Emma’s POV

The sun was shining brilliantly, casting warm golden hues over the entire park. It was a perfect day, blue skies, a gentle breeze, and the sound of laughter from other park-goers in the distance.

But none of that mattered more than what was happening here today, today was special.

As I stood in the middle of the setup, scanning everything for what felt like the hundredth time, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.

Not in a bad way, though,no, this was the kind of overwhelming that filled you with gratitude, with love.

The decorations were immaculate. Balloons of all colors floated in clusters, tied to every chair and post. A massive banner stretched across the entrance, reading "HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY, JASON & ANNA!" in bright, playful letters.

Two long tables stood parallel to each other, one covered in shimmering pink for Anna’s princess theme, the other draped in blue, decorated with all things Paw Patrol for Jason.

Jeff had truly outdone himself.

I took a deep breath, pressing a hand against my chest to steady my emotions, this was their first real birthday party.

Every year before this, it had just been me and them. I’d scrape together enough money to buy a small cake, we’d sit in the living room, and I’d sing to them.

They never complained, never asked for more, but I always wished I could give them the kind of birthdays other kids had.

And now, here we were.

I was pulled from my thoughts when one of the event staff approached, “Ms. Jones, we’ve set up the gift table right next to the main seating area. Does that work for you?”

I smiled, nodding, “That’s perfect, thank you.”

Another woman approached next, checking in about the food, “Catering will be ready in about twenty minutes. We’re just finishing up plating.”

“Great.” I replied, offering her a grateful smile.

I walked around, making sure everything was in place. The magician was setting up, the petting zoo handlers were getting the animals settled, and the bounce house was already fully inflated and ready for the kids. It was all coming together beautifully.

As I made my way toward the cake table, my mind drifted back to when Jason and Anna were born.

I remembered the sterile white hospital room, the beeping monitors, the exhaustion so deep in my bones I could barely keep my eyes open.

I had been alone.

No doting father waiting to hold them, no excited grandparents rushing in with balloons, just me and when I had finally been discharged, I took them home to a tiny apartment with barely enough space to fit their cribs.

I had been terrified.

But I had done it, I had raised them, loved them, protected them. And now, looking at the life I had built, I knew I had done something right.

A warm hand settled on my shoulder, pulling me back to the present.

“Emma.”

I turned to find Jeff standing beside me, a knowing look in his eyes, “Hey.” I said softly, forcing a small smile.

His gaze searched mine, “You okay?”

I exhaled slowly, “Yeah… yeah, I’m just taking it all in.”

He glanced around at the decorations, then back at me, “It’s perfect.”

I nodded, “Yeah, it is.”

“You sure you’re ready for this? The twins are going to lose their minds.” He grinned.

I chuckled, shaking my head, “They have no idea.”

We exchanged a look, both of us picturing the moment we arrived with the twins. Their reactions would be priceless.

“Alright,” I said, glancing at my watch, “Let’s go get them.”

The car ride was filled with the twins' endless curiosity.

“Mommy, where are we going?” Jason asked, kicking his little feet excitedly.

Anna leaned forward in her seat, “Is it a surprise?”

I smirked, “Maybe.”

Jeff turned to them with an exaggerated expression, “Do you think your mom is the kind of person to plan surprises?”

Jason giggled, “Nope.”

I gasped dramatically, “Excuse me?”

Anna giggled, “You always tell us everything, Mommy.”

Jeff laughed, shaking his head, “They’ve got you figured out.”

I rolled my eyes playfully, “Just wait.”

As we pulled into the parking lot, I turned in my seat to look at them, “Alright you two. Close your eyes.”

Jason frowned, “Why?”

“Just do it, buddy,” Jeff added, grinning.

With a little more convincing, they squeezed their eyes shut. Jeff and I got out first, opening their doors before gently guiding them toward the entrance.

“Okay,” I said, my heart racing, “Open your eyes.”

Their gasps filled the air.

“Whoa…” Jason breathed.

Anna’s hands flew to her mouth, “It’s a party.”

And then, before they could process anything else, “SURPRISE!”

Their classmates and friends jumped out from behind the tables, cheering.

Jason and Anna shrieked in excitement, bouncing on their feet before running forward.

The party was officially underway, and it was everything I had hoped for.

