Autumn was in full swing, the leaves outside a riot of reds and golds, casting a warm glow inside the house. It was afternoon, and Riane was enjoying her day off. Her wife had gone to pick up their daughter, Senri, from school, leaving Riane to take care of the house. As she folded their clothes, her mind drifted back to their past—the painful divorce, the slow but steady reconciliation, and their current happy remarried life. A small smile formed on her lips as she remembered it was her wife's birthday today. Her cheeks flushed slightly at the thought of the 'special gift' she had planned.

Time passed, and Riane finally finished folding the clothes. She placed them neatly in the wardrobe and just then, she heard a car pulling up at the front porch. Walking towards the window, she peeked outside and saw the car glide into the garage. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized her wife and Senri were finally home. Quickly, she made her way downstairs, eager to welcome them back.

As she descended the stairs, she heard her wife's voice mingling with Senri's excited chatter about something from school. When she reached the bottom, her eyes immediately landed on her wife and daughter standing by the door. Riane hurried over, her heart swelling with love as she greeted them.

"Welcome back," she said warmly.

Senri shuffled in place, nodding slightly in response, still a bit wary in Riane's presence. Riane's smile faltered briefly before she gently patted the young girl's head. When she retracted her hand, Senri excused herself and went upstairs to her room. Riane's heart ached a bit, but she tried not to let it get to her. Turning her attention back to her wife, her smile widened as she helped her take off her coat, hanging it on the rack. She leaned up to kiss her wife on the cheek, before leading her towards the kitchen.

"I thought we could cook dinner together," she suggested, her voice full of warmth.

Her wife agreed, and they set to work, moving around the kitchen in a familiar, comfortable rhythm. Hours passed, and evening settled in. With dinner ready, Riane went upstairs to get Senri. Entering her daughter's room, she saw the young girl engrossed in a game on an old Gameboy Advance—an emulator her wife had used back in the orphanage.

"Senri, it's time for dinner. Your other mother is waiting for us downstairs," Riane said gently.

Senri looked up, a mix of wariness and curiosity in her eyes. After a moment, she turned off the Gameboy and nodded. Riane smiled and led her downstairs. They entered the dining room, where her wife was already waiting. Senri quickly sat down, her mouth watering at the sight of the food.

Dinner was a quiet, pleasant affair. The clinking of cutlery and the soft murmur of conversation filled the room. Afterward, Senri retired to her room while Riane took to washing the dishes. Her wife stayed seated, waiting for Riane to finish so they could head to bed. As Riane worked, her mind drifted to her 'special gift.' She knew she still hadn't wished her wife a happy birthday, planning to save it for tonight.

With the last plate cleaned and placed in the dish rack, Riane turned to face her wife, her cheeks slightly flushed. Slowly, she made her way towards her, a small nervous smile forming on her lips as she coaxed her wife to join her in the bedroom. Her wife stood up and followed Riane upstairs. Riane let her wife enter their bedroom first before she followed, locking the door behind her just in case.

As her wife settled down on the bed, Riane's mind raced. She felt a bit flustered, embarrassed even, about executing her plan. Her so-called 'special gift' was simply her offering to her wife. As she thought about how to proceed, she looked over at her wife, who was already lying down on the side of their bed. Without another word, Riane made her way towards her, crawling onto the bed until she was beside her wife. She slowly reached out, trailing her fingers across her wife's arm.

Her wife turned to look at her, confusion evident on her face. Though Riane paid no mind to the confusion, determined to fulfill her plan and give her gift to her wife. Straddling her wife's hips, Riane's hands moved slowly to the hem of her wife's shirt, before gently pulling it up. She then leaned in, whispering softly, "Happy birthday," as she did so, her heart filled with love and affection. She hoped that this intimate moment would be a reminder of how far they had come and how deeply she cherished their second chance at happiness.