As Amelia’s 30th birthday approaches, her husband, Jared, keeps hinting at a major surprise for her, causing her imagination to grow wild. On the day of her birthday party, she discovers that her birthday surprise is a man who she never wanted to see again…
I could tell that something was up. My husband, Jared, had been buzzing for weeks about this “life-changing” gift.
Every day, another cryptic comment came my way. “You’ll love it, babe, trust me!” Jared would say, practically bouncing on his feet. When I asked him about it, he’d just smirk and say, “You’ll see!”
Honestly, by the time my birthday party rolled around, I was convinced that it was something practical.
Like maybe an appliance, or the recliner with the massage functions I’d been eyeing. I would have been happy with the ice cream machine that I wanted, but honestly, Jared’s enthusiasm made me feel good that he’d gone to so much trouble. “You’re worth all the effort, Amelia,” he said.
“I just want you to feel special and know that I listen and I care.”
So when he walked in on my birthday, he struggled to roll in a massive gift box much bigger than our washing machine. “A freezer?” I asked, laughing. “I always said we needed more space for leftovers.”
Jared winked at me and shook his head.
“You’re not even close,” he said. I should’ve noticed the way some of our friends shifted awkwardly when he said that. Or how my mom suddenly became very interested in rearranging the snack table.
But I didn’t. I was too wrapped up in the excitement and anticipation of the moment. The party was in full swing by then.
Friends, coworkers, and even some of Jared’s relatives had shown up. There were people that I hadn’t seen in a while, and everyone I cared about was there, sipping on their drinks and chatting loudly. After about ten minutes, Jared clinked his glass to get everyone’s attention, and the room quieted.
“Alright, babe,” Jared said, his eyes practically gleaming. “Are you ready for your life-changing gift, Amelia?”
I nodded, my heart racing. Even if it wasn’t anything amazing, it was Jared’s joy that was highly addictive.
He told me to close my eyes. And I heard some shuffling and the sound of the box moving slightly. People giggled.
And then someone said, “Oh my God,” under their breath, and I could hear Jared counting down. “Three… two… one…”
I opened my eyes, and my breath caught in my throat. Standing there, grinning from ear to ear, was my father.
My father. I could barely process it. The room spun for a moment, the laughter around me faded into a dull hum, and all I could hear was the blood rushing in my ears.
The flashbacks hit me like a freight train. Suddenly, I could see my father stumbling home drunk while I had friends over. I could see my mom crying at the kitchen table, bills spread out in front of her.
I could remember my father helping himself to the little wooden box that I kept in my nightstand where I put all my savings from babysitting. And I remembered how he blew it all on gambling and alcohol. And the countless nights where he just never came home.
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