Remembering Us

"The Way Things Were"

Amelia POV

There's no way to describe the passive look on Cameron's face.

Carefully veiled frustration is mixed with forced happiness and it quickly causes my excitement to fade.

Yesterday, when I asked what we usually did for his birthday, he explained that we had traditions for each birthday in the house.

Xander goes to the batting cages each year.

Zoey likes to watch the princess bride with her lunch from Mazzios.

Ryder likes fireworks go off at 10:09 at night, the exact time of his birth.

Theo likes to have cheeseburgers for breakfast.

Mayzie always wants to go to the park after dinner for ice-cream.

But when I asked about his birthday tradition, he paused before smiling sadly and waving me off. So I went ahead and planned the whole day.

And now he's standing in the kitchen, looking at the list of things I planned for the day, a very stoic look on his face.

"Or we could do other things." I quickly add, seeing that he's clearly upset.

The kids making breakfast for him, maybe that's not as sweet as I thought.

"Did you get this list from Meghan?"

"No."

Pizza at the office.

"Then how did you come up with these?"

Dinner as a family.

I shrug in response to his question. "I just thought of them. They seemed like fun, family things."

Sending the kids of to Aunt Meghan and Uncle Isaiah's for the night.

"I'm confused, Cameron." I mutter, approaching him as he continues to stare at the small post-it. "Are you angry?"

I watch as he sets the note on the counter. "Those are my traditions." He responds quietly before gently pulling me toward him. "These are the exact things we've been doing for the past ten years."

There's a happy glimmer is his eyes. It makes me want to lie, to say I remember, but...

"I don't..." I start as I pull away. "I don't remember."

"I know." He smiles down at me, the skin around his eyes crinkling in the the most adorable way. "But your subconscious does and I think that's just as good."

A content sigh leaves me as he holds my body against him, his hand resting on my protruding stomach.

"Happy birthday." I whisper, turning to rest my head in the crook of his neck. The musty pine scent I've started to love fills my senses and I feel at home.

"Thank you."

"What are you gonna wish for? If you tell me before the candles are lit it'll still come true."

"I just want you to be as happy as you were before."

His honest answer surprised me. I had assumed he would give me a sarcastic answer or, if he was being honest, wish for my memory to return.

"What about you?" I question in response, my heart starting to race as his thumb starts stoking my stomach, his heat quickly going through my thin shirt. "Don't you want to be as happy as before?"

"My happiness lies with you." He whispers, his breath fanning my ear.

He frowns when I quickly pull away, my heart wanting to beat out of my chest, wanting to be closer to him.