Grey clouds filled the skies over the small New York apartment where the little girl has now been growing up. Although she used to live out in the Midwest, recent events have brought her back to New York. Her bright little blues eyes drawn to the streaking rain on the window. Those are her father's eyes, but she has her mother's spirit. She doesn't know that rain means sadness. She sees beauty.

She leaves little handprints on the glass doors that lead to the small balcony. Her little nose is pressed against the glass. She laughs when she sees the fog left behind on the glass from the heat in her breath.

She giggles when her father sneaks up behind her and tickles her. She has the squeakiest little laugh anyone ever had. He gets down on one knee and draws on the fog with his finger. Two dots for eyes and a crooked line for a grin.

The little girl giggles at the happy face. Her father holds out his finger for her little hand to take a hold of. She wraps her little fingers around his finger and follows him back to the table. He lifts her up and places her in her booster seat. Her little eyes sparkle at the sight of a tiny white birthday cake with candles in it.

"It's pretty daddy." She giggles at the candles on the cake.

"Make a wish little cloud." He puffs out his cheeks and shows her how to blow out the candle. He crosses his eyes and makes a silly face. She smiles and giggles again. "Go ahead, make a wish." He takes out his phone and prepares to take a picture.

She takes a deep breath and puffs out a little gust of air. Just enough to blow out the three candles on the cake. Three candle for three years of life. Her father snaps the picture and laughs at her little grin.

"That's my girl. My big birthday girl." He pats her back and pulls the candle out of the cake. He cuts a little piece of the cake and puts it on a plate for her. She dives her little finger into the cake and loads it with frosting and then licks it off.

Her father laughs and puts some frosting on his finger. He dots a small circle of frosting on her tiny little nose. She giggles and smears her fingers in the frosting and then rubs it across his nose, leaving behind the sweet white material.

"You're silly daddy." She giggles and picks up a toddler sized fork and begins to eat her little piece of cake. Although she was only two, little Maggie was very smart. 

Then she becomes oblivious to the world, her happiness too strong to notice the single tear rolling down her father's cheek.

He thinks back to the day he got married to the love his life. And how she shoved a thickly frosted piece of cake in his face. They were so happy together that day. Like nothing could stand in their way. They were young in love and found themselves invincible.

Now, the woman he loves is dead. At least he tries to hold hope that she was alive. But the funeral they held for her was all to real. And his little girl didn't understand that her mother was never coming home again. She didn't know she would never get to hug her again.

"Happy birthday my little Rainy." He lets the tear slide down his cheek and fall to the kitchen table. His little girl doesn't notice. She was too busy eating her birthday cake. "Mommy loves you too." He whispers and wipes his eyes.

One year without Alice...