"I've learned to appreciate what I can on my own. There are times when you have to be alone to learn who you are when nobody else is watching. How do you know if you're always performing in order to meet someone else's expectations?"

"You don't." Ravi twiddled a pen, discomfort etched in his permanently furrowed brow. "I don't. Still don't. But I'm learning day by day."

"That's all a person can do. Embrace the journey. Most people won't ever know themselves as well those who are forced by their circumstances to redefine who they are. You'll know who you are and you'll know where you fit. You'll know where Hana fits as well. Just do what you're always telling me to do: give yourself a break."

"A break, huh?"

Sora nodded. This was comfortable. Telling him what he'd told her was safe ground. She worried when she strayed beyond those safe places.

"Since you're talking about taking a break, I wanted to ask you something: Are you going to the Misra Couture gala this month?"

Sora thought of all the pomp and the glamour and the hairspray and the torturous heels, and shuddered.

"Probably not. I've never been much for parties; I'm even less of a fan now. I'll probably just stay home with Tommy and read about it in the morning." Aiko would tell her everything the tabloids had to say and more.

"You could do that or you could come with me. Dance. Mingle. Have a little fun. You deserve it."

Sora finished off her water. "Is this you trying to make my year better?"

"Ah." He shrugged. "It's one suggestion. I've got a million."

Sora set her empty glass on Ravi's desk and propped her chin on her hand.

"Name suggestion number two."

"You, me, Dhiren and Tommy, and a carnival."

Sora stopped herself short. "You'd do that?"

"Yeah, sure, why not? I don't see Dhiren enough, I don't see you enough. This way, I get everything I want and you get a break. Lay down your burdens for a few hours and eat some cotton candy. You can't lose."

He made it sound easy. Sora suppressed the eager voice of the girl she used to be who was shouting for her 'say yes already!' Ravi was the proverbial 'most popular boy in school' who'd looked right through Sora for years and years. But they weren't children anymore, and she hadn't been that girl in a very long time.

"What about the gala?"

He shrugged carelessly. "I'll go stag. It won't kill me not have to a beautiful lady on my arm. I survived a year of it. Changed my life."

"I guess that's not all it changed." Sora steeled herself. This is just an outing with the kids. Don't make so much of it. "The carnival idea sounds great. I want Tommy to have as much fun as he can at this age. Let's make it happen."

Ravi beamed, as much as he did anymore, obviously pleased she'd taken to his suggestion. "Fantastic. I know just the place. Let's say the 14th at 9:30? We can get breakfast and be there by 11. They'll be just opening; it'll be like we have the place to ourselves."

Sora's excitement grew despite the caution she favored. "You don't have somewhere you'd rather be on Valentine's Day?"

"I couldn't think of better company than you and the boys."

He wasn't alone in that. Sora couldn't think of a single place she'd rather be on that day either.

...

...

They were all together at Badgley's Fun Fair & Carnival on Valentine's Day morning. Sora and Ravi and the boys entered the fairground at 10:50 after Ravi had a word with the ticket seller. Tommy had babbled appropriately when Ravi mentioned it was baby's first carnival and the seller had been charmed, letting them in that little bit earlier than the families milling in behind them.

Ravi and Dhiren had performed their secret handshake in celebration of a scheme coming together while Sora had laughingly warned her son off using that smile of his to con the unsuspecting public. Tommy in all his young Himura glory made no promises she could understand.

Ravi hoisted Dhiren up on his shoulders so his son could see above the stalls arranged in rows and columns over the open field. There was a Ferris wheel far to the right and spinning teacups gearing up dead ahead. There was a sprawling rollercoaster that wasn't too high, but in Sora's estimation it was high enough. There were shooting games, bean bag tosses, and bumper cars as far as the eye could see. It was all flashing lights and childhood memories come to life. Sora already loved this day.

Ravi patted Dhiren's leg. "All right, kid, what looks good from up there?"

"Um, I know I wanna go on the Ferris wheel, but how about the pony rides for Tommy?" He pointed at the temporary corral stationed on the edge of the grounds where a bunch of ponies whinnied and chomped at grass. Sora was skeptical. Ravi's answering look was the same.

"You don't think he'd like the Ferris wheel?"

"I don't want him to get scared. He doesn't like playing airplane, remember?"

"Right, he's got his mom's fear of heights."

Sora's smoothed down Tommy's flyaway hair. He'd need a haircut soon. "It's a perfectly rational fear. Some of us like to keep our feet firmly on the ground."

