Katherine’s sixth gift was something from Kayan: a leather-bound iPad loaded with an app called Happy Thoughts Digital Journal, a modern twist on journaling. Her smile widened. “Thank you, Kayan. This is perfect for keeping things organized.”

  The seventh was from Ami. “Little Kate, I’m sure your parents treated you like a princess, am I right?”

  “Mmhmm.”

  “I picked this tiara because it’s called the ‘Catherine.’ It is cast from 18-karat white gold, set with diamonds, and cushion-cut aquamarines. Garrard, the designer, was a former crown jeweler for the British royal family, so this piece was inspired by the gardens of the Royal Palaces. One signature feature is that the central pendant can be detached and worn as a necklace.”

  Upon learning the details, Katherine shuddered. “Aunt Ami, it’s too precious. I can’t accept it.”

  “Nonsense! I’ve long planned to give a princess tiara to each daughter-in-law,” Ami retorted.

  “But... I…” She faltered, unsure how to refuse without offending her.

  “Little Kate, don’t keep Kimi waiting too long, alright?” Ami persuaded.

  “Thank you, Aunt Ami,” she relented.

  Then, Kimi unveiled the eighth, a pair of Swarovski crystal heels. Katherine became anxious. “This is too much.”

  Holding onto her shoulders, he coaxed, “It’s just a pair of shoes; they’re crystals, not real diamonds.”

  “Is it supposed to make me feel better?” She sounded overwhelmed.

  “Just take it as little girls playing dress-up, alright?” he playfully suggested.

  Then, he passed her an envelope: it was an Agresti armored jewelry armoire safe. Sadra, who gifted it, explained, “The safe is too heavy; I’ve temporarily put it in Kimi’s room.”

  “Thank you, Uncle Sadra. I was worried about where to put all this jewelry,” she exhaled, relieved.

  The tenth was a personalized 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle of Katherine’s family portrait. Carys, who had it custom-made, was surprised to see her bestie tear up.

  “Thanks, Rys, I’ll frame it once it’s done,” she managed.

  For her 11th, Sana digitally restored her parents’ photos and videos. She even created AI animations to mark her milestones. “Thank you for bringing them back to me,” Katherine whispered, overwhelmed with emotion.

  “Any time, Kate.”

  For her 12th, Katherine, slipping a card out from an envelope, chuckled as she read the words aloud. “A day at a theme park of my choice! Sounds like a blast! Let’s make it a double date! More fun that way!”

  “As long as you’re happy, Kitty,” Kimi replied and continued, “For your 13th, Kian got you the GoPro Hero 11, a modern twist on the Polaroid camera. Let’s capture new memories with it!”

  Grinning from ear to ear, she nodded. “Thank you, Kian! It’ll come in handy at the theme park!”

  Kian beamed. “My pleasure, Kate!”

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  For the next reveal, Kimi held up a beautifully wrapped hamper. “Lara got you some L’Occitane scented candles and skincare products. Apparently, girls at that age start taking their beauty seriously.”

  Katherine chuckled, playing along, “Oh, no! Did I miss the memo? Thank you, Lara! Maybe these will help me reverse the hands of time!”

  Lara, amused by her ridiculous response, quipped, “Are you kidding? You look barely legal as it is!”

  “Serious as a heart attack,” she replied with a straight face.

  For her 15th, James and Esme got her a Tag Heuer Aquaracer Quartz watch, featuring a delicate white mother-of-pearl dial. James chimed in, “It reflects your tough-as-nails exterior but delicate-as-pearl interior.”

  Katherine was taken aback. “Do I really come off tough-as-nails?”

  Kimi jumped in. “After Carys recounted how you single-handedly took down those thugs, no one would think you are soft putty!”

  The room erupted in laughter.

  Kimi got Katherine a Love Heart Tag Key Bracelet from Tiffany’s for her sweet 16. “Let me help you put it on,” he said, taking the delicate item out of the box.