For over an hour, the kids played and laughed, enjoying the activities Jeff had set up. I found myself chatting with some of the other parents, exchanging stories about our little ones. Jeff was busy keeping the kids entertained, leading them through games and challenges.

Everything was perfect.

Until it wasn’t.

A car pulled into the lot, and the moment I saw it, a cold feeling settled in my stomach. I knew that car. I knew that man.

Sam.

My body tensed, he stepped out, dressed casually, his expression unreadable.

“Emma?” Jeff’s voice was laced with irritation as he followed my gaze, “Are you kidding me?”

I exhaled sharply, “Stay here. I’ll handle it.”

Jeff shook his head, “Like hell you will.”

Together, we approached as Sam strolled toward the party.

“What are you doing here Sam?” I asked, crossing my arms.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, “I came to see my kids.”

Jeff scoffed, “You mean the kids you tried to take away from their mother a month ago?”

Sam’s jaw clenched, “I have a right to be here.”

I took a step closer, lowering my voice. “You lost custody Sam. You don’t get to just show up unannounced.”

“I’m still their father.”

“Then act like one.” Jeff snapped.

Before Sam could respond, a sharp scream cut through the air, my blood ran cold.

I turned sharply, my eyes scanning the crowd. 

A group of kids were gathered near the cake table, murmuring in panic and then, I saw him.

Jason.

Lying on the ground. Blood. My heart stopped.

I ran, “JASON!”

Dropping to my knees, I reached for him, my hands shaking, “Baby?”

Someone said something about a knife, about him trying to cut the cake, but all I could focus on was the deep wound on his side, the way his tiny body trembled.

Jeff was beside me, his voice urgent, “Someone call 911!”

A man knelt beside us, “I’m a doctor, let me help.”

I could barely breathe as I clutched Jason’s hand, “Baby, stay with me. Mommy’s here.”

His eyelids fluttered. His lips parted, but no sound came out.

The sirens wailed in the distance.

And then, before I knew it, we were in the ambulance, racing toward the hospital.

I held onto Jason’s tiny hand, my voice breaking, “Stay with me baby. Please.”

The ambulance sped through the streets, sirens screaming into the night. The bright fluorescent lights of the hospital hallway blurred as I was rushed alongside Jason’s gurney.

My heart pounded with every passing second. His small, fragile body lay still beneath the white sheets, his face pale, his breathing shallow. I clutched his tiny hand as the medical team pushed him through the double doors of the emergency room.

“Please, help him.” I choked out, my voice barely above a whisper.

A doctor, a tall man with kind but serious eyes, placed a hand on my shoulder, “Ma’am, we’re taking him in for an emergency assessment. He’s lost a lot of blood, we’ll do everything we can.”

I felt a firm grip on my arm, Jeff. His presence was grounding, but the panic inside me was too overwhelming.

I could only nod as I watched them wheel Jason further inside. The doctor disappeared behind the heavy doors, and I was left standing in the cold, sterile hallway.

Jeff stayed close, his eyes scanning my face, “Emma, breathe.”

I shook my head, my hands trembling, “How can I? My baby, Jeff, I should have been watching him. This is my fault.”

Jeff’s face tightened. “Don’t do that, this was an accident.”

But my mind refused to listen. Images of Jason, lying on the ground, blood staining his little shirt, kept flashing before my eyes.

A few minutes later, the doctor returned, his expression unreadable.

“Miss Jones,” he began, his voice calm yet urgent, “Jason has internal bleeding. We need to take him into surgery immediately to stop it.”

I felt my knees weaken. Surgery. My baby needed surgery.

The doctor continued, “I need your consent to proceed.”

My hand clutched my stomach, nausea creeping up my throat. This was too much, but there was no time to hesitate.

“Yes,” I said quickly, my voice barely steady, “Do whatever you need to do. Just, just save him.”

The doctor nodded before turning to his team. Within seconds, Jason was being wheeled away, and I was left standing in the hallway, empty, lost.

Jeff’s arm wrapped around me, offering warmth I barely registered.

“I need to see him come out of this.” I whispered.

Jeff tightened his hold, “He will. He’s strong Emma.”

A few moments later, the hospital doors swung open again, and Sam walked in. His eyes immediately locked onto me.

