Our Father

Chapter 6

Grace and the eldest of her children snuck down the corridor of the house as quietly as they could.
"Three, two, one" Grace counted down before they all started singing happy birthday, entering Alex's room. Alex sat up bed with a smile, waiting as Miles slowly carried in a stack of pancakes with happy birthday candles on them. Once they had sung the song and handed them the plate Grace ordered "Make a wish."
Alex squeezed their eyes shut and made a wish before blowing out the candles.
"Thank you" they smiled.
"Your welcome" Grace smiled hugging them tightly.
"So did you plan a suprise party?" Alex asked.
"No. What gave you that impression?" She faked shock.
"You always do a suprise party for our birthday parties, so their not really suprise parties but just parties" Alex explained.
"Ok. I planned you a party, your dad helped decorate and wrap presents" she told them.
"Oh, that's nice of him" Alex muttered.
"Come on your presents are downstairs" Grace encouraged, watching as Alex ran out of the room, followed by their siblings.
Grace watched as Alex sat on the floor, surrounded by presents whilst the other kids and Silas sat on the couches. She felt thankful for her family, but most importantly for her children. Silas spotted her and the two locked eyes, he mouthed 'This is great' and she smiled and blushed slightly.
"So where shall we start?" Grace smiled, joining Silas on his couch because it was the only seat left. They all watched as Alex opened their presents, her smile increasing with each one, until they had opened all of them.
"Thank you so much mom" Alex smiled hugging her tightly before moving to Silas "Thanks dad" she smiled, hugging him.
"I'd better start breakfast" Miles smiled.
"I'll help" Poppy smiled, following after him.
"I'll help take your presents upstairs" Archer added.
"You too Oliver" Alex ordered as they filled their arms and followed after Archer.
"Thank you" Grace smiled.
"For what?"
"For being here. Alex really wanted you here" she smiled.
"I'm glad I could make you happy" he smiled "You all happy that is" he added.
"Mom! Come look at all the cookies!" Alex shouted from the kitchen.
"Quick before they eat them all" Miles warned as he poked his head into the living room.

After the kids got back from school and work, they all prepared themselves for Alex's party.
Grace looked herself over one last time after putting the perfect set of earrings on. She smoothed out her dark green dress and pulled her hair over her shoulders, framing her face, before she headed to Alex's room. Grace knocked on the door before sticking her head around the door.
"Hey baby" She smiled, entering the room.
"Hey mom. Is this outfit ok?" Alex looked over their outfit in the mirror.
"You look beautiful/handsome" Grace smiled, hugging her child from behind.
"Thanks mom" Alex laughed lightly before turning to her "Do you ever want a normal child?" Alex asked, playing with their fingers nervously.
"Of course I do. I wish Asher could just be normal, he's so unusual" she sighed playfully.
"Seriously mom"
"I wouldn't want you to change for all the money on earth. Your perfect to me. You all are" Grace smiled hugging her child tightly.
"You look beautiful" Alex smiled.
"Thank you baby"
"Dad's not going to be able to take his eyes off you" Alex smirked "He always liked you in green" Grace groaned and rolled her eyes.
"I liked him gone" Grace joked.
"You like him being here, you seem happier with him around" Alex told her.
"Come on we're going to be late" Grace pushed Alex towards the door, avoiding the last comment.
As Grace descended the stairs she saw her other children and Silas waiting for her. Her eyes locked with Silas's, her breath caught in her throat, her heart pounded in her chest.
As Silas stared back at her, he froze, his breath catching in his throat as he looked back at her. She always looked good in green. He loved her in green. He loved her.
As Grace reached the last step, he took a step forward, taking her hand in his, finally releasing the breath he had been holding in.
"You look beautiful" he murmured, making her blush.
"I always liked this dress"
"I bought it for you, you wore it the night you told me we were expecting Alex" he continued staring at her, making her blush more.
"I'm surprised you remember" she smiled.
"I remember taking it off-"
"Eww. Ok that's enough" Miles groaned.
"Agreed" Archer added.
"Come on let's go party" Poppy smiled heading out followed by everyone else.
"Let's join them" Silas offered his arm which Grace took happily, allowing herself to be lead out to the car.
"He seems in love with her" Archer added.
"He broke mom's heart" Miles reminded her.
"Maybe something's changed" Archer argued.
"Maybe he wants to try again. Whatever he did to her before, he seems to be making her happy now" Oliver added.
"Yeah well, we'll see" Archer muttered as Silas opened the driver's door for Grace.

As the doors opened to the main room of the town hall, cheers and shouts erupted from the town's people and their family.
"Happy birthday baby" Grace smiled at her daughter before she headed into the room.
"Oh god. Parents incoming" Grace warned Silas next to her.
"Silas" Robert's firm voice called to him.
"Dad, take it easy the kids are here" Grace told him firmly.
"I will. I just want to ask him why he broke my daughter's heart" He challenged.
"Dad-"
"I was an idiot sir. I threw a grenade into my life and ruined everything good I had and I missed out because of it. The truth is our marriage wasn't perfect, and at times we both neglected each other but we should've worked on it rather than me walking out on it" He admitted "I've regretted my choice every day even when Gracie would've chosen me, time and time again. The truth is...we have a rough marriage towards the end of it"
"Si, don't..." Grace shifted her weight from foot to foot, her eyes clearly tearful.
"It was rough on both of us and my affair was part of my downward spiral" he admitted.
"Mom?" Poppy's voice sounded almost childlike next to her.
"Forget about it sweetie, all of you, go enjoy the party" Grace told them, managing a small smile. Poppy, Archer and Oliver left reluctantly but Miles didn't move.
"You too Miles, do as your mother tells you" Silas told him.
"I'm the one that sat outside the bathroom whilst she cried, I'm the one that made her eat and shower, I looked after her. She raised us, she stayed, she spiralled but picked herself back up again. You don't get to have an excuse for having an affair" Miles bit back before storming off, cursing under his breath.
"I didn't know-"
"I was fine. I am fine. He exaggerates" Grace muttered.
"I promise, I'm not leaving this time, not ever" Silas promised her, trying to meet her eyes.
"I need a drink" Grace tried moving away but her mother caught her arm.
"Count how many your drinking" Margret said carefully.
"I'm an adult mom, I know" she muttered heading off towards the makeshift bar.

Later on Silas found Grace at one of the tables eating a large slice of purple, black, white and yellow stripped cake.
"Hey" he smiled, sitting next to her.
"Hey" she said, eating another forkful of cake.
"I'm sorry about earlier, it was stupid to assume the other kids knew about the baby" he apologized.
"I didn't know how to tell them. Alex was only 10 when it happened. Miles covered it up, he told them that it was because of the divorce and that I was just upset. I was, but it wasn't just the divorce. Loosing the baby hurt a lot" she admitted.
"I'm sorry I spiralled. I loved the kids endlessly but, loosing one and seeing you go through it was killing me too" he frowned.
"We should've leant on each other more"
"Yes. I'm a dick"
"Yes you are" she joked, smiling brightly, making him smile.
"Hey dad. Come dance with me" Alex smiled, pulling at his hand.
"Please excuse me" Silas smiled, kissing the top of her head, like he used to, before he followed Alex to the dance floor.