  “Kimi...”

  He cut her off, insisting, “Just for tonight, okay?”

  She sighed. “Okay.”

  Then, he passed her another envelope. “Kitty, your 17th is from Sana. It’s a year’s fully paid subscription to The Naderi Center. Any treatment you desire, Sana’s got you covered.”

  "Wow! Thank you, Sana! Maybe I should drag Kimi along too, so he won’t look like he’s marrying a child bride!”

  Everyone burst out in chuckles as Sana chimed in. “You’re right, Kate! Speaking of, we completely forgot about the twins’ birthdays! I might as well sign them both up at The Naderi Center, too! Can’t have one twin looking older than the other, can we?”

  Feeling the love, the twins chirped in unison, “Thank you, Princess!”

  Transitioning to a more personal moment, Kimi asked her, “Did you attend your high school prom?”

  “Nope.”

  “Well, my company’s Christmas dinner is coming up. Will you be my date? Consider it our belated prom.”

  Katherine arched a brow. “Before I give you an answer, did you invite a girl to your high school prom?”

  “Nope, didn’t even go. You’re my first and only girl,” he confessed, his eyes twinkling with affection.

  “Then let’s make the Christmas dinner our prom date,” she agreed with a smile.

  “Great! I got you this Alexander McQueen maxi dress and a matching purse. It’s for your 18th, and it goes with the crystal glass heels I got you.”

  “Thank you, Kimi,” she said, touched by his thoughtfulness.

  “I’m looking forward to our prom, Kitty,” he murmured. Then, with a flirtatious wink, he handed her the next present.

  As her gaze landed on the delicate box from Honey Birdette, her cheeks warmed.

  Carys, with a mischievous grin, spoke up. “Kate, I picked out your 19th. It seems my gift is as red as the blush on your cheeks! No need to unwrap it here; It’s rated R, and with these two little tykes around, it’s best to save it for the privacy of your bedroom!”

  Caught between amusement and embarrassment, Katherine struggled to maintain her composure.

  But Kimi was on a roll. “Your 20th comes courtesy of Kasra. It’s a couple’s spa package at Salamander Resort & Spa. Looks like whatever Carys gave you would be coming along for the trip!”

  Unified ‘Oohs’ echoed, punctuated by Carys’s unabashed giggle; at this moment, Katherine wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

  Finally registering her mortification, he quickly moved to the next present. “Kitty, for your 21st, I got you a matching ring and earring set based on your birthstone. The band is wrapped with tiny round citrine stones, encased in 18K Yellow Gold. The earrings follow the band’s design.”

  “I’ve never worn earrings before,” she shared, her words laden with naivety, “I’ll need to get my ears pierced.”

  “Pretty sure Mom would know where you can do that,” he said before moving on to the next two. “Kitty, your 22nd and 23rd gifts are donations made by everyone here. For your 22nd, we made a $24,000 donation in your mother’s memory to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. For your 23rd, we made a $24,000 donation in your father’s memory to the Lung Cancer Research Foundation.”

  Katherine was beside herself. “Thank you all so much. I’ll never forget this wonderful evening.”

  “Hold up, there’s still one more to go,” Kimi said as he held out a slim, velvety black box with a ’Smith & Wesson label’. Katherine had an inkling of what it might contain.

  “For your 24th, I thought a pair of titanium handcuffs would be perfect. We’re both in law and order. We’ll be handcuffed together for life, on and off duty,” Kimi joked, earning chuckles from the crowd.

  Katherine leaned into his embrace, her voice shaky, “This has been the most unforgettable birthday of my life. Thank you.”

  “Happy birthday, Kitty,” he whispered, pulling her into his arms. “Now let’s cut this cake, shall we?”

  Katherine nodded slowly, overcome.

  A/N1:

  A/N 2:

  Valentine’s Day ?? Stay tuned ??

  A/N 3:

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