"Mia please come, he won't mind that you're there." Joel pleaded with me relentlessly but I turned down the offer each time.

"I can't Joel, just please give her my gift and tell her I said happy birthday." He reluctantly took my gift with a sigh.

"Mia I hope you know you're shattering a six year olds dream right now. She told me that she missed you and that you promised her you would be there." He was trying to guilt trip me but I couldn't face Noah. He hadn't attempted to speak to me since I told him to leave me alone.

"Trust me Joel, things are better if I just stay away. There will be so much going on she won't even notice that I'm missing." I busied myself with my study books and he started gathering up his things to leave.

"Okay Mia. I'm gonna head over there now but while you're nose deep in calculus just remember there's a girl crying as she blows out her birthday candles, wasting her one and only birthday wish on your no-show ass." I threw a crumpled paper at him as he headed out of the door, once I was alone I flopped down on my bed feeling the heavy weight of Joel's guilt trip.

I did promise her.

Maybe I could slip in, give her my gift and then slip out. Unnoticed by Noah. I jumped off my bed and chased after Joel, he managed to get out of my apartment building and down the street by the time I had caught up with him. He didn't even acknowledge my change of heart, he just linked my arm and smiled at me knowingly.

It didn't take us long before we got to the park as we walked the footpaths my heart thundered inside my chest like the beat of a marching band. This was the first time I had set foot in the park since that day, over a month ago.

"What the fuck?" Joel exclaimed.

I looked ahead and could see an extravagant circular tent in red and yellow. It wasn't massive but it was certainly big enough to turn heads.

"Wow." I muttered in disbelief, I knew Jaynes talents but even I was impressed.

"How the fuck did they pull this off?" I shrugged my shoulders and gripped his arm tighter as we got closer and closer to the tent.

"I don't want to run into Noah, this is just a quick visit." I told Joel and he rolled his eyes unsympathetically.

"Mia!" Both Emily and Noah were standing at the door greeting guests. She clung her small arms around my waist tightly. I didn't dare look at Noah and I could feel my cheeks burning up in case he heard what I just said to Joel.

"See I told you Noah." Emily turned to Noah proudly. "I told you she wouldn't break her promise." She stuck her tongue out at her brother. "He told me you weren't going to come." She said awkwardly and finally I allowed myself to look at him.

He was staring at me, hard. Like waiting for an explanation of some sort or just trying to figure me out. I couldn't even fully appreciate his outfit because I was so nervous. But he dressed for the party and he looked absolutely incredible, if not a little silly.

"What about me Em? Aren't you happy to see me?" Joel interrupted, sensing things were getting a little awkward now. Emily threw her hands around Joel.

"Of course Joel." She giggled.

I walked into the tent with Joel, leaving Noah and Emily at the door. It looked amazing, Jayne had done a fantastic job. It was exactly how I had described I wanted it. Over-sized stuffed animals in every direction you looked, lions, elephants and giraffes. In the center there was a ring that posed as a stage, I could see trampolines set up in the floor ready for the show and ropes hanging from the ceiling. It was definitely an extraordinary set up.

I noticed Jayne standing by the amps and discretely I went over to her, making sure Noah wasn't paying attention.

"This is amazing Jayne, thank you so much for pulling this together in such a short time."

"Event planning is what I do Mia and I owed you a favor for rekindling the friendship between your mom and I. We missed her at the country club, never understood where she went but now I get it."

"I'm glad you're back in her life, she's a lot better off without my dad, much happier. Jayne did you do everything as we discussed?"

"Yes Mia, I have a lot of experience working with anonymous donations. I contacted him and told him he had won the party and everything was taken care of. He just needed to show up."

I nodded my head in acceptance and she waved a microphone at me to let me know she was needed on stage. I watched her gather all the children to sit around the circle and then she pulled Emily up on stage. I smiled sweetly at how happy she looked. Once all the introductions were over Jane instructed Emily to sit on a throne, right front and center of all the action and the lights dimmed all around us.

I felt so much more comfortable with the lights dimmed, I felt like Noah couldn't find me in the darkness. While acrobats and circus folk re-enacted Emily's Greatest Showman dreams I headed to the punch bowl and fixed myself some fruit punch.

"Hey sexy, how about you give me your number?" A man wearing blue jeans and a white suit jacket whispered into my ear. I almost choked on my punch.

"Who are you?" I asked with a comical splutter. Surely this isn't one of the parents trying to pick me up at a child's birthday.

