I thought I had planned the perfect surprise party for my husband’s fiftieth birthday, until I stared at one guest’s name and realized I couldn’t remember who she was — or why I’d invited her.
I checked the guest list again, even though I already knew every name on it. Four months of planning had turned me into that kind of person.
Seating charts were tucked under the couch cushions. My phone was full of deleted text messages and half a dozen fake calendar reminders so Daniel wouldn’t accidentally see what I was doing.
“Four months of lying to your father’s face.”
Tonight he was turning fifty.
For the first time in fifteen years of marriage, I was about to surprise him with something he’d never forget.
“Mom, you okay?” Emma leaned in the doorway with her curling iron still warm in her hand.
“I’m perfect, honey. I’m just so proud I actually pulled it off. Four months of lying to your father’s face.”
“Em… who is this?”
Emma became my accomplice, inventing fake errands whenever someone came by the house with decorations or photo albums.
Every tiny secret felt worth it if it meant seeing Daniel smile when he walked into that ballroom. I’d tracked down college friends he’d lost touch with years ago and even found the retired baseball coach who had believed in him long before anyone else did.
“You do know Uncle Mark is actually flying in for Dad’s birthday, right? He hasn’t been home in almost nine years.”
“You told me. Like, this morning. And yesterday.”
I laughed, waving her off.
“I need a nap.”
“Well, it bears repeating. Do you know how hard it was to get your Uncle Mark on a plane?”
What happened next changed everything… FULL STORY on the next page.
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