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Artwork by ENSM31 When Felicity was pregnant with Bobby, she would lie awake at night with Oliver and Tommy to discuss their parenting fears. The conversations would frequently turn to puberty, sex, and teenaged rebellion. Felicity established a rule during one of their late-night sessions.“If it has a penis, I’m out. The sex talk is all you,” she informed them as Oliver rubbed her feet. “Straight sex. Gay sex. You guys have it covered.”“What if it doesn’t have a penis?” Tommy asked. “Do you get to have the sex talk?”Felicity’s brow furrowed as she considered Tommy’s words. After a few moments, she shook her head, “No, I think all of us should. I think if we’re having a daughter, she should have her dads encouraging sex positivity.”Oliver stopped rubbing her feet, “You don’t want our son to have sex positivity from his mom.”Felicity laughed, “Our son will be your son – I think sex positivity is hard wired into both of your y chromosomes.”Oliver kissed his wife’s shin at her revisionist history of her husbands’ sexual history before they met her.“I don’t know, that doesn’t feel like gender or parenting equality,” Tommy said seriously.“I’m okay with having the sex talk with our son, if I don’t have to have the period talk with our daughter,” Oliver offered, his thumbs pressing into the ball of Felicity’s foot.“Since when are you squeamish about periods?” Felicity pressed her toes into Oliver’s shoulders.“I’m not squeamish.” He shrugged, “I wouldn’t know what to say. How would I explain tampon use?”“You don’t start with a tampon. You start with a pad,” Tommy said casually, returning his attention to the latest requests from their contractor.Oliver sat up, “All right, Mr. Know It All. How do you know that?”“Thea,” Tommy said. “I was here, your mom was away on QC business. I figured it out.”Felicity held her arms up, and Oliver helped her into a sitting position. “Do we need to get Thea therapy – I know it’s been more than a decade, but how much did you traumatize her?” she teased.“I didn’t traumatize her,” Tommy said defensively. “I crowd sourced the information. I knew a lot of women, I asked for advice, I got a lot back. I used what I thought sounded like would work with Thea.”Felicity leaned over and kissed his cheek, “You’re a good big brother.”Oliver felt a little jealous listening to Tommy. He’d missed so much in the five years he’d been away. In his absence his sister had gone from a little girl to a young woman, but he’d never given much thought to what that entailed. Tommy got to be there for Thea for a lot of the milestones that made her the woman she was today.“How did Donna react when you got your period?” Tommy asked.Felicity rolled her eyes, “She treated it like it was the most important thing in the world. I was absolutely mortified. I just wanted her to give me a pad and never mention it again, but she was – my mom. She bought me flowers, she took me for a blow out, and my first mani-pedi. After, she took me out to eat at the Bellagio. She probably spent three days salary on our dinner.” She smiled softly, “She made me feel special.”“That’s a nice story,” Oliver said quietly. “Did you do something with Thea?” he asked Tommy.“First, our sister paid zero attention in her biology class and completely tuned out your mom,” Tommy said with exasperation. “She knew what a period was, but she didn’t understand the mechanics behind it - she thought she was dying. I had to explain all of that to her. I went out and bought her pads and a heating pad. I let her stay home from school. We watched movies and ate ice cream all day. I let her paint my toenails hot pink. She practiced eyeshadow techniques on me. We had a fun day.” Tommy laughed, “For a good six months, any time I asked her to do something, she’d tell me, in her most impressive Moira impersonation, Thomas, I’m a woman now. You can’t boss me around.”Tommy’s story made Oliver smile. Thea had never been overly studious before the Gambit sank. He could imagine her paying just enough attention to pass whatever test they had in health class. He could also imagine Tommy, who always got straight A’s in science and could’ve been a doctor if he hadn’t let Malcolm psych him out of it, delivering a lesson on reproduction and menstruation while trying to keep them both from dying of embarrassment. The rest of it, he didn’t need to imagine because it was still typical Tommy and Thea behavior. Thea still regularly painted Tommy’s toes when they watched movies together.Oliver sat up on his knees and leaned over his husband. He kissed his cheek. “You are a very good brother. Thank you for telling me that story.”“You’re welcome,” Tommy kissed Oliver back.Oliver sat back and grinned at Felicity, “That settles it. If it’s a girl, Tommy gets to have the period talk.”Felicity laid back down and put her feet in Oliver’s lap. “Sounds like a plan to me.”