For three months I had been able to exist without the looming lustful shadow of Luke hanging over my shoulder. I had dreamed of his touch as Jack laid asleep beside me, but this faded when I began to feel the normalcy between having my fiance at my side and actually beginning to plan our wedding. Between the cake tasting, dress fittings, and venue searching I had nearly forgotten to put time aside to plan the first birthday of Lila. A million themes ran between my mind but I decided to be cliche and give her the birthday of a princess.
As I began to hang the pink and purple streamers, setting her gifts wrapped by Jack and I upon the table set specified for that purpose, and perfecting the final swirls upon her cake, there developed a bitter cold in the air as unwelcome guests crossed ove
