The soft pillows on the sofa threatened to swallow Milinda. Every small movement she made drew her closer and closer to falling into its soft embrace never to get back up again. She wanted to close her eyes and sleep, she needed to get things ready for dinner tonight but the little girl standing in front of her singing the nursery rhyme Itsy Bitsy Spider refused to let her do either. 

Kylie had been learning all the main nursery rhymes in kindergarten and ever since then, she would put on a show for her mom and Shawn every day before bed. But for some reason today was different. Today she insisted her mother sit on the sofa and listen to her sing song after song after song refusing even to let her get up to get something to drink or check her phone. 

Milinda cheerfully clapped her hands as Kylie sang the last line. Her little hands dropped to her sides and a wide smile tugged on her lips. The rainbow tutu she had been wearing for a few days bounced as she jumped up and down while giggling like a mad thing.

"That was beautiful, baby."

"Again!" Kylie cheered. 

As she prepared herself to start singing again, Milinda shot up off the couch and gently grabbed her shoulders. 

"Listen, sweetie, as much as Mommy wants to hear you sing again I have to go to the store and get some stuff for dinner and maybe even a cake if I find one that looks good enough. So," she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, "I am going to call Akhona so that she come here and-"

The distinct sound of a harmonica playing echoed through the apartment. Kylie giggled and clapped her hands while Milinda looked around for the source of the sound and she quickly found it when Akhona, Camila and Shawn came strolling into the apartment and living room each wearing party hats on their heads. Camila and Shawn were holding tons and tons of silver and gold balloons while Akhona carried a large chocolate cake. 

Milinda watched confused as Shawn slid a harmonica into his back pocket. "What are you guys-"

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear, Milinda! Happy birthday to you!" Akhona, Camila, Shawn and Kylie sang. 

Milinda laughed and smiled as her loved one surrounded her. Akhona quickly put the cake down so that she could engulf her friend in a bear hug while Camila and Shawn started spreading the balloons around the living room. 

"I can't believe you guys did this for me," Milinda cried as she looked around at the masses of balloons and the mouth-watering cake waiting to be eaten. A tear trickled down her cheek as she took note of the golden numbers laying on the top: twenty-four. 

"It's your birthday, honey, of course, we were going to do something for you," Akhona chuckled. 

Shawn sat beside her along with Kylie and the trio watched as Camila and Akhona worked their magic turning the coffee table into a little party table. They set bowl after bowl of crisps, sweets and chocolate on top of a gold tablecloth and set the heart-shaped cake in the center. They lit the candle and after a quick photoshoot motioned for Milinda to honour the birthday tradition of blowing out the candles. 

"Make a wish." Shawn smiled kissing her forehead. She felt his hand sensually rubbing down her back.

"Wish, Mommy," Kylie giggled clapping her tiny hands as she jumped up and down on the sofa cushions.

"All right," Milinda chuckled. Closing her eyes, she leaned forward. I hope that this year will be perfect just like the last.

The last year had been a long one, but at least it was filled with joyful moments. A promotion to the position of assistant manager at Bella's meant she could finally quit working at Jeanette's. Kylie starting school, Akhona finally living out her dream of making clothes and selling them, and last but certainly not least her blossoming relationship with Shawn. After fleeing from her home country and arriving in America Milinda never imagined she would be this happy. But life had its plans for her. She struggled for years so now it was time to reap the rewards. 

Opening her eyes she blew out the candles. The small bloom of smoke wafted into her nose a smell she always secretly enjoyed. Everyone clapped their hands, and Akhona handed her the kitchen knife to cut the cake.

"Birthday girl gets the first slice," she playfully snapped at the other guests as she handed Milinda her favourite plate. 

Milinda smiled as she looked down at the porcelain plate in front of her. Snow-white porcelain with light blue smudges that resembled waves. It was the first item she bought when she moved to San Francisco because it reminded her of the beautiful beaches that rested on the edge of Port Elizabeth. Looking at the plate Milinda could hear the waves crashing against the sand and seagulls flying above. She could smell the salt water and bask in the glow of the sun. But what stood out in those memories more was her parents.

It was moments like this when she found herself missing her parents. Because even after their nasty argument and then kicking her out to wander the streets with her newborn baby they were amazing parents who wanted the best for her. They just had harsh ways of showing that.

"Cake, Mommy," Kylie pleaded as she grabbed her mom's arm snapping her from her thoughts. 