“What happened?” He demanded, his voice a mixture of concern and tension.

Jeff turned toward him, his expression cold, “Now you care?”

I stepped between them, exhaling shakily, “Not now. Please.”

Sam’s jaw clenched, but he nodded, “Where’s Anna?”

I turned to Jeff, suddenly realizing I hadn’t even asked.

“She’s safe,” Jeff assured me, “With a family friend of mine, I made sure she was with someone trustworthy.”

A bit of the tension in my chest loosened, at least she was safe, but that didn’t stop the crushing guilt from suffocating me.

“I failed them.” I murmured, mostly to myself.

Jeff frowned, “Emma…..”

I shook my head, stepping away, “No. I did. I was supposed to protect them. Jason got hurt on my watch,he could have died Jeff.”

He reached for me, but I pulled away.

“I’m a terrible mother.” My voice cracked, and the weight of my own words shattered me from the inside.

Jeff’s hands gripped my shoulders, “Don’t say that.”

Tears burned my eyes, “It’s the truth! If I had been paying closer attention, if I had just….”

Jeff cupped my face, forcing me to meet his gaze, “You love your kids more than anything and that alone makes you a damn good mother.”

But no matter how much he tried to console me, the guilt refused to loosen its grip.

Just then, a nurse approached, “Miss Jones?”

I turned, my heart stuttering, “Is Jason….?”

“No,” she quickly assured me, “But we need to do a blood transfusion. He’s lost a significant amount of blood, and his levels are dangerously low.”

I straightened immediately, “Take mine.”

The nurse hesitated, “I’m sorry ma’am, but you’re under too much stress. We need a donor who is physically stable.”

I wanted to protest, but Jeff was already stepping forward, “I’ll do it.”

Sam followed suit, “So will I.”

The nurse nodded, “We’ll need to test you both first to see who’s a match.”

The two men disappeared down the hallway while I was left standing there, anxiously waiting. Every minute felt like an eternity.

When they returned, the nurse was holding a file, her expression puzzled.

“What?” I asked, my anxiety spiking.

She glanced between them, “Sam, you’re not a match.”

Sam stiffened, “What?”

Jeff looked just as surprised.

The nurse turned to him, “But you are.”

Silence.

The air around us changed, thick with something unspoken.

Sam’s brows furrowed, “That doesn’t make sense, I’m Jason’s father.”

The nurse looked confused, but before she could say anything, the realization hit me like a freight train.

I swallowed. My next words felt foreign, like they belonged to someone else, “I… I want a paternity test.”

Sam’s expression darkened, “Emma what the hell are you saying?”

My throat tightened, “Something isn’t right.”

Jeff, to his credit, said nothing. His face remained unreadable.

The nurse hesitated before nodding, “We can run the test, but results will take a few hours.”

I nodded, my body running cold, “Do it.”

The test was done quickly. Blood samples were taken, paperwork signed and then, we waited.

Four hours.

Four agonizing, suffocating hours.

But during that time, something far more important happened, Jason’s surgery ended.

The doctor emerged, exhaustion etched into his features, “The surgery was successful. He’s stable now.”

I collapsed into a chair, my body wracked with sobs. Relief, overwhelming and uncontrollable, crashed over me.

“Can I see him?” I choked out.

The doctor nodded, “Of course. Follow me.”

We were led to Jason’s room. He looked so small in the hospital bed, tubes attached to his tiny body. I rushed to his side, brushing his hair back, my tears falling freely.

“My baby,” I whispered, “You scared me so much.”

Jeff stood beside me, his presence solid. Sam lingered near the door, tense, unreadable.

As we waited for Jason to wake up, a nurse entered. She held a sealed envelope.

My stomach twisted, I already knew what it was.

The paternity results.

My hands shook as I took it. My heart pounded against my ribs as I ripped it open, my eyes scanning the words.

99.9% match… Jeff Anderson. 

Everything around me blurred, the room tilted.

I felt Jeff step closer, his breath hitching, “Emma…”

Sam’s voice was sharp, “What does it say?”

I turned to him, my world shattering around me.

“It says…” I swallowed, my voice barely above a whisper.

“…Jeff is Jason’s father.”

The room fell into stunned silence.