“People can be so jaded these days, and it’s really nice to date a guy who is clearly working hard to make sure our dates are memorable”

Dassi woke up the morning of her birthday the way she woke up most mornings: reluctantly. She stumbled out of bed to get ready for the workday ahead, eyes half closed, when she tripped over a large suitcase someone had placed at the foot of her bed. What on earth? That was definitely her army-green, hard-shell suitcase, but why was it out of the storage closet? And full? Suddenly fully awake, she yanked her door open and stuck her head out into the hallway.

“Chayalaaaa,” she attempted to call, but it came out more like a croak. She padded down the hallway. Chayala, as usual, was fully hair-and-makeup ready for work and was mixing her morning coffee.

“Happy Birthday, Dass!” she said, laughing lightly.

Dassi stretched. “Thanks. Um. Here’s a weird question, but would you know why my suitcase is packed and in prime toe-stubbing location?”

Chayala laughed in earnest now. “You didn’t check your phone yet? Look outside.”

Dassi peeked out the windows that overlooked the front of the building and saw a sleek black sprinter van whose gravitas was totally ruined by the enormous bunch of pink balloons tied to the roof rack. She yelped and ran to her room to grab her phone, where a text read: Happy birthday! Hope you have a day as amazing as you are. I took care of everything, including arranging time off work for you. All you need to do is wheel the suitcase out the door and have the best time ever. (I mean it, there’s even coffee in the van!)