“Fine with me,” Tommy said. “When we’re old, we’ll see who our daughter puts in a home or keeps close to her side, you two or me.”“Who are you kidding?” Felicity teased. “You would miss us way too much if we went to a home without you.”Tommy didn’t answer, he just grinned, and went back to answering the contractor’s questions about their renovations. It was almost eighteen years later when Oliver walked into his bathroom to find Becca on her knees rummaging through Felicity’s cabinet. “Can I help you find something?” he asked.Startled, Becca squeaked and jumped, hitting her head on the underside of the counter.Oliver was instantly on his knees by her side, his hand searching for a bump on the top of her head, “Are you okay?”Becca nodded, but her eyes were wet. Oliver looked into the cabinet to determine what she was looking for when he spotted what she’d been after. “Did you need a box of your mom’s pads?”Becca’s cheeks flamed dark red. She nodded without making eye contact.Oliver reached into the cabinet and slowly pulled out several boxes. He returned the boxes of tampons and panty liners. He held out the box of sanitary napkins. Becca remained frozen at his side. He was almost one hundred percent certain that this was Becca’s first period. Felicity would’ve told them if their daughter had reached this milestone, especially since she was a few months shy of her fifteenth birthday. Becca’s pediatrician had said it wasn’t unusual for a young athlete to start menstruating later than her peers. Oliver sat down on the floor, his back to the cabinet, and lifted his arm. Becca immediately crawled into his side, placed her head on his chest, and began to cry.“Are you in pain?” he asked with concern. “Do you have cramps?”Becca remained silent but shook her head against her dad’s chest.“Do you understand what’s happening?” he asked lamely, wishing Felicity was home. He felt like he was screwing up and he didn’t want to say the wrong thing and upset Becca more than she already was. He resisted the impulse to shout for Tommy. He was capable of having this conversation with their daughter.“Yeah,” she said through her tears. “We learned about it in school and my friends already got theirs.”Oliver cradled Becca’s head and let her cry as he made soothing noises. When she stopped crying, he wrapped her in his arms and held her tight. “I’m sorry your mom isn’t here. I know she’d want to be here to share this with you. When she got her period, your Grandma Donna made a big day of it. I know she’s going to want to tell you all about it herself and she’s going to want to make a big deal of this for you too.”“Why?” Becca asked with a mixture of horror and embarrassment. “It’s gross and embarrassing.”“It’s not gross and it shouldn’t be embarrassing. Your body is changing because you’re becoming a woman. You’re entering a new stage of life where you become something new and exciting, like a - butterfly.”Becca laughed and rubbed her sleeve beneath her nose, “Did you come up with the butterfly thing on your own or is that borrowed from a Grandma Donna story?”Oliver smiled sheepishly, “Give your dad a break. I’ve never been very good with words and I’m trying to tell you how much I love you and how excited I am that you’re becoming a woman. You’re growing up and you’re going to do great things. You’re going to go to school and find something that you’re passionate enough to study. You’re going to fall in love – probably more than a few times. You might decide to get married, or not. You might decide to become a mom, or not, but everything is out there waiting for you and you’re going to be absolutely amazing.”Becca smiled at him. “How do you know?”“Because you already are.” Oliver kissed the top of her head, “So amazing.”She dropped her head back to his chest and hugged him tight.“How was that?” he asked nervously.“Much better than the butterfly,” she tilted her head back and grinned. “Boy did Bobby luck out. He didn’t have to get the butterfly – period talk.”Oliver laughed and kissed the tip of his daughter’s nose. He wasn’t going to tell her that when Bobby started having wet dreams, he’d been subjected to the sex talk by both his dads. Her big brother would probably tell her he wished for the butterfly talk. “Bobby didn’t have the butterfly talk, but he did get the sex talk from your dad and me when he was around your age. Maybe it’s time we gave you the sex talk too.”Becca’s eyes went wide with alarm and she dropped her hug. “I’m not even fifteen, daddy. I’m not having sex - I don’t have a boyfriend.”“Glad to hear it, but the perfect time for you to hear the sex talk is when you’re not having sex and you’re still willing to listen to your dad and me.”“You’re just going to tell me not to have sex,” Becca said with a roll of her eyes. “Consider the sex talk had.”