“Makes life easier... was that the door? I’ll go and get it, it’s probably your mom. You just... have a final check over the place, okay?”
She gives me a curious look, but when I nod and I send her away I can understand why I’m shaking all over, I’m a nervous wreck. I feel like I’m all kinds of messed up today. And on this day as well when I need more than ever to keep it together. This will be one of the most important days of my life. Right up there with the day that my kids were born.
Come on, Ben, keep your shit together, I warn myself. Make this a special day for Serena, she really does deserve it.
Mom walks in the room with Brandon and behind her I can see that Tia has Rose. My mother has been a legend when it comes to the twins. I can tell that they’ve revitalised her. She obviously lost her chance to be a parent again when my dad died, since she hasn’t met anyone since, and this has given her that opportunity. She’s grasped onto it with both hands and is now far happier than ever before.
“Ooh, it looks like you two have been busy the last few hours,” she says as she drinks it all in. “You’ve done a great job decorating this place. Serena is going to be very surprised.”
“You think she doesn’t know?” Oh great, my voice is shaking like crazy now. “You think I’ve managed to keep it a surprise?”
“Oh definitely, she doesn’t know. Jenny’s good at covering things up and her plan to take Serena to the spa is a good one.”
“Okay, okay, and what time are they due to be back?”
“Any minute now...” The sound of the door opening interrupts us, making my heart stop dead in my chest. “Okay, I guess now.”
We all take our places and wait. The kids make googling sounds which are adorable. Rose is starting to form words now, just the really basic ones, but she seems to have a sort of secret language with Brandon. It’s like they both know exactly what they’re saying, but no one else does. It’s adorable actually.
“...yeah, she was really nice, wasn’t she? Oh my God!” Serena gasps and claps her hand across her mouth in utter shock. “What’s going on here?”
“Surprise!!” we all yell in unison. Well, semi unison. It’s a little out of time but I think we just about manage to pull it off. “Happy birthday, Serena.”
The kids crawl over to their mommy. Brandon moves a little faster than his sister, but soon they’re both in Serena’s arms. She scoops them both up and hugs them tightly whispering to the pair of them how much she loves them. Then she turns her attention to the rest of us.
“This is amazing, I can’t believe that you’ve done this for me. It’s so nice.”
And that’s the moment the party kicks into gear. It’s a low key affair, without many people here, but that seems to make her very happy. She moves about talking to everyone in turn, while still being able to check on her children.
I do the hard work so she can relax and enjoy herself, but she can’t keep away from them for long.
Eventually, she comes to me and she circles her arms around my back so she can press her face up against my back. “Thank you for this. I can’t believe you organised it all.”
“I had some help,” I admit while spinning around in her arms. “I didn’t do it all alone, but I did know that I had to do something nice for you. You do deserve it after all.”
“Well I really appreciate it, it’s awesome.”
I dip my head down to kiss her gently, and as I do I realise that the moment has come. It’s now or never, finally time for me to say what I need to say. I glance around the room and see that everyone is there, no one’s in the bathroom or anything, so I cough loudly to get everyone’s attention. It takes a few moments, but finally everyone seems to get the hint that I’m doing the thing that this has all been worked around, the thing that I’m here for.
“Right, everyone, thanks for coming.” All of a sudden I feel a flame bursting into my cheeks. I’d practiced this over and over again but now I can’t find the words in my brain. It’s as if someone has scrubbed my mind totally clean. “Erm, it’s good to have you here.”
I give Serena a desperate look, begging her to put me out of my misery, but of course she can’t. She has no idea what I’m about to say. I’m all on my own with this one. I dip my hand into my pocket and feel the ring there which gives me the confidence to go on.
I fall onto one knee and I stare up into Serena’s eyes. She widens her gaze and looks at me with complete and utter shock. At least this means it is all a surprise. I thought that somehow she might have found out by now, and she was just acting it, but I can tell in her face that isn’t the case at all.
“Serena, I love you. I mean, I really love you more than I thought anyone could love another person.” I rub her hand between my fingers, gleaning some strength from her. “I didn’t think I would ever be the sort of person to fall so hard and fast but I have. I know I panicked at one point and almost messed things up, but I hope that I’ve made up for it since then.”
You have,” she says thickly though the emotion. “You really have.”
“I think it would be nice for the kids, and for me and you too, if we made our love official. I love you so desperately and I would give anything for you to marry me. I want to spend today, tomorrow, and every day afterwards for the rest of our lives making you happy.” I give her a bright smile. “So what do you say? Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”
She hesitates, but only for a moment, and only because she’s so overwhelmed. As soon as she can speak again, she gasps out her answer, which thankfully for me is a positive one.
“Of course I will, I would love to be your wife, nothing would make me happier.”
I slide the ring onto Serena’s fingers as everyone jumps for joy and cheers around us. I hoped things would go this way but now that they have I feel over the moon. Judging by the happiness on Serena’s face she feels the same way. This is the sort of thing that neither of us expected to happen but here we are living the dream.
“That isn’t the only surprise,” I tell her as she flings her arms around me. “I have something else for you.”