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I walk back to the door and see the keypad and face scanner that will let me out. I enter the code in again and then it asks for it to be changed and my face scanned. I change the code to something ridiculous but unforgettable. This seems too important to forget. The machine scans my face, and then the door unlocks.
I’m about to leave when I see an envelope taped below it with one word on it—Black.
I grab the envelope and leave the vault, and the responsibilities of Black, behind. It’s time to go to a birthday party.
“You invited Liesel and Langston?” Beckett asks as he carries the cake into the kitchen of our brand new Miami house. We had a new house rebuilt on the site of the final game. The site Enzo’s home used to live on. It felt right. We are moving in tomorrow, but today is the twins’ first birthday. So we are celebrating in our empty house first.
“Yes,” I answer.
“But don’t they hate each other?” he asks.
“I don’t think so,” I say.
“That’s wishful thinking,” Enzo says, scooping Finn up and tossing him over his head. Finn laughs hysterically as he flies through the air and lands in his father's arms.
“We don’t know for sure. We haven’t seen them in months,” I say. I haven’t seen Liesel since the day of the final game. And I haven’t seen Langston since he walked out my door in anger.
The doorbell rings, and I scoop Ellie up. “Let’s go see who's at the door.”
I open it, and Langston and Liesel are both at the door holding presents with a pissed expression on their faces. Well, I guess that answers that question.
“Come in!” I say, cheerily. I'm so happy all the people I love are in the same room celebrating.
Ellie tugs at my black scrunchie on my wrist. My heart tugs. Well, most of the people I love are here.
I lead Langston and Liesel into the kitchen where they set
the gifts down, and Enzo and Beckett give them both hugs and small talk.
“Cake,” Finn says, motioning to his mouth. He can’t say many words, but Enzo thought they should both know the word cake before their birthday.
“Ca!” Ellie says, not quite able to say the “ke” sound yet.
I smile. “I think we should do the cakes first, then open gifts.”
Everyone nods. I put Ellie in her high chair while Enzo puts Finn in his. And then we carry the two small individual-sized cakes we got in front of each of them while Beckett carries the large cake and ice cream for the rest of us to the table. We all gather around and start singing happy birthday, but we didn’t really think it through. Both of the kids start digging into their cakes before we are even halfway through the song. I snap a million pictures of them as they eat their cake—loving every second of this.
Beckett slices the main cake and scoops out vanilla ice cream onto each plate.
I bite my lips as Enzo takes a bite of cake with ice cream, his first time tasting the treat.
“Oh my god. This is the sweetest, most delicious thing,” Enzo says.
We all laugh.
“Wait until you try other flavors. It will blow your mind,” I say.
Enzo shovels more of the cake and ice cream into his mouth.
But then my phone rings. I stop to answer it. “We are under attack,” Clifton says.
I sigh. “We will be right there.”
I end the call. “Duty calls.”
Enzo and Beckett stand up.
“Where are you going?” Liesel asks.