"Sorry, baby," Milinda mumbled stroking Kylie's curls which had grown to a nice length over the winter. 

After cutting all of the cake and handing the slices out to her amazing family Milinda grabbed her plate and sat next to Shawn instantly curling up into his side. 

"I would like to pose a toast to an amazing woman, mother, friend, and girlfriend. To Milinda Johnson may the next twenty-four years be filled with many blessings. To Milinda!" Akhona cheered raising her glass of wine.

They all raised our glasses of wine, except Kylie who had a plastic cup filled with chocolate milk. 

"To, Mommy," Kylie giggled.

"To, Milinda." Camila smiled wrapping her arms around Akhona's waist.

"To, my girl," Shawn smiled kissing my cheek.

With tears in her eyes, Milinda smiled. "To me." 

* * * *

We spent all day gorging on cake, sweets, and chips and playing party games like pin the tail on the donkey and musical chairs. Milinda was certain that Kylie picked these games. She went to a birthday party about a month ago and those were the games they played. And even though they were all games mostly for children all of the adults, especially Milinda enjoyed them. 

As the sun started to set over the city the group began packing up, well except for Kylie who was too busy sleeping on the sofa with some sweets still stuffed in her hands. 

"Should we leave her there," Camila whispered to Milinda nodding toward the sleeping child. 

Milinda shook her head. "No, she's finally back to sleeping in her room again after... the whole thing last year. I don't want to ruin it now."

Looking down at her child Milinda's heart ached at all the trauma this poor girl has been through in the past four years that people have gone their whole lives not experiencing. She witnessed abuse against her mother and had to move to another country after her mother told her that her father was dead then that father came back and kidnapped her and then tried to kill her mother only for her mom to kill him. For months and months after Grayson's death, Kylie suffered from vivid nightmares and refused to sleep alone. Months of therapy and slowly getting her back into her room Kylie has finally started enjoying sleeping in her room again. 

"Do you want me to take her to her room?" Shawn asked. 

"It's okay I can manage," Milinda responds. 

She scooped Kylie into her arms and some pieces of candy fell to the floor as she walked to her room and tucked her into her bed. Shutting the door behind her Milinda shuffled back to the living room and dropped back onto the couch. 

"Okay, she's down for the night," she sighed pulling a pillow against her stomach. 

"Great, get dressed in taking you out."

Milinda looked at Shawn with wide eyes. "Where?" she asked leaning closer to him.

"It's a surprise." He smiled.

It's a surprise. Milinda had lost count of how many times he had said that to her and she never got tired of hearing it. Every surprise was magical and despite being the type of person who never liked surprises and preferred more planned outings Milinda always looked forward to Shawn's surprises. 

"What about Kylie? I can't leave her here alone."

"We'll look after her." Camila smiled leaning against the door frame next to Akhona.

"I thought you guys were going to have a movie night together?"

"No reason we can't do it here. Besides your TV is way better than Cami's little box." Akhona grinned lightly punching Camila's shoulder.

"It's not a box, it's vintage."

"By vintage do you mean old as fuck?"

"Language," Milinda snapped throwing a pillow at her.

Akhona caught the pillow and threw her arms up in the air. "You just said that Kylie was asleep."

"She could wake up and hear you. The last thing I need is my four-year-old cursing."

"That would be interesting," Camila chuckled.

"It would be embarrassing." 

"Can you please just go get dressed into something nice so I can take you out," Shawn whined knocking his head on the couch in annoyance.

"And here I thought my days with a toddler were over," Milinda groaned as she pulled herself up and rushed to the bathroom to shower and get ready. 

"Yeah, but I'm a hot toddler!" Shawn called out after her.

"Sure, if you consider a Muppet handsome." She heard Camila say.

* * * *

Not knowing where the handsome devil was taking her Milinda opted to dress safe with her best pair of jeans, a black strappy top, ankle-length boots and a back leather jacket. 

"How do I look?" she asked doing a quick 360 in front of Shawn and his prying eyes.

"Smoking." He smirked pulling her against his muscular chest.

"You guys will warn us if you are going to have sex, right?" Akhona mocked.

"Don't worry we won't have sex in front of you guys. I would only be able to enjoy Milinda if we were completely alone," he said looking right into Milinda's eyes and slightly biting his lip.