“No, your dad and I would never tell you not to have sex. Under the right circumstances, sex is a lot of fun and feels fantastic. We just want you to have all the facts you need to be safe and make the best choices.”He looked at the box of pads for instructions. He assumed it would be self-explanatory, but he didn’t want to assume in this situation. “Do you know how to use one of these?”Becca eyed the box in Oliver’s hand before taking it from him.“You can call your mom, if you want,” Oliver said, bumping his shoulder against hers.“It’s the middle of the night for her,” Becca said, fresh tears pooling her eyes.“Something tells me that your mom won’t mind you waking her up for this. I think she would insist you wake her up for this.” Oliver had no doubt Felicity would want to know and it would be better if Becca told her than Oliver or Tommy sharing the news.“Okay,” Becca agreed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “I’ll call her from my room.” “When you’re done talking to mom, dress in something that isn’t sweats or jeans. Your dad and I are going to take you out to dinner to celebrate – someplace special. Just the three of us.”“Celebrate getting my period?” she asked standing up.“We’re going to celebrate having you for a daughter, and I’m going to wager the new pair of ballet shoes you want that your dad won’t say anything more embarrassing than my butterfly comment.”Becca shook Oliver’s hand, “That’s a sucker’s bet. Da always says something more embarrassing than you. It’s his superpower.” Oliver laughed when the waiter placed a very large slice of chocolate cake in front of Becca. She performed a little shimmy of joy in her chair and clapped her hands in delight. “No one will ever say you aren’t your mother’s daughter.”Becca had gone all out for her dinner with her dads and looked like a young woman and not the little girl who still slept with her favorite teddy bear. She’d straightened her usually curly brown hair and it hung like a curtain around her shoulders with a high gloss sheen. Normally, Becca eschewed make-up, but she’d raided her mom’s vanity and was wearing mascara and a bright pink lip. It seemed like only yesterday that Oliver had held her for the first time but now a woman sat in front of him. He had no idea where the time went.Ever since he found Becca under the sink, his chest had felt tight with thoughts of the future. When he became a parent, no one had warned him how hard it would be to watch his children grow up and prepare to leave home – to leave him. He was proud of his children, he wanted them to be independent, but he also dreaded the day when his home wouldn’t ring with his children’s laughter or need to brush crumbs from his bed after a family movie night. Oliver wanted time to slow down because his children were growing too fast and, sooner than he’d like it, they’d be gone and on their own.“That looks pretty good,” Tommy said, stretching his fork across the table to take a taste.In a flash, Becca’s fork shot out and deflected her dad’s. She placed her other arm protectively around the plate. “Get your own, da.”“Really?” Tommy asked, gently poking her arm with his fork. “You’re not going to share with your dear old da?”“You said you were too full for dessert,” Becca said around a mouthful of chocolate cake.“I’m not too full for a bite of your dessert,” Tommy said with a wink.Becca sat back and sighed heavily. She pushed her plate towards her dad, “Fine, you can have a bite. A small bite.”“I appreciate your sacrifice,” Tommy said taking a forkful of her dessert. He closed his eyes and moaned with pleasure. “This is good cake.” He took another forkful, “You need to try this, Ollie.”“Daddy doesn’t even like cake,” Becca protested as Tommy fed a bite of her cake to Oliver.Becca was right, Oliver wasn’t a big fan of sugary desserts, but he did enjoy teasing his daughter. “Mmmm, this is good cake.” He picked up his fork and stretched to take another bite.“You’re both worse than William and Bobby,” Becca said pushing her plate closer to Oliver. “You’re supposed to be the grownups.”Tommy gasped in horror. “Who told you that lie? I have, at least, another ten years before you’re allowed to call me that.”Becca rolled her eyes, but the smile on her lips was genuine. “If you’re not the grownup, I guess that means I don’t have to listen to you anymore.”“She got you there, buddy,” Oliver said, fighting a smile.“Why did we have smart kids?” Tommy asked. “We should’ve had dull and lazy kids.”“You shouldn’t have married a genius,” Becca answered.“Too late for it now,” Tommy said through a sigh. “I guess we’re stuck with you.”A waiter walked by with a slice of cake covered in berries. Becca’s wide blue eyes followed the cake across the dining room. “We should bring a slice of that cake home for Prue.” Becca picked up the small dessert menu from the table and began to study it. “Do you think that was the coconut or the lemon cake?” She put the menu down, “Maybe we should get a slice of both. Nate will eat which ever Prue doesn’t want.”