It was Lindsay's birthday, and though the morning had barely begun, I could already feel that this would be a special day. I had spent weeks thinking about how to make this birthday memorable for her, and now the moment had finally arrived to give her my gift. The necklace my mother had given me years ago had arrived yesterday, just in time for today. It was more than just an object; it was a symbol of connection, both with my mother and the future I wanted to build with Lindsay.
When I woke up, I saw Lindsay beside me, still asleep, her hair spread across the pillow and a peaceful expression on her face. I stayed watching her for a few seconds before leaning in to gently kiss her forehead. She slowly opened her eyes, smiling when she saw me.
"Good morning," she said in a sleepy voice. "How did you sleep?"
"Very well," I replied, returning her smile. "But I think you slept better. You look incredible."
Lindsay laughed, brushing it off, but I noticed a slight blush on her cheeks. She sat up slightly in bed as I got up and walked to the dresser where I had stored the necklace. I carefully picked it up, making sure it was perfectly wrapped.
"Before we get fully up, I want to give you your gift," I said, approaching her again. "I wanted to give it to you now because… well, I wanted it to be something intimate, just between us."
Lindsay looked at me, surprised, her eyes shining with curiosity.
"Now? I thought you'd do it during the party later."
I shook my head.
"This gift isn't for the party. It's personal, something that means a lot to me, and I hope it will mean something to you too."
I handed her the small package wrapped in silver paper with a golden bow. Lindsay held it delicately, examining it carefully before opening it. When she unwrapped it and saw the necklace, her eyes widened. It was a star-shaped pendant, as simple as it was elegant, but filled with meaning.
"Sack… this is beautiful," she whispered, touching the pendant gently. "Where did you get it?"
I took a deep breath before responding.
"My mother gave it to me when I was ten. She said that every time I looked at that star, I should remember that the future was full of possibilities. It was always one of the most special gifts I received from her. And now… I want you to have it. Just like the bracelet I gave you months ago, also from my mother, I hope this necklace is something you can cherish."
Lindsay looked at me, visibly moved. Without saying a word, she leaned in and kissed me tenderly on the lips.
"Thank you, Sack. I don't know what to say… this is… too special."
I hugged her tightly, feeling our emotions connect without the need for words.
"You don't have to say anything. I just want you to know how much you mean to me. This necklace represents everything I feel for you."
We were lost in the moment when suddenly we heard a little voice from the doorway.
"Happy birthday, Lindsay! And good morning!"
It was Charlotte, Ellie's little sister, standing in the doorway with a huge smile on her face. She carried her tablet in her hands, as always, and seemed ready to continue helping Olivia with the preparations.
"Charlotte!" Lindsay exclaimed, smiling widely. "Thank you, sweetheart. Happy day to you too."
Charlotte ran over and gave Lindsay a quick hug before turning to me.
"Sack, Olivia says she needs to see you urgently. Something happened with the cake."
I frowned, worried.
"The cake? What happened?"
Charlotte shrugged.
"I'm not exactly sure. She just said it was important and that you should hurry."
Lindsay looked at me with an amused expression.
"Go see what's going on. You know how Olivia gets when something goes wrong."
I nodded, though I didn't want to leave Lindsay so soon.
"I'll be back soon," I promised, giving her one last kiss on the forehead before leaving the room.
When I went downstairs to the dining room, I found Olivia pacing back and forth with her walkie-talkie in hand. She seemed on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
"There you are!" she exclaimed when she saw me. "Thank goodness. We have a huge problem."
"What's going on?" I asked, trying to stay calm.
Olivia let out a dramatic sigh.
"The five-tier cake. The transport that was supposed to bring it is on strike. On strike! Can you believe it? After all the planning, the cake won't even arrive on time."
I brought a hand to my forehead, trying to process the information.
"And what do we do now?"
"You need to go pick it up," Olivia declared firmly. "It's at the bakery in town. It's too big for them to deliver after the strike, so we need to bring it ourselves."
"Me?" I repeated, incredulous. "Why can't you go?"
"Because I'm the main organizer of this party," she responded, crossing her arms. "If I leave, everything will collapse. Besides, I trust you can handle this. You have my car, so there's no excuse."
I knew arguing with Olivia was useless, so I reluctantly agreed.
"Alright, I'll go. But everything had better work smoothly while I'm gone."
Olivia tossed me the keys to her car with a triumphant smile.
"I knew I could count on you. Now go, quickly. Time is gold."
Before leaving, I decided to stop by the dining room to greet Lindsay's parents, who had arrived yesterday, along with Margaret, Ellie's mother. Everyone was gathered around the table, chatting animatedly while having breakfast. My father was also present, though he kept a polite distance from the others.
"Good morning," I greeted, approaching the table. "I see you're all here already."
Amelia, Lindsay's mother, smiled kindly.
"Good morning, Sack. Where are you going so early?"
"I have to go pick up the birthday cake," I explained briefly. "There was a problem with the transport, so I have to bring it myself."
Thomas, Lindsay's father, raised an eyebrow.
"The cake? Is it really that important?"
"For Olivia, yes," I replied with an ironic smile. "In fact, I think it's almost as important as Lindsay herself."
Everyone laughed at my comment, except Margaret, who seemed a bit uncomfortable amidst all the opulence. I gave her a reassuring smile before saying goodbye.
"I'll be back soon. See you later."
The drive to the city was quiet, but when I arrived at the bakery, I encountered a new obstacle. The cake was ready, but it was so big that it barely fit in the trunk of the car. I barely managed to close it after several frustrating attempts. Just as I thought everything was under control, I heard a strange noise coming from one of the rear tires.
I pulled over to the side of the road and got out to inspect it. As I suspected, I had a flat tire. I cursed under my breath, wondering how I would fix this now. There was no spare tire in the car, and I knew calling a mechanic would take hours.
With no other options, I called Olivia.
"What's wrong now?" she answered, clearly annoyed.
"I got a flat tire," I explained quickly. "And there's no spare in the car. I need help."
There was a brief silence on the other end before Olivia responded.
"This can't be true. Hold on a second."
A few minutes later, she confirmed that she would send her driver with a spare tire.
"Thanks," I said, relieved. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Probably ruin the party," she joked, though I could detect a tone of concern in her voice.
Finally, after changing the tire with the help of Olivia's driver, I was able to continue my journey back to the Hart estate.