“I booked a hair and beauty package for this afternoon,” Mum said. “They’ll be arriving at the house half an hour after your rugby game so I need Jade back by then.”
“Thanks, Evelin. You shouldn’t have.” Jade smiled at my mum. “If I’m going to the rugby game I better go get changed.”
“No, this is your outfit for the day. You have something different for tonight, so don’t change.” I had planned the whole day out. I wanted everything perfect. “You only turn eighteen once. You get to be in a pretty dress today. It’s all part of my plan.”
Jade shook her head. “What are you up to, Stephan?”
“Nothing you have to worry about, little bit.” Jade stared at me and I winked at her. I had been planning her birthday for weeks. I didn’t stop when I left her, I just made it bigger and Cassie helped.
*****
Jade
After breakfast everyone stood and Stephan placed a pink silk blindfold over my eyes and guided me through the house and outside. My heart beat loudly in my chest as I tried to think of what they were doing. Stephan undid the blindfold and Evelin and Lucas stood in front of me.
“Happy birthday.” They stepped out of my line of vision and there with a big black velvet bow was a car. Stephan’s parents had bought me a friggin’ car. I was speechless. It was a red Volkswagen Beetle. My dream car.
Blinking, I was frozen to the spot. Who the hell got their son’s girlfriend a car and not a second hand one but a brand fucking new Beetle. Clearing my dry throat, I gazed at Evelin and Lucas. “I don’t drive.” I should have said thank you or something along those lines but my brain wasn’t functioning properly.
Lucas chuckled and handed me a card. In it was a letter stating I had a hundred paid hours with a driving school, it had over eighty locations. “We made sure it had lots of locations so when you’re at university next year you can still learn.”
All I could do was nod. I turned to Stephan. “It’s a red Beetle.” I remembered telling him once when we first started dating when he asked me about my dream car. I didn’t think he’d remember. “You remembered.”
He shrugged. “Of course I did. Go on. Go look.” He nudged me and taking a deep breath in, I calmed my raging emotions as I walked to the shiny new car. Running my fingers over the hood, I grinned at the smooth surface. Flashes blinded me and I looked up to see Derick taking pictures of me with a camera.
“Thanks. I didn’t need to see.”
“Stop dawdling and get in.”
I opened the driver’s door and stuck my tongue out at Derick. “I’m savoring this.”
“Well savor this quicker, you still have my present.”
“I know how to take my time and enjoy things, unlike you.”
Derick stuck his middle finger up at me and Stephan and his parents chuckled.
“Leave her be, Derick,” Evelin berated her son.
Sitting in the driver’s seat I squealed with joy. “I have a car,” I yelled. Hugging the steering wheel I pressed all the buttons. Today was the best day of my life. There was no way it could get any better.
*****
I was wrong. After Stephan dragged me out of my awesome car, Derick sulked we didn’t have much time for his present. Rolling my eyes I followed Derick out to the back of the house.
“Wait here.” I watched as Derick disappeared into the pool house. He returned with his hands behind his back. He came and stood before me and brought his hand from behind him. There in his hand was a squirming ball of brown fun. “Happy birthday. He is a Chocolate Labrador.”
“Oh. My. God.” I threw myself at Derick and grabbed the little guy. “I love him.” I kissed both Derick’s cheeks before kissing his lips.
My feet left the ground and growls that weren’t the puppy’s came from behind me. “No kissing my brother.”
I turned in Stephan’s arms. “He got me a puppy,” I screamed, “I’ve never had a pet.” I brought the puppy up and his big brown eyes stared into mine and his tongue came out and licked my nose. I was in love. “I love him. He’s so cute.
“What you gonna name him, Sis?” I turned back to Derick hugging my puppy.
“I would have named him Rex, but that doesn’t feel appropriate now.” I walked over to the big grassy area and sat down not caring about my dress.
“No. I don’t think Rex would like a dog being named after him,” Lucas said.
I didn’t even realize Stephan’s parents were still there. Lucas held the camera and he must have turned the bright flash off because I didn’t feel the blinding light.