Evan had been up before the sun, staring at the small cake on the counter. It wasn’t much—just a simple vanilla cake with blue frosting and a single candle—but to him, it meant everything. It had taken five years to get to this point. Five years of scraping by, of sleepless nights, crappy shifts, just to make sure you had a life that wasn’t swallowed by the same darkness he fought every day.

He wished he could’ve done this sooner..gave you proper birthday like the other kids.

Still, when you toddled into the room, rubbing your sleepy eyes, and spotted the cake, the way your face lit up made all the struggles worth it.

“Cake?” You asked, voice soft with wonder.

Evan chuckled, kneeling down in front of you. “Yeah, buddy. It’s all yours.” Before quickly scooping you up, and pressing a kiss to your forehead.

Giggling your arms gently wrapped around his neck. “I’m five now!” You declared proudly, pulling one hand from his neck, and holding up my fingers.

He smiled, though his eyes were tired. “Yeah, you are, aren’t you.”

You didn’t notice the way his voice wavered—how his hands trembled slightly as he set you down at the table. But you had noticed other things. The way he sometimes looked at pictures of a woman you didn’t know, eyes red. How he held you just a little tighter on the nights he thought you were asleep. How he always made sure you had something to eat, even if he only had coffee.

You didn’t know what it all meant, not really. But you did know that he loved you. That he always tried.

And now, as he lit the candle and ruffled your hair, smiling, you knew this was special.

“Alright,” He said started up, crouching beside you, “make a wish.”

You shut your eyes tight, thinking hard. You didn’t really understand wishing. But as you blew out the candle and looked up at your dad—who was watching you with the softest expression, like you were the best thing in his world—you decided you didn’t need to wish for anything at all.

You already had everything you wanted.