Later That Day
It was only 6:30 p.m., but the streetlights came on, their soft beams catching the sleek lines of Kimi’s fiery-red Ferrari Portofino in the Fairfax County Police Department’s lot. He parked and leaned back, fingers tapping the steering wheel as he dialed Katherine’s number. After three rings, her familiar voice answered, sounding a touch distracted.
“Kimi?”
“Kitty,” his reply crackled over the line, “I’m outside. Ready to head home?”
“Oh, yes! Sorry, I was processing something,” she replied.
“No worries. Take your time,” he reassured gently, sensing her preoccupation but leaving it unspoken. A smile curved his lips, his heart lifting at the thought of the surprise awaiting her at The Cliffs.
……
The Cliffs
Kimi parked by the east wing and stepped out of the car. He crossed to Katherine’s side and reached for her hand as he led her toward a part of the mansion she hadn’t explored before.
“Where are we going?” she asked, her curiosity aroused.
“You’ll see in a minute,” he said with a mysterious edge. “Trust me.”
He stopped before a nondescript door. “Go on in,” his words were an invitation. “I’m right behind you.”
She glanced at him, unsuspecting. She pushed the door open and stepped into the darkness. Before she could react, he flipped a switch, and light poured into the space.
“Surprise!”
Cheers burst forth, blending with applause. Katherine stood frozen as she took in the transformed 22-car garage. It now sparkled with fairy lights, streamers, balloons, and a massive banner that read: Happy 24th Birthday, Katherine!
What’s going on? Where did all the cars go?
She gasped, stunned. “You did this?” she whispered as she scanned the room, misty-eyed. Familiar faces, beaming with excitement, gathered around her, their hugs pulling her into the moment.
“You forgot your birthday, didn’t you?” He teased.
She chuckled through her tears. “I’ve been so busy I didn’t even realize what day it was.”
The crowd parted, revealing a long buffet table laden with Irish dishes—boxty, Guinness pie, seafood chowder, barmbrack, Irish apple cake, and more. Her breath caught, a lump forming in the back of her throat. “These are what Mom used to make whenever I craved them.”
“Yeah,” he murmured, standing behind her. “Your brother told me. I wanted tonight to feel like home.”
She tugged at his arm and pulled him close. “Thank you. I don’t even know what to say.”
“Just enjoy it, Kitty,” he said tenderly. “Tonight’s all about you.”
Meanwhile, Kayan approached Carys, who was at the back of the podium, putting on some music. “Hey, Carys.”
“Hi, K–Kayan,” she stammered, cheeks pink.
Kayan smirked and leaned in. “Are you sure I’m Kayan?”
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“Yes,” she answered firmly. “Otherwise, you’d be buzzing around Kate.”
“Touché!” his grin widened. “Carys, I owe you an apology for pretending to be my brother. Can we start over?”
“Sure,” she cooed, keeping it light.
“Then, can I have your number? I want to take you out for coffee sometime,” he pressed on.
Carys gave him a playful wink. “If my bestie gives the okay…”
Kayan froze. Is it a bro-code or something?
“Okay, I’ll ask her,” he nodded, recovering with a confident smirk.
At James’s table, upon hearing that the birthday girl would receive 24 gifts, Julian and Jaden immediately dropped their cutlery and rushed over to her. “Aunt Kate, when are you going to open the pressies?” Julian, the elder of the two, inquired eagerly.
Katherine chuckled, ruffling his hair. “The party just started, Julian. Let’s wait until everyone has had their dinner.”
Their faces fell, disappointment clear. “Ah! That’ll be way past our bedtime! Can you open them before we have to go to bed?” Jaden chimed in.
Esme laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. “Guys, it’s Saturday tomorrow! You can stay up until she opens her gifts, okay?”
“Phew! Why didn’t you say so earlier, Mommy!?” Julian huffed, peeved at his mother’s negligence.
The crowd erupted at the little boy’s accusatory words.
……
Besides tending to Sana, Seven periodically glanced at the time as the evening wore on, keeping track of his forthcoming commitment. At 8:15, he approached the couple. “Hey, how long do you reckon it would take for the gift-giving?”
Kimi frowned, concern flickering. “Is something the matter?”
“Yes, I have to give James his treatment at nine, otherwise he’ll start to feel the pain,” Seven explained.
“In that case, shall we start now?” Kimi suggested warmly.
With a nod, Katherine agreed, anticipation in her features. “Yup, let’s do it.”
They stepped up to the podium, the crowd quieting as Kimi’s voice rang out, “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for being here tonight to celebrate Kitty’s birthday. I thought it would be fitting to honor her journey with 24 presents—each representing a memory, milestone, or moment that makes her who she is today.”
Excitement rippled through the guests as he passed Katherine her first one.
“Kitty, this is a commemoration.”
She unwrapped the package to reveal a baby blanket embroidered with her name and birthdate, paired with a Swarovski crystal pacifier. The light caught the delicate inscription, making it sparkle. Her fingers trembled as she traced the delicate stitching on the blanket.
Kimi started the ball rolling. “On this day in 1998, a beautiful baby girl named Katherine Kavanagh was born to wonderful parents, Helen O’Brien and Killian Kavanagh.”
“This is... so thoughtful,” she whispered, tears welling. “Thank you.”
He smiled, his knuckles wiping the tears from her cheeks. “This is just the beginning.”
Next, he handed her the first birthday present—a delicate, custom-made carriage music box, the kind that looked like it had wandered out of a fairytale. He wound the tiny key, and a soft guitar melody played—fingerpicked and hauntingly familiar.
Then the voice came in—low, velvety, tender. Her breath caught, a lump forming in the back of her throat. “Wait… is this Elliot James Reay?”
Kimi blinked. “Who?”
She laughed, tickled by his cluelessness. “It sounds just like him.”
Kimi scratched his head, grinning. “Well, I’ll take that as a compliment. But nope. That’s me. Took a few tries in the studio.”
“You sang this?” she wondered aloud.
“Mmhmm,” he hummed, a little shy. “It’s not perfect, but—”
“It’s perfect,” she cut in, eyes locking with his. “Absolutely perfect.” They swayed to the music, lost in the moment.
For the second year, Kimi gave her a TY Beanie orange plush cat named ‘Romeo.’ “You’re my Kitty Kat, after all,” he teased, sparking chuckles as she hugged the toy.
For her third, her colleagues gave her adult-sized Powerpuff Girls jumpsuits. “Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup remind us of your adorable appearance despite your superhuman feats!”
Cheers echoed through the space as she quipped, “Let’s get Commander Haynes the Professor Utonium costume and Chief Herod the Mayor of Townsville’s costume for Halloween!”
For her fourth, Esme gave her a copy of Goodnight Moon.
Katherine’s gaze softened. “How did you know it was my favorite book, Esme?”
“Your brother knows everything about you,” Esme disclosed.
The fifth was a miniature architectural model of her apartment, handcrafted by Harper. “This... this is incredible,” she praised, examining the intricate details.
“It’s your very own doll house,” Harper chirped before adding, “Check the base. Your brother left you something there.”
She found an envelope tucked underneath. Her jaw dropped as she read the contents. “This... this is the title deed!”
“Yup.”
She stared at Seven with a mix of emotions. “Bruh, you already paid for Dad’s house. This is too much!”
Seven stepped forward and hugged her. “Sis, I promised Dad I’d take care of you.”
“Since you got me the apartment, I’ll leave the house to you,” she decided.
“But—” Seven started to say, but she cut him off.
“No buts about it, Sev! Otherwise, we’re done being sibs!”
This was the first time Katherine displayed such a willful, domineering posture. He was rendered speechless!
