‘Excellent… so when are you going to start trying? Hopefully soon and then our kids can be friends!’ said Tor excitedly.
‘I was just having the same thought this morning. The thing is, I think we would both want to be married first, and I’m hoping that Alex won’t take too long to ask me. I mean, we are getting on a bit! I know it hasn’t even been a year yet but I think when you know, you just know! Though I’m not sure Alex is quite as ready as I am….men take so much longer to get their heads around change.’
‘True. Well, you’re birthday is next month! Thirty six, you’ll finally join the club! It’ll be here before you know it…’ teased Tor.
‘Don’t remind me!’ groaned Lucy, clasping her hands over her eyes and shaking her head. ‘How did we get so old, exactly?’ she asked in disbelief.
‘Hey, I’m six months older than you!’ Tor said. ‘You can’t complain!’
‘At least you will have a baby by next month, apparently your chances of conceiving rapidly decrease if you haven’t had your first child by the time you’re thirty-five. So I’m screwed,’ moaned Lucy.
‘No you’re not, don’t be daft!’ Tor shoved her playfully. ‘You’ve met the man of your dreams, a smoking hot one at that, he’s moved in, and in no time at all you’ll be engaged!’
‘Maybe I’ll come off the pill as soon as I get a ring on my finger!’ chuckled Lucy.
‘Why not?’ said Tor. ‘A quickie wedding and then nine months later, you can be on maternity leave with me and we can do this every day!’
‘Bliss!’ sighed Lucy, hoping fervently that Alex would get a move on, forcing any creeping doubts that he may not be quite as ready as she was to the back of her mind.
As Tor had predicted, Lucy’s thirty-sixth birthday was upon her in a flash. She couldn’t believe how the time was flying; it seemed only recently that she had entered this decade. On her birthday morning Alex woke her up with breakfast in bed: chocolate croissants, freshly squeezed orange juice and Columbian coffee. He said that she would have to wait until dinner for her present and told her to meet him at six thirty at Leicester Square tube. She wondered what mysterious plans he had in store for her as she set off for work, her mind coming up with all sorts of exciting scenarios of what their evening might entail. Every time the tiny voice inside her head peeped up with the suggestion ‘maybe he’ll propose!’ she immediately drowned it out, wary of raising her expectations, but sadly unable to stop the thought from appearing in the first place.
At work, Lettie and Simon had organized a huge birthday cake for her. Jack sent her an email wishing her a happy birthday; there was no innuendo, she was pleased to see. He had reigned in the flirting since she had left him that evening in the bar. Every now and again she still caught him looking at her, his eyes lingering slightly too long, but mostly he retained a respectful distance and restricted his conversation to work-related topics. She missed their flirtatious banter but she knew that it was for the best.
Later that morning the whole department gathered in the boardroom and sang ‘Happy Birthday’, making a fuss over her and causing her eyes to well up with emotion. She may hate her job, but she really did love her work colleagues, they were such a well-meaning bunch.
She told Lettie and Simon off for going to so much trouble, but they insisted that they all go out to lunch together as a birthday treat. They asked many a leading question about what Alex would be getting her for the big day and she fobbed them off by saying probably something for the house.
For once, her clients seemed to be kind to her today, no complaining emails, whining voicemails or last-minute deadlines. Besides, she had far more important things to be doing with her time, such as reading all her birthday text messages, WhatsApps and Facebook posts, and listening to screeching voicemails from her friends, enjoying the one day of the year when she felt truly popular. Before she knew it, the clock ticked six o’clock and it was time to go and meet Alex.
At the tube station Alex gave her a hug and a birthday kiss before leading her into the French restaurant opposite. Not the most exciting place in the world, Lucy thought, but they did love steak and chips, she reasoned, thinking perhaps Alex had wanted to choose an old favourite to remind her of their first date. He ordered the usual minute steaks and frites in record timing, appearing rather uncharacteristically rushed. He then announced that he was going to give her his present now, if that was okay?
Slowly, he reached inside his suit jacket, retrieving something from the inner pocket. Lucy didn’t even blink or catch her breath, she sat frozen, on tenterhooks, her eyes fixed on his hands as he pulled out… an envelope.
Oh!thought Lucy!Okay, an envelope… plane tickets, a romantic holiday, a mini-break to Paris?her mind whirled through the possibilities.
Alex passed her the envelope, grinning sheepishly. Without a second to lose, she ripped open the envelope and read the card.
Dear Lucy,
I know how much you have wanted to see this. Hope you like it!
Happy 36thBirthday!
All my love,
Alex
Two black and white tickets had fallen out. She read the printed script:Shakespeare in Love, Stalls Row B3, Tuesday April 12th, 7:30 p.m.
‘Oh WOW!’ cried Lucy, disguising her slight disappointment with an over-the-top, enthusiastic reaction. This was an art form that she had perfected over many years of receiving unwanted Christmas presents from her rather strange Aunty Gwynn. ‘That issokind of you! I have been dying to see this show. I can’t believe we are actually going!’ She got up and leant across the table, kissing him on the lips. Alex visibly relaxed, he was clearly worried that she would be disappointed with her present, and she chided herself for being so greedy. Not to mention for being so desperate for a ring on her finger. She told herself off. She needed to get a grip; it would happen when Alex was ready and not a minute sooner. She blamed the desperate ticking of her biological clock for her impatience.
‘I’m so glad! I remember you saying that you couldn’t wait for it to come out months ago.’ said Alex. ‘That’s why I wanted to order so quickly so that we will finish in time for the start of the show!’
‘Ha ha,’ laughed Lucy. ‘It all makes sense now! The devious goings-on in the mind of Alexander Hayes!’
They finished their meal with plenty of time to spare; walking hand in hand to the theatre, stopping off to buy some peanut M&M’s en route to keep them going until the interval.
It was a wonderful performance, definitely more Lucy’s cup of tea than Alex’s, but he managed to stay awake throughout, bolstered by a stiff gin and tonic in the interval. After the show they got the tube back to Baron’s Court where Lucy opened all the birthday cards that the postman had delivered for her.
As they got into bed, Alex said, ‘Now it’s time for yourrealbirthday present!’
As he began to kiss her, she thought that as birthdays went, this one hadn’t been bad at all.