"I'm Dillon, birthday girls uncle." He held his grimy hand out for me to shake but I really didn't want to touch it so I just rudely brought the punch to my lips.

"Dillon, maybe it's best if you don't try and pick up girls at your nieces party. You might get your pay docked." I whispered to his ear before walking off.

My eyes caught Noah's from across the room and I suddenly felt really stuffy inside this tent. I needed air. I found a beautiful white iron bench nearby and just sat, enjoying the freshness on my skin.

"I seen you talking to Jayne." I closed my eyes, not wanting to believe the voice coming from behind me was really his but his footsteps got closer and before I knew it he was sitting beside me. "It was you, wasn't it?" He asked quietly.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I muttered nervously.

"Oh come on Mia. I won a greatest showman party, bit of a coincidence don't you think?" I was only allowing him access to my side profile, I wasn't brave enough to give him eye contact just yet.

"You know, when something good happens with no explanation you shouldn't question it. How does Santa deliver presents to the world in one night, don't question it. How does the tooth fairy make enough money to pay every single person, don't question it. How do you miraculously win a themed party on the one thing she loves at the exact time you need it, don't—"

"Mia." He put his hand to his forehead and laughed. "I didn't take your dads condo or his money. Emily started a Saturday arts and craft club so I can work extra hours at the repair shop. I've started saving the money towards an apartment. I should have enough to afford one in a few more months." I turned to face him, his beautiful eyes screamed hope.

"That's great Noah, but that doesn't change what you did." I said sadly.

"I know, but you need to understand Mia. It has just been me and Emily for the longest time, I'm terrified everyday of losing her and I just seen your dad as a huge step forward in solidifying my care for her. I never planned it, I acted on a whim. That night in the hotel room I couldn't even afford to buy myself dinner and then your phone just sat there with his number. I messed up, it was a stupid decision made in a moment of weakness."

"But you spoke to me, you didn't speak to anyone else?" It was the only part I couldn't understand. He exhaled softly.

"I don't know why I spoke to you. I just wanted to. I recognised you from the East Side prank and that kiss... I just felt this strong connection to you. I've never felt that connection with anyone besides you. I couldn't stop myself from talking to you. I thought I needed to put Emily first always, no matter what but I was so wrong. I care about you just as much as I care about Emily, you're equals."

"I care about Emily too, you know?" I questioned quietly.

"I know." He admitted.

"That's why I went to see my father. I got him to sign the condo over to me and hand over the cash. I figured when you fight the state for custody of Emily they will find it suspicious that a CEO with no ties to you just gifted you property. Him signing it over to his daughter, however is more believable." I handed him over the keys. "It's yours."

"Mia you didn't need to—"

"I know. But you were right. My dad did a bad thing and he has too much wealth. He ruined my whole family, he deserves to pay for that." I admitted.

"I don't know what to say, thank you." He expressed gratefully.

"You look..." I allowed my eyes to flick down his ridiculous outfit. He wore a red showman jacket complete with gold tassels and a top hat. I burst out laughing, he laughed too.

"I know, Jayne was very persistent I wear it... I wonder why." He raised his eyebrows at me in an accusing manner and he wasn't wrong. I told her if she was unable to pull through with anything else she definitely needed to pull through with making him wear this.

"I met your uncle." I told him.

"Ugh." He complained, summing his pretend uncle up in one icky sound effect and I laughed again. I haven't heard myself laugh in a long time, yet five minutes with him and it's all I can seem to do.

He placed his hand on my cheek delicately and I looked into his eyes, they were beautiful like the sun shining directly onto a glass of whisky and just as intoxicating. My lips parted to allow for my subtle breaths but inside I was a jumbling mess, my heart pounded, butterflies fluttered and my palms sweated.

"I missed you Mia."

"I missed you too." I whispered, falling deeply under his spell. The proximity between us started growing smaller and he teased my lips with his own, staying so close I could almost taste him but not close enough to touch him. "Don't hurt me again." I whispered.

"I promise." He whispered back right before his hands found my hair and his mouth fell onto mine.

"You taste like birthday cake." I pointed out after the sweetest kiss.

"I do?" He tried to look confused but his face was anything but innocent.

"Have you been eating her birthday cake Noah?" He shot me a shy smile, one that made my heart skip a beat.

"Should have known you would find out my secret Mia, you always do."

The End.