A small wave of heat rushed through Milinda's body to her cheek turning them bright red. I love it when he looks at me like that, she thought. 

"So, are you guys going to leave or not because this scene right here is so corny it's making me want to throw up?" Camila grumbled. 

I turned around and glared at her which obviously she didn't take seriously and just laughed at me. 

"She's right, we should get going." Shawn smiled lacing his fingers with mine and pulling me to the door.

"Have fun," Akhona smirked as she shut the door behind us. 

As we got into the car Shawn popped open the glove box and took out a silky black blindfold.

Milinda sighed and shook her head. "Shawn, I love you, but we've discussed this and I'm not letting you blindfold me during sex."

A blush rode up to his cheeks. "That's not what this is for," he said. "But hopefully one day," he whispered.

"What's that for then?" 

"I don't want to ruin the surprise." He smiled wrapping the blindfold around my eyes and tying a neat bow at the back.

"I'm getting nervous now," Milinda mumbled.

"Don't be it's just me," Shawn chuckled.

"Yeah, that makes me feel so much better." She rolled her eyes but it was no use since Shawn couldn't see it. 

The car roared to life and the pure unexpectedness of it made Milinda jump and gasp. 

"You okay there, babe?" Shawn laughed gently rubbing her thigh for comfort. 

"Yeah." 

Shawn removed his hand from her thigh, and the car started moving. The drive felt like an eternity. With the blindfold, it was hard to make out where they were heading, but Milinda was sure it was outside of the city. As soon as the car came to a halt she heard Shawn unbuckle his seatbelt and jump out of the car. A couple of seconds later her door opened, and Shawn scooped her into his arms.

"Where are we?" Milinda laughed nuzzling her nose against his neck. His breathing hitched slightly at the contact, small goosebumps formed on his skin.

"What part of it's a surprise don't you understand?"

"All right you don't need to get snippy with me."

Shawn set her down, her shoes landing on soft grass that tickled the exposed skin by her leg. He slowly walked behind her and untied the blindfold. As the smooth fabric slid down her face she opened her eyes and gasped at the scene in front of her. They were at the cabin where they hid from Grayson a year ago.

"What are we doing here?" Milinda asked as Shawn wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You'll see." He smiled and holding her hand started leading her toward the door. 

The outside of the cabin looked like it was going to start collapsing any month now and the grass in the front was reaching the point of overgrown. It showed Milinda just how long ago the whole situation was. She was safe now and surrounded by people she loved while Grayson was rotting in the ground somewhere but that didn't mean she was over it. As they neared the cabin she was overwhelmed by mixed feelings: fear from hiding from Grayson, Anger from when Shawn yelled at her, pain from when Shawn told her about his childhood with his abusive father, and love as Shawn confessed his love for her and they shared their first kiss.

"Are you ready?" Shawn asked as they reached the door.

"Well, I certainly don't want to stand out here and freeze to death," Milinda chuckled. It wasn't nearly that cold outside but she just wanted to get inside and see the rest of her surprise. 

Laughing Shawn opened the door, and Milinda gasped. The passageway was covered in rose petals and candles. No lights were on, the candles were the only things lighting the cabin.

"What's all this?" she asked fresh tears turning her eyes into glass. 

"Your birthday present," Shawn explained. "Well a part of it," he added leading her inside and closing the door behind us.

He lead her down the trail of candles and petals towards the living room. In the center of the room was a pile of rose petals shaped like a heart, marking the exact spot where they had our first kiss. Shawn let go of her hand and hooked up his phone to the speakers. He scrolled through his phone for a few seconds then clicked on something.

"Dance with me," he said in a husky voice extending his hand towards her.

Blushing, Milinda grabbed his hand and allowed him to pull her close. Resting her head on his chest they slowly started to sway together.

"This is the best gift I've gotten today," Milinda whispered as she kissed his neck. 

"This is just the beginning," he said looking down at her with love in his eyes.

"Let me guess you cooked me a fancy meal," Milinda giggled, remembering the night he cooked her his famous chicken pasta. And after that night she could fully agree that it lived up to its title.

"Not quite," he chuckled pulling away from her nervously and rubbing his palms together. 

"Shawn, what's going on?" Milinda asked, the sudden change in the atmosphere formed a pit in her stomach. 

Shawn's smile disappeared and his hands shook as he pulled a black box out of his pocket and dropped down onto one knee.

