A Night Full of Warmth

My thirty-second birthday was supposed to be simple but special. Mark, my husband, had worked hard to put together a cozy evening. Our living room was decorated with string lights, candles, and a big homemade cake on the table. He invited my parents, a couple of close friends, and of course, his parents and his sister with her husband.

The night started off beautifully. My dad told a funny story from my childhood that made everyone laugh, and my mom kept snapping photos like she always does. The room was filled with the kind of warmth you can’t buy—just people gathered together, talking over plates of food, glasses clinking, soft music humming in the background.