"Happy birthday."
"Thank you, sweetheart."
Inside, the house was full of family.
Caleb's younger child was preparing drinks.
Several cousins were arguing over music.
A cake stood on the dining table.
Marcus examined it.
Chocolate.
Strawberry filling.
Blue-and-red frosting.
He laughed.
"Are we having a superhero party?"
Caleb approached.
"Sort of."
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
"At eighty?"
"You're still our superhero."
Marcus shook his head.
"Don't start."
Lily stepped forward holding a small gift box.
"We made something."
Marcus opened it.
Inside was a photo album.
The first page showed Caleb's seventh birthday before the confrontation.
The second showed his tenth birthday with the astronaut decorations.
Then came graduations.
Family vacations.
Wedding photographs.
The birth of the grandchildren.
School plays.
Science fairs.
Christmas mornings.
Barbecues.
And dozens of ordinary moments that Marcus had almost forgotten.
He turned the pages slowly.
There were pictures of Caleb laughing.
Caleb learning to ride a bicycle.
Caleb holding his first model rocket.
Caleb standing outside his college dormitory.
Caleb holding his newborn daughter.
Marcus stared at the final page.
It showed three generations of the family standing together beneath the oak tree at Riverside Park.
Underneath was a handwritten message from Caleb.
You gave us more good days than we could ever count.
Marcus closed the album.
His eyes filled.
He looked toward his son.
Caleb smiled.
"Happy birthday, Dad."
Marcus tried to speak.
Nothing came.
So he stood and embraced Caleb.
The family applauded softly.
Then someone announced that the cake was melting.
Everyone laughed.
Marcus sat down.
The candles were lit.
And when the family finished singing, he leaned forward and blew them out.
No one disturbed the celebration.
The cake was cut.
Children asked for seconds.