“What about Bobby?” Tommy asked as he took another bite of her cake. “I think he’ll like this one.”Becca pushed some cake around on her plate, her smile replaced with a frown.Oliver covered her hand with his, “Did you and Bobby have a fight?”“No,” Becca said softly.“Are you feeling okay sweetheart?” Tommy took her other hand.“Do you think mom will come home early?” she asked. “She said she would try.”Oliver shared a look with his husband. Felicity had done her best to free up her overseas schedule but was only going to be able to return a day early. “Your mom is going to video chat with you again tonight before bed. Rebecca, your mom wishes that she was here instead of us.” Felicity had cried when Oliver called her after Becca had hung up. Over the years, Felicity, Oliver, and Tommy had found the balance between their careers and their family. They weren’t always perfect, but they rarely felt like they dropped a ball with their kids. It was rare for Felicity to feel guilty about her demanding job and the time she missed at home, but today she’d wept for not being able to put her arms around Becca and share this moment as mother and daughter.Becca sniffled a little, “It’s okay that it’s you and da.”“We weren’t too embarrassing?” Tommy teased.“You were just the right amount of embarrassing,” she said with a watery smile.“It doesn’t look like our job is done yet.” Tommy tapped his finger to his lips, “What embarrassing story can I tell you about your dad and me and our parents?”Oliver chuckled, “There aren’t a shortage of them, that’s for sure.”Tommy’s eyes lit up. “How about the time your Grandma Moira almost walked in on your dad and me making out in our office at Verdant?”Becca lifted her head, her eyes showing interest, “I don’t think I know that one.”“Well, your dad and I, we didn’t think your grandma knew about us. We thought we’d gotten away with all of our secret kisses for all those years, but we were wrong,” Tommy said. “I don’t think two people ever prayed so hard for the floor to open up and swallow us up. I think your dad turned purple, he was so embarrassed.”“Wait - grandma knew you were bi?” Becca asked with surprise.“Turns out your dad and I weren’t very subtle when we were teenagers,” Oliver said as he remembered how mortified he’d been when his mom told them that they hadn’t been very quiet.“No,” Becca said dramatically. “That doesn’t sound anything like my dads. Subtlety is your middle names.”Oliver shot his husband a look. As much as Becca was a mini Felicity, there were times when Tommy shone through. Tommy raised his eyebrows with feigned innocence. “I have no idea where she learned sarcasm.”“Anyway,” Oliver continued, “your dad and I had been kissing and your grandma walked into the office. I guess we looked like we were kissing – or guilty – or both.”Becca shook her head, “You’re always kissing. It’s why we all walk into rooms with our eyes closed.” She closed her eyes and reached out in front of her like she was feeling her way in the dark.“Everyone’s a comedian in this house,” Oliver said as he laughed at his daughter continuing to grope the air.Becca dropped her hand and opened her eyes, “So, what happened? What did she say?”“Your grandma taught me something valuable that night,” Tommy winked at Oliver. “She taught me that aloe and chamomile work wonders on beard burn. Your dad wore perpetual scruff back then and it was murder on my delicate skin.”“Beard burn? Congratulations, you’ve officially embarrassed me,” Becca said, her cheeks a bright pink.“Your grandma told us that she was happy for us – that she only ever wanted us to be happy and if we made each other happy, that’s all she cared about,” Oliver said, blinking back tears. “She would’ve loved you.” More than anything, Oliver wished his mom had lived to see him become a dad and for her to meet her seven grandchildren. He knew that she would’ve loved each and everyone of them, including William – especially William. In his heart, he had to believe she regretted her choice and would’ve told him the truth if she hadn’t died because it was the only way he could forgive her.“You always say that,” Becca said shyly, “but I always thought that because I’m like mom, grandma wouldn’t have liked me.”“Are you nuts?” Tommy asked. “Moira would’ve adored you and,” he lowered his voice, “she would’ve loved your mom too – eventually.”“Not according to mom,” Becca said with a grin.“Your grandma was angry at your mom for telling your dad and me the truth about Aunt Thea. Eventually, she would’ve seen how much your mom loves us and what a great partner and wife she is to us, and what an incredible mom she is. Your grandma valued family above all else and she would’ve respected how loyal your mom is.”