"Yeah, but how do you fly if you never get off the grass?"

Sora busied herself with Tommy's coat buttons as she answered, "I suppose I don't."

Ravi bumped her shoulder, his tone growing conspiratorial beneath Dhiren's notice. "It's a new year. Who knows what it'll bring?"

Two months in, Sora still wasn't sure, but she was getting more curious all the time.

She eyed a nearby basketball stall, cooking up a scheme of her own. "Hey, Misra, how's your jump shot?"

Ravi took her expression in the spirit it was intended. "You're up to something."

Sora smirked. "Just wondering if you feel like getting your butt kicked at basketball, too."

Ravi and Dhiren sent her identical looks of surprise. Sora had interrupted a game of air hockey between the two a week ago and proceeded to destroy Ravi's lead when she took over for her nephew during a snack break. Ravi had looked like he'd survived a hurricane when she was done with him. They still doubt me, even after I handed him his ass at one sport. I'll just have to do it again. Before Sora's heart had started to fail in her twenties, she'd been a decent athlete; the muscle memory remained.

Ravi, never one to take an ego prodding gracefully, gave in first. "All right, you're on. Do your worst."

Sora rubbed Tommy's back as he looked between them curiously. "Remember these words, sweetie, because Uncle Ravi is about to eat them."

...

...

Ravi thumped onto a weather-beaten wooden bench in front of the hotdog stand where Dhiren was getting his order filled and Tommy was gumming a handful of cotton candy at his side. That's my family, Sora thought without allowing herself to get caught in the implications. Right now, she didn't care. This was their day.

Ravi was pouting beside her. "You couldn't take pity on an old man? The boys will never respect me after that poor performance of mine."

Sora gave his shoulder a consoling rub. "Never ever doubt the Gallegos prowess. If we say we've got it, we've got it."

"Lesson learned. You ought to teach a class on how to be underestimated while being the best player in the room."

Sora feigned nonchalance. She was good at watching and learning. Nobody expected the quiet ones to see and understand. "It's all in the wrist."

"You'll have to show me."

"Gladly. Get Tommy and Dhiren. I'll get change." Sora went to buy Ravi a cranberry snow cone for his wounded pride and to break her $20 bill. Ravi gathered their sons for round 2 at the basketball stall. She arrived to find them waiting for her like a class on a field trip to the museum. So different and yet every one of them here for her. Something about the three of them together soothed her heart; she wasn't ready to consider just what.

"Okay, gentlemen, it's time for you to learn the proper way to shoot a hoop." Sora handed her dollar to the stall operator and received her miniature basketballs in return. "Watch closely. You're going to do it with your whole body." Sora demonstrated, pushing upward and flicking her wrists to send the foam b-ball sailing into the novelty hoop with a swish. Then, she did it again. Twice. Perfect Score Gallegos shows 'em how it's done.

"Like that." Sora turned around to find Tommy cuddled up against Ravi's chest dozing while Dhiren and Ravi looked on, impressed. She touched her chest, covering her warmly beating heart; a gesture of affection that had all the meaning in the world. Ravi would know what she meant.

"Since this was for your benefit, do you want a bunny or a duck?"

Ravi groused good-naturedly. "Duck. It's manlier."

Sora collected the duck from the stall operator and handed it to Ravi without comment. She didn't want any part of discussion where the masculinity of stuffed animals was up for debate. Her heart melted anyway when Ravi proceeded to hand the duck to Dhiren who turned right around and presented it to Tommy with pomp and circumstance. Sora couldn't be sure about this, but she thought her son had just found his new favorite toy.

Ravi put an arm around her shoulders. "Don't get too comfortable with your victory, S. There's still bumper cars."

Sora leaned into him and reached around to ruffle Dhiren's hair. "Hear that, boys? Now, I'm really scared."

Dhiren laughed. He'd been Team Sora on their first b-ball match and their soccer match; he didn't seem eager to give up his winning streak. Tommy snuffled and grinned, not so sleepy now that they were on the move again. Sora mussed his hair, too.

"Those are fighting words." He shot her a challenging look.

"I'm up for it if you are." She shot one right back.

"You bet."

But neither of them let go of the other. This was nice. This was the new 'safe,' where being in competition didn't mean standing alone.

Sora had been right on the money before: This was already the most amazing day. Apparently, this Valentine's Day wouldn't have to hurt after all. Who knew?