"Milinda, my life didn't mean anything until the day I laid eyes on you. This last year has been the best year of my life and it's all because of you. I love you with all my life and I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side," he opened the box revealing a beautiful engagement ring, "Milinda Johnson, will you make me the happiest man in the world and be my wife?"

Happy tears poured down Milinda's face and if her heart could beat any faster without jumping out of her chest she was sure it would. 

"Yes."

"Yes," he repeated as if he wasn't sure of what he heard.

"Yes, I will marry you!" Milinda cried. 

Jumping up he slipped the ring onto her finger and pulled me close, passionately kissing her as he spun her around.  

* * * *

The cool night air brushed past his thick jacket. With binoculars in hand, he watched as the man spun his now fiancé around the living room as they kissed. He never got tired of watching young couples enjoy moments like this. Moments that would change their lives for the better. The start of their new lives together, and he was there to experience it all with them. A companion lurking in the shadows. It was one of his favourite parts of the hunt, the killing was fun but watching was something different. The pure unknowingness on their part was always something he cherished before making himself known. 

Through the binoculars, he watched as the man set her back down and still kissing her started leading her to what he assumed was the master bedroom. 

He slid the binoculars into his jacket pocket and started making his way down the side of the house trying to find the master bedroom and eventually, he found it. Peeping through a small gap between the curtain he watched as they kissed on the bed the man on top of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Taking her was going to be fun. She would stay with him long after he was done with her he knew that for sure. 

Moans echoed through the room as the kissing turned passionate and clothing started coming off. As much as he wanted to stay and watch the whole show it wasn't the right moment, he didn't have everything he needed to enjoy it to the full extent. So with a heavy heart, he snuck back to his car that was parked a far distance from the cabin and started driving home whispering the name of his next target. 

"Milinda Johnson, Milinda Johnson, Milinda Johnson."

* * * *

"I can't believe the old dog finally proposed." Akhona grinned examining the ring for the thousandth time. 

It wasn't a large ring just a simple silver band with a small diamond, simple and perfect just like Milinda always wanted. Years back when Grayson proposed to her, or at least tried to, he bought her this massive ring that wasn't so much bought for her as it was for other people to gaze at. A statement that she belonged to him and him alone. Shawn didn't do that. he bought this ring for her and not as a statement to other people and she loved him more for that. 

"Yeah, I had no idea he was even thinking about marriage. It wasn't even something we've discussed or planned." She looked at her friend, "Well, he didn't plan it with me anyway. I can't believe you've been keeping this from me for a month. You and Camila!"

"He asked us to help him. Besides we couldn't spoil the man's plan, now could we?"

Milinda sighed and nodded. "Fair point, but maybe a discussion between him and I would have been good. I'm not thinking about ending it if that's what you're thinking. I just would have preferred a conversation so that I could plan in my head how this would go and... oh what the hell am I even saying." 

"Yeah, what are you even saying?" Akhona chuckled. "Honestly, Milinda, surely you know that life doesn't always go as planned."

Akhona was right. Almost nothing in Milinda's life went according to plan starting the night she met Grayson at that party and got pregnant. 

Milinda smirked at her. "Yeah, I didn't plan on having a wack job of a friend."

Akhona gasped and threw a pillow at her. Milinda effortlessly caught it only to be hit by another pillow. 

"You better take that back!" Akhona laughed. 

"Never," Milinda wheezed through uncontrollable laughter. 

"Well, then I shall have my revenge."

As Akhona was about to throw another pillow at Milinda three loud knocks echoed from the door. 

Knock!

Knock!

Knock!

"Who on God's Earth could that be," Milinda sighed as she crawled off the sofa and started walking toward the door. 

As she neared the door she noticed two figures through the window both of them pacing back and forth. Even more curious about her mysterious guests she pulled the door open. her heart almost stopped in her chest and she had to hold onto the doorframe to stop her legs from giving out from under her. 

The woman smiled at her. "Milinda." 

"Mom." 

End of Episode 1

And there you have it the first episode done and dusted. So, a birthday party, a small trip to the past, an engagement and a surprise visit from parents you haven't seen in years. What a lovely way to start the creepy season. Okay, be honest who saw that coming? Milinda's parents have returned. Are they here to ask for forgiveness for you know disowning her and kicking her out with a newborn? Or do you think they want to stir up trouble like whoever the hell was that person watching from the bushes outside the cabin?

Well, you will just have to wait and see.