“Plus,” Tommy said with a huge grin, “your mom made QC a ton of money. Moira would’ve liked that.”Becca shifted in her seat as she smooshed some cake on her plate. “Do you think I’ll finally stop growing?”Oliver was certain his daughter didn’t mean the existential version of growing. “I don’t know, I didn’t stop until I was seventeen. I don’t’ think your dad started until he was seventeen.”Tommy snorted, “Sad, but true.”“You’re boys. Boys mature later than girls. Now that I got my period, do you think I’ll finally stop growing?”“What’s wrong with being 5’8”?” Tommy asked. “Your mom wears painful shoes to be that tall.”Becca shrugged, “The guys in ballet are mostly shorter than me.”“You think guys won’t date you if you’re taller than them?” Oliver asked. He knew of men who were too insecure to date women taller than them, but insecure men weren’t worth dating. Besides, 5’8” wasn’t that tall. “By the time you graduate, most of the guys will have had their growth spurts. You have nothing to worry about.”Becca frowned.Understanding dawned on Tommy’s face, “You’re worried you’re too tall for the lifts.”“All of the best roles require lifts. I’m lighter than the guys, but I think I’m already too tall, any taller and I’ll never get the principle’s role,” she said in a rush.“Is that what you want? To be a professional dancer?” Oliver asked. Becca had never expressed a desire to be a professional dancer. She loved to dance – she spent way too much time practicing for her not to love it, but she also loved photography and science.“I’m not good enough for New York, Paris or Moscow, but maybe for a smaller city, like Boston or Starling,” she said. “It might be fun, but if I get too tall,” she looked away, “it would be nice to have options.”“Options are good,” Tommy agreed. “No one says the only dance option for you is ballet. Your height could be a huge plus for you in modern – you have beautiful long lines – your legs go on forever. Don’t limit your thinking to ballet. You’re not too tall to be a Rockette,” he said with excitement. “How much fun would a kick line be?”“The Rockettes are in New York,” Oliver said with distress. It filled Oliver with anxiety whenever his husband and wife spoke to the kids about attending college on the east coast. The thought of the kids moving across the country permanently made him want to lock all of them in the attic. The Gambit had taught him that the people he loved could be stripped away in a blink of the eye. His instinct was to keep people close, which was why he was grateful that he was married to Felicity and Tommy. Neither will allow him to limit their children with his fear.“Easy, Ollie, I’m not shipping her to New York tonight.” Tommy said like he was joking, but his eyes were clearly telling his husband to relax.“I love all types of dance, but ballet,” Becca’s face became soft and her eyes lost focus, “it’s different. I love the precision of it – the control of movement – everything having to be in the right position.”“Ballet has taught you discipline of movement and muscle memory. It’s also why you’re a great archer,” Oliver said with pride. “You never drop your elbow or forget to set your feet. Even when you’re in motion, your shots are almost always perfect. It took years for your brother to stop dropping his elbow.”Tommy glared at his husband and gave his head a small shake. Oliver raised a hand in apology. He knew how much Tommy hated talking about their children’s vigilante compatible skills.“You’re upsetting, da,” Becca laughed. She leaned over and kissed her dad’s cheek, “Don’t worry, da. I won’t be jumping off roofs to chase bad guys.”“That is a relief,” Tommy said. “Too many people I love jump off roofs.”“There’s an audition at the Starling City Ballet next week. There’s a special show for charity. Rehearsals are three weeks and then there are three performances,” Becca said casually, but her eyes shone with excitement. “I’d like to audition.”“As long as it doesn’t interfere with your schoolwork, I don’t see why not,” Oliver said, looking to his husband for confirmation.Tommy had his phone out, looking at his calendar, “I think it’s okay. We should check with your mom, in case there’s something we’re forgetting on the calendar. What’s the show?”“It’s an original composition showcase. A new choreographer from San Francisco, Abby Lin,” Becca replied.Tommy’s brow wrinkled, “I remember reading about that in the arts’ section of the paper. Isn’t her piece going to include professional athletes as dancers?”“Yes, her piece is about gender and challenging stereotypes. Her audition piece for the contest was really interesting,” Becca explained.Merriment filled Tommy’s eyes, “Your enthusiasm for this project wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain shortstop who is going to be one of the dancers would it?”Becca looked at her dad with wide-eyed innocence, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”“Wait, Matthew Rivera is going to be in the show?” Oliver asked with shock. Rivera was the twenty-two-year-old shortstop for the Rockets. He’d just completed his rookie season and Becca, along with most of the women and a fair share of the men in Starling, had a huge crush on him. “Things are starting to get a lot clearer. He is sexy.”