of Maia's dress and gestured to the dices. The Australian just smiled broadly. She helped the boy to come down from his chair and they both went back into the living room.

„Honey, you and Chris haven't finished your meal.", Aline stated but Maia just waved her hand.

„We'll finish it later, right Chris?"

Nikki was observing Maia and Christian with a smile. Her son seemed to be very fond of the Australian.

„She really loves kids, doesn't she?"

Aline just looked at Maia who was already playing with Christian and nodded. Her lips were squeezed in a firm line and Nikki immediately knew something isn't quite right. She looked around her. Daniel was dragged into some discussion with the male half of the table, Addison talked to Marina and Felicia to Susan.

„Girls, let's go to the terrace.", she said. „We could talk there."

„Yeah...gossip!", Brian uttered jokingly as Addison hit him with her elbow.

Four women went to the terrace, Nikki once again looking at Christian and Maia playing. As soon as they got out, Addison and Marina leaned over the wooden fence and breathed in a fresh air. The day was beautiful and sunny, neither too hot or too cold. There was also a light breeze, carrying little white clouds on the sky.

„I've already forgotten how beautiful is here. No wonder you didn't want to stay in Seattle, Nikki.", Addison said as Nikki grunted.

„As if I would ever stay in all that rain.", she replied. „I don't understand how you and Brian can live there."

The blonde just shrugged.

„You all should come to Australia. To see that weather and life.", Aline exclaimed suddenly, drawing attention to herself.

„And we will. You just have to invite us.", Marina replied.

Nikki was carefully observing Aline's reactions. The Latina's face was somewhat weird, tense.

„Aline, what's going on? What's happening with you and Maia?", she finally asked. She could no longer wait.

Aline took a deep breath, looking toward the creek where the noise of the sea was heard.

„Maia asked me for a divorce.", she uttered as the remaining three women gasped in shock.

„I'm sorry, what?

„Why?"

Her fingers were white of holding the fence so tightly.

„When we arrived in Perth, Maia said she wants a baby.", she finally said and Nikki's facial expression softened in knowledge. Maia adored kids and it was only a matter of time when she would want her own. „Not that we can work on making our own baby and honestly, I've never seen myself pregnant so we decided she would be the one carrying it. Everything was great and I agreed with all of her suggestions until she finally arranged an appointment with her gynecologist.", she paused, taking a deep breath. „It turned out that Maia can't have children."

After the last statement, all of then fell completely silent. No one was breathing. The Latina knew she shocked them with this.

„Oh, my God, Aline, I'm so sorry.", Nikki said sympathetically while Marina took her hand, squeezing it in support.

Aline was very grateful to them.

„What happened next? How the hell you came to the divorce?", Addison asked.

„Well...after that discovery, Maia was in some kind of denial. She refused to accept the truth and still wanted to do artificial fertilization. It caused countless fights because I knew that the attempt wouldn't be successful and she would be even more hurt than before. But of course, as always, I couldn't convince her and I had to agree just to have a little bit of peace in the house. She went to fertilization but, like I said, it wasn't successful. It was expected. After that, she went completely crazy. She was hysterical and crying all the fucking time. We simply couldn't talk normally and one day, she told me she wants a divorce because she doesn't want to tie me to someone who can't have children."

Nikki immediately looked at Maia and Christian through the glass window. The Australian had a great relationship with her son. She was terribly sorry for her.

„This sounds very bad. What did you do?"

Aline just smiled bitterly.

„I gave my best to convince how this is a perfect example when it comes to out wedding wows and the part which says „for better and for worse". I told her I'm not giving her divorce. Under any circumstances.", she continued with the story. „She kept insisting for a while but when she saw she wasn't achieving anything, she calmed down. From then on, she just looked like a puppy, getting repeatedly kicked in the stomach. Every damn day.

Addison looked in Maia's direction. Poor woman. She didn't even want to imagine being in her shoes.

„Artificial fertilization isn't the only option. You can always adopt a kid.", Nikki said as Aline just nodded.

„Our jobs sometimes can be very demanding. It would work only if Maia would stay at home with a baby...I Miami. I mean, she should stay at home with our own baby too but the whole adoption process would be much easier.", he replied. „However, one evening I gave her another idea. I sat her down on the sofa in our apartment and told her when we return to Miami, I'll get tested and if everything would be fine, start with the fertilization process."

Nikki again raised her eyebrows. Was Aline ready for such a step? Marina soon verbalized the question that appeared in her head.

„Are you sure, Aline? Pregnancy isn't easy and if you're not ready..."

„I love her, Marina.", Aline interrupted her. „I'll do whatever it takes just to see her happy again. Besides, I refuse to earn money just so we could buy tissues. In the past year, we threw a bunch of these in the trash."

All four women had to laugh. Even in a situation like this, Aline found a way to enlighten the mood.

„But now everything is right with you two? There's no divorce, right?"

The Latina nodded in confirmation.

„I mean, she's still very hurt but no. No divorce. When she finally composed herself a bit, she apologized to me like for a million times."

Nikki laughed. Aline and Maia would be fine. Aline was looking toward the living room and Maia, as if she felt her wife's eyes on her, raised her head, a soft smile creeping its way onto her face. Aline smiled back. It caused Australien to get up and join them outside.

„Hey...what are you doing out here?", she asked, approaching them. Aline immediately pulled her closer and Maia wrapped her arms around her waist. The sight warmed Nikki's heart.

„We're just talking.", Aline replied, kissing her temple. „You and Chris finished the tower?"

Maia laughed.

„Yeah. Now he wants to go all over again. He's relentless."

The conversation was interrupted by Daniel who peered through the door.

„Come in. I think the kids are ready for the cake.", he informed them.

The other women immediately listened to him, returning to the table but Nikki staying in place and pulled him out. Daniel was confused.

„Come here and look at this.", she said.

The tall man stood behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist. Both of them were gazing through the window, toward their friends and family who were sitting at the table and loudly laughing at some joke. The kids were playing, eagerly awaiting the cake. For Nikki, it was still somewhat unbelievable what her panic runaway from Seattle turned into. She met the most important people in her life who, despite not living in the same city, stayed in her life even after nine years.

Aline once more wrapped her arm around Maia's shoulder, the Australian allowing her wife to pull her in her embrace. And then Nikki knew that everything is going to be fine. She smiled, looking up at her husband.

„We've come a long way, didn't we?"

„Yeah...definitely."

„So...you think I can start a new book with „once upon a time?"?", she asked, making him laugh and look at her.

„No!", he replied as the woman raised her eyebrows questionably.

„Are you trying to say that our story isn't a fairytale?"

Daniel pressed a light kiss to her temple.

„No. I see it more as a drama. Besides, you don't write fairy tales."

„What is it then? You don't believe in fairy tales?", she asked, wanting to know the answer.

The tall man just smiled, using his palm to turn her head toward himself and then connected their lips in a long, soft kiss.

„No. But I do believe in happy endings.", he replied.„So you can end it with „they lived happily ever after."."    

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I'm not leaving any author's note here. I'm putting it in the separate chapter, along with credits and a new story announcement. It's coming right after.