“Happy birthday, Viv,” I grin, snapping one last picture of my stepdaughter as she poses with her cupcake. She gives me a cute smile and blows out the ‘nineteen’ candle in its center, giggling as a round of applause erupts from nearby tables. There may be a storm outside, but here in the restaurant it’s cozy and cheerful as people clap along, joining in our little celebration.
“Thank youu,” she smiles shyly to the strangers, giving them a small wave. She’s so sweet and kind, it’s no wonder people like her everywhere we go. I sneak in another photo, suppressing a pang of regret – she just looks so much like her mother sometimes. It kills me every day that things didn’t work out between us, but at least I’ve got my Vivian again.
She looks back to me, her big brown almond-shaped eyes alight with excitement. A slender young woman of medium height, she wears her silky dark hair long, her bangs swept to the side, her features cute and petite from her Vietnamese heritage.
“Soo, what did you wish for?” I ask, leaning in.