“Please, how is that man sexy?” Tommy asked.“He has a nice smile,” Becca said dreamily.Oliver agreed, Matthew had a nice smile, but it didn’t compare to his husband’s. Wanting to get the scowl off Tommy’s face he said, “He fills out his pants nicely too.”“Ew, daddy,” Becca said as Tommy choked on a sip of water.“What?” Oliver asked his daughter. “Can’t I say a man has a nice tush?”“No, you’re married,” Becca said with horror.“I can still notice a nice tush,” Oliver said, fighting to keep a straight face.“That nice tush is on a man younger than our son,” Tommy said into his napkin.“Our son is thirty. Almost everyone on the Rocket’s is younger than William now,” Oliver reminded his husband. “Are you jealous?” he teased gently.“I’m not jealous, I’m just trying to figure out how hideous I am if you think Matthew Rivera is hot,” Tommy lamented.“I didn’t say he was hot. I agreed with Becca that he has a nice smile and I think he’s got a good tush,” Oliver said, enjoying the chance to torture his husband and daughter in the same conversation.“I really don’t need to hear this,” Becca said, her hands over her ears.“See, even our daughter doesn’t agree with you,” Tommy said.Becca dropped her hands, “Oh, no. I totally agree with daddy. Matthew Rivera has a very nice looking tush.”“Unbelievable,” Tommy muttered. He pointed at his daughter and with a smile warring to break free he said, “No auditions for you until you get better taste in men.”“If he looks that good in baseball pants, imagine how he’ll look in ballet tights,” Becca said, waggling her eyebrows at her dads.“I’m so not ready for this,” Tommy said to Oliver.Oliver agreed. He wasn’t ready for his daughter to start paying attention to how good a man’s butt looked in ballet tights. “It seems like only yesterday you were asking for dolls and wanted to play tea party with us,” he said, his voice hitching at the end.Becca took Oliver’s hand and kissed his cheek. “Daddy,” she said with a smile that said how silly she found him, “we’re kind of having a tea party right now.”Oliver kissed his daughter’s hand and smiled. “This is my favorite tea party yet.”“Mine too,” she said. “It was nice having both of you to myself. Sometimes it’s nice not having to share you with everyone else,” she admitted. The waiter walked by and her eyes followed the dessert he was holding. “Oh - the frosting is pink – that must be the strawberry cake. We’re definitely getting that one for Prue.”Tommy laughed, even as he dabbed at his eyes with a napkin. He signaled their waiter across the dining room. “Make up your mind, he’s on his way.”Oliver watched as Becca chewed her bottom lip as she studied the dessert menu again. She spoke animatedly to the waiter about her options and told him all about the food preferences of her brothers and sister. She made a goofy face as she explained Prue’s obsession with cake and how she was torn between the strawberry and the lemon cake for Prue and that she’d normally get them both and let Prue decide and Nate would eat the other, but since her mom was out of town she was thinking it would be a nice treat for Nate to have the peanut butter pie because he absolutely loved peanut butter but would only eat it if they were certain their mom wouldn’t be home for a few days. She then tilted her head to the side, stuck out her tongue, and lifted her hand like she was holding a noose in pantomime of her mom dying from her peanut allergy. The waiter looked like he didn’t know if he should be amused or horrified.“What do you think?” Becca asked her dads. Her bottom lip trapped between her teeth as she looked between her amused fathers.“I think,” Tommy said with a grin, “there’s no such thing as an extra slice of cake in our house.”Becca sighed with relief. She smiled brightly at the waiter, “We’ll have another slice of death by chocolate, the lemon chiffon, the strawberry fields, and the peanut butter pie – to go.” When the waiter walked away, Becca clapped her hands softly. “I think they’ll be so excited. Prue and Nate were so disappointed they couldn’t come with us. I won’t feel so bad now. Who can stay sad when there’s cake?” Tommy reached under the table and laced his fingers with Oliver’s. They sat and listened to their daughter speculate whether Matthew Rivera would be a good dancer (absolutely) and whether he would be at the auditions (probably not) as they waited for their cake and the bill. He felt the knot in his chest loosen as he listened to her talk about homework and how much she loved her new chemistry teacher. Becca was becoming a woman, but as long as there was breath in Oliver’s body, she would always be his little girl.