Emma turned eight the following year.
She wanted a backyard party.
Nothing fancy.
Just cake, balloons, games, and her closest friends.
Travis helped build a little wooden game stand.
Ryan handled the food.
My mother brought the cake.
Melissa arrived only twelve minutes late.
We celebrated this achievement.
"Look," I told Ryan.
"She's improving."
Melissa heard me.
"I was exactly on time."
"You were twelve minutes late."
"Traffic."
Everyone laughed.
At the end of the afternoon, Emma pulled both Ryan and Travis toward the cake.
"I want a picture."
They stood beside her.
She put one arm around each of them.
"Smile!"
The camera captured the moment.
Later, when I looked at that photograph, I realized how much had changed.
A year earlier, these two men couldn't stand being in the same room.
Now they were standing beside the same little girl.
And both were smiling.