Part 13

	Let us take a step back and a look at a very important day: The first birthday the two of you celebrated together. A day that would become a spectacular memory for the two of you. The two of you have been living together for a few short months. Your relationship had progressed beyond lovers to something much more, "soul-mate" is a term you had frequently heard, but never quite understood, perhaps this feeling is what they were referring to? Whatever the case may be a very important day lie ahead of you.

	"Alright, I think I have everything ready now," you think to yourself as you survey the room. You had cleaned and the food and drink was prepared for the party. "It was a good call getting her boss to delay her at work so I could get this set up before she got home." You had put a great deal of thought into this evening, and begun preparing weeks in advance. Your first time setting up a surprise party. Now left with no distractions while you waited for the guests to arrive your thoughts began to wander, "I hope she likes her present. I've never really had to do this sort of thing before, buying a present for a friend or family is nothing like this." You didn't spend much time lost in your thoughts before the doorbell rang. The first of the guests for your party arrived and as quickly as you greeted them more came pouring in. Your friends, her friends, family members, co-workers; You spared no effort arranging this day in an attempt to make it as perfect as possible.

	No sooner had you gotten past the pleasantries when you received a phone call from her boss informing you that she had left work and was on her way home. Your stomach beings to churn with apprehension, like a ship being smashed by waves in a storm. Your heart races filled with excitement, like a kid on Christmas morning. A set of complex feeling befitting the situation you find yourself in. "Okay, everyone. That was her boss, she's on her way right now. So you're all going to hide in that room. You can come out once I greet her," you say to the crowd as you point towards your own bedroom. As the group entered your room you heard a few female voices making "Aww" sounds, and one louder female voice, the voice of her best friend, calling out to you that asked "Do you want us to bring the present out to you or leave it in here?" to which you replied, "Leave it in there. I'll get it when the time is right."

	A few short moments passed before you heard a car in the driveway. She was home. The butterflies in your stomach had still not subsided. You took a few deep breaths hoping that before the door swung open you would gain some composure, but to no avail. The doorknob turned slowly and the door creaked open, inch by inch her frame became more clear back-lit by the setting sun like something out of a movie. As she came into view more clearly you noticed something, she was staring at the floor, a look of abject depression and exhaustion. Your stomach, the ship being rocked by the waves, sank. Seeing her in that state on her birthday of all days was too much to handle, and you were at least partially responsible for it. You just wanted to make her happy with a party, but it seemed you had gone too far when you asked her boss to keep her at work. She close the door and walked forward standing just inches away from you. Not once did she look up. "Welcome home, honey," was all you could think to say. She didn't respond, not a single word. When she finally looked up you were caught by complete surprise as her lips met yours forcefully. You stumbled backwards and she fell on top of you. The tumble not only failed to deter her, it actually seemed to have spurred her on; Pressing herself against you, her lips never leaving yours.

	For a moment you were lost, overwhelmed with passion and pleasure, a single phrase popped you out of the little world you had been in, "Happy Birthd--" exclaimed the crowd that had gathered behind you. The scene was met with some cheers from the crowd behind you. The two of you had been caught in an intimate situation. Your love had become noticeably embarrassed, her face turned a crimson red. As the cheers began to die down, the voice of her best friend rang out clearly, "Couldn't wait to get your present could you?" The room erupted in laughter. Your love's face turned an even deeper shade of red. You stare into her eyes, she is obviously humiliated to have been seen like that. "I've got to think of something to fix this, and quick," you think to yourself. You respond with the first thing that comes to your mind. You quickly sit up and kiss her. In response she wraps her arms around your back. "A silly plan but at least this will make me the focus now," you think to yourself. This is once again met with an ovation by the crowd. "It seems he couldn't wait either," the woman remarks.

	A few moments pass and the party is now under way. You look over at your beloved who you've been sitting with, she is happily chatting with her friends without a care in the world. She turns over to you smiles and mouths the words "I love you." Music was playing, people were eating and talking all around you; this was all very different from the birthdays you had when you lived alone, somber days only signaling that another year had passed with no real meaning to you. You hadn't been this excited for a Birthday since you were a child. Ever since you met her life had acquired much more meaning to you and you were given a whole new perspective. "Alright, I think it's about time to start bringing out the gifts," you announce to everyone in the room. Your guests slowly walk up to your love one by one and hand her their presents. She received all sorts of gifts: jewelry, household supplies, perfumes, even some more questionable things. Everything you could think of, all before you took your turn. You take a quick look over everything she received and simply state, "Well, darling. It looks like I have quite the challenge ahead of myself as your boyfriend." "You definitely do, honey. I can't wait to see what you got me," she replies with a rather expectant look on her face.

	"Well here goes. Could someone go into the bedroom and get the gift you all saw earlier?" you ask turning to the guests. "Yeah, I got it," one of your friends replies. "Thanks. Now honey, I'm sure you'll remember this. For everyone else, what I'm about to do is the same thing I did on our first date. We probably wouldn't be together if it wasn't for this. I got shy and wasn't able to keep the conversation going and this one thing helped me put the date back on track and show this lowly lady both a good time and my good side," you announce to the crowd as the music starts playing. She begins to laugh, "You aren't really going to do this are you?" "Oh, I most certainly am," you reply. You begin to sing. The same song you sang on that first date in the restaurant. Not only is all the embarrassment from that scene you made all rushing back, but you are standing in front of all your closest friends making a fool of yourself. You press forward through the shame and keep your eyes on her smiling face, now bright red blushing. Behind you all you can hear is the sound of people laughing and clapping along with the song which brings a smile to your reddened face. Out of the corner of your eye you catch a glimpse of your friend who has now returned with the second part of her gift. You wave him over. He starts walking over, present in hand, and presents it to your beloved. Her face lights up upon seeing her gift: A kitten sleeping in a heart-shaped cat bed. As the song came to an end, she jumped up out of her seat and into your arms. With tears in her eyes she says, "I love you so much," and kisses you on the cheek. "I love you too. I hope you enjoyed your birthday, and I hope we get to spend more of them together," you replied with a smile.

	As the party winds down and your guests begin to leave, the two of you get closer together and more intimate. She sits beside you holding the kitten in her lap, playing with it, while resting her head on your shoulder. You bid your lasts few guests a goodnight as they leave. You turn back to your love and say "So are you ready for the last part of your present?"