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We visit the bakery and enjoy a selection of pastries chosen by Alex. When I bite into a raspberry Danish, and a bit of the filling sticks on my lips, Alex leans over to drag his tongue across my mouth and remove the jam. Then he leans in more to whisper into my ear, "We have caramel syrup at home. I'd love to drizzle that over your skin and lick it off slowly."
Aye, we hurry home to do that.
Though I've mostly set my worries aside, in the back of my mind, a question niggles at me. How much do I really know about Alex? Until recently, I would've answered that question with another one. How much can anyone really know about their partner? But now… I don't know what to think about anything.
A few days later, I manage to surprise Alex. He would never tell me when his birthday was, but this year, I resolve to find out. If he won't tell me, I will discover the truth on my own. But I'm not a private investigator. I don't need to be, since Alex leaves his wallet on the nightstand when we go to bed. When I wake in the middle of night, I take his wallet and tiptoe into the living room so I can turn on a lamp. Then I find his driving license.
His birthday was three weeks ago.
It might be a wee bit late, but I mean to celebrate that occasion. In the morning, I get up before Alex and start baking. By the time he walks into the living room, I've completed my mission.
Alex stops halfway to the kitchen island. "What are you doing over there? It doesn't smell like breakfast."
"Oh, I made that too. But I also baked something just for you." I raise the plate that holds the layer cake I made. "Happy birthday, Alex."
"Today is not my birthday."
"I know. But I missed the actual day because you would never tell me when it was."
"That's because I don't celebrate it."
I set the cake down and light the candles, then carry it over to him. "Make a wish and blow out your candles."
He eyes the cake with suspicion while the flames flicker and wax dribbles down toward the icing. "This is important to you."
"Aye. And to you, whether you realize it or not. You insisted on celebrating my birthdays, and you gave me presents too." I hold the cake closer to him. "The candles will melt if you don't blow them out."
He sucks in a breath and puckers his lips.
"Make a wish too, Alex. Please, for me."
He rolls his eyes and blows out the candles. "Aren't you going to ask what I wished for?"
"No, of course not. That's private. I never told you what I wished for either." I place the cake on the island. "Time to cut a slice and eat it. Sorry I don't have a gift for you."
"No need for trinkets. You are the only gift I need."
Alex cuts two slices of cake, and we eat that before we have breakfast. While we're cleaning up after our impromptu celebration, I get curious. "You say you don't like birthday parties and presents, but you gave me both of those last year and this year."
"That's different. You should celebrate your birthday. It's a happy occasion for you and your family."
"But not for you."
"No." He finishes putting the last of the plates into the dishwasher. "Besides, I only gave you a bottle of Scottish whisky. It wasn't even an expensive brand."
"It was Talisker, my brother Lachlan's favorite. I mentioned that to you, but I never expected you'd buy me a bottle of single-malt Scotch whisky direct from the Isle of Skye."
"Well, I thought it might make you feel less homesick."
"You are my home, Alex. I never feel sad about leaving Scotland."
He stares at me for a moment, then clears his throat. "We should get going or you'll be late for class."
We don't discuss birthdays or gifts anymore. Everything goes back to normal, though we do have cake for dessert three evenings in a row.
One day, Alex and I are browsing the shops in downtown Ballesteros when a strange thing happens. He has just ducked into a novelty store after announcing he needs to take care of a "secret errand." Those were his exact words. He might not like birthdays, but he loves surprising me with wee gifts. So I sit down on a bench near the curb and watch the traffic go by while I wait for Alex.
A woman sits down at the opposite end of the bench. I recognize her, though I only saw her once before. This is the woman Alex had a poke with on the night before he met me. What does she want now?
