"I'm sorry I'm late," I remarked running into the house.

I was stuck at the office late. And of all days I had an extra stack of work to do, it was Andy's birthday.

I walked in to find Andy nowhere to be seen.

"Weird his car is in the driveway," I remarked as I put my stuff up.

I walked and Sam was asleep outside my bedroom door.

"Wait he must be in the bedroom," I remarked before stepping over Sam and going into the bedroom.

He was asleep. I felt so bad cause I did not expect to work late. Let alone be late on his birthday.

I sat down on the bed and felt his forehead. His eyelashes rested against his cheek.

I leaned down and kissed his forehead.  I didn't want to startle him.

He began to stir.

"You're finally home," he mumbled half-asleep.

"Yes I am," I remarked as he sat up.

"I began to think the office swallowed you up," he commented with a chuckle.

I shook my head.

"I am so sorry to be late for your birthday," I told him.

"Darling no need to fret. It's okay," he told me as he ran his hand over his hair.

I glanced at the clock and it was already 5:30. I sighed knowing I had to be in bed and do the routine all over again for work.

"Let's go eat and also you can see the cake I made for you tonight," I told him.

And so, we trekked out to the living room. I had left money for Andy to pick up something, whatever he wanted, to celebrate his birthday dinner. Then, on Saturday, his parents, his sister Berri, and possibly some other friends would be over for his official birthday dinner. 

So he had gotten some sort of takeout from a steak house and had managed to keep it warm in the oven while I was busy at work.

We ate and then as he sat in the living room, I ran to get his presents and also got his cake and candles.

I was very much having a deja vu to last year for his birthday. But this time,  I was actually with him. Not putting on a masquerade. Before heading to the living room, I went and let Sam out for one last time for the night.

"Here we are," I remarked with an accent.

He chuckled.

"That accent was cute," he remarked as he grabbed the bags from me.

"Haha thanks," I remarked as I put the cake on the table.

I took the lid off and put some candles.

"You ain't gonna put 29 on there for me?" he asked chuckling.

"I mean I could I just, it's a fire hazard," I joked.

"Are you calling me old?" he teased back.

I laughed even louder.

"No no no Andrew," I told him.

"I'm just teasing darling," he told me.

"I know but open your gifts now," I told him.

"Okay okay," he told me as I finished putting the candles on the cake.

"Now start with this one," I told him.

I knew at this point in his career that he was still sort of struggling. He wasn't making millions and millions like he used to. He had a debt to certain credit cards and such. So, I knew the best thing to do was to get him stuff he could use. Like, new shirts, shoes, etc. But, in the other bag, I had planned this sailing tour in the early fall in Croatia in Europe. I wanted Andy to have something to look forward to and I had enough time to build up days off and use PTO later in the year (if I was still working at IBM that's a whole other story). 

The tour would be for 4 nights then we would fly to Greece for 2 days before flying home.

He began opening the first bag of essentials. I also got him a silver necklace that had a compass pendant that symbolized his one-year sobriety coming up.

The first thing he was excited about was the new tennis shoes I got him. He was like a kid on Christmas morning opening the gifts.

"I hope you like them and they fit," I commented.

"Darling they are perfect. You know I love my sneakers," he remarked as he put the box of shoes down.

Then, he found the box with the necklace. 

He opened it and then looked at me.

"I did some research and asked around and this necklace symbolizes your navigation of sobriety. Especially with being officially one year sober from drinking, someone said it symbolizes the direction you are going," I explained.

He fumbled getting it out of the box.

"Can you help me put it on?" he asked me as he gestured the necklace towards me.

I grabbed the necklace from him and put it on him. It felt like a full-circle moment.

I clasped it and he tilted his head back to look at me.

"Thanks for believing in me and giving me my second chance at life," he told me.

I leaned down and kissed his forehead. He had this giant smile on his face. I came back to sit next to him.

"What else did you get me?" he asked as he kept digging through the first bag.

"Well, this bag was all the "fun" stuff. This second bag is the big gift," I told him.

"You didn't have to do that at all darling. This is more than plenty and I appreciate it all," he told me.

"I have another small bag to give to you on Saturday when your folks are here," I commented.

"Good golly darling I feel spoiled," he chuckled.

He pulled out the shirts I had gotten him. Including a new "Malibu" sweatshirt that matched his old one since I kept his.

After he was done opening that bag, it was time for the big gift.

"Okay this one you need to pay attention to and don't lose anything," I told him.

In the bag with the tickets, I had bought sunscreen, a new pair of sunglasses for him, and a new hat since it would be sunny and warm for the boat tour.

"Okay darling," he remarked as he began opening the bag. 

He took the items out one by one. He looked confused more than the next until he got to the envelope with all the information.

He furrowed his eyebrows together before opening the envelope. He looked up at me and back down to the papers in his hands.

"Wait a sailing tour?" he asked as his face turned back into that giant goofy smile.

I shook my head.

"Yes Andrew we are going to Croatia in the fall to do a sailing tour," I told him.

He was really in a state of shock.

"I don't even know what to say," he told me as he stared at the tickets.

"I know you like being in the water or well near water and I know you like sailing from what you told me and I want you to get to do that and explore somewhere we have never been," I told him.

He put the stuff down so he could hug me. Boy did he hug me tightly.

"Thank you darling for everything. I am very overwhelmed by everything. You outdid yourself," he told me as he kept me in that embrace.

"I just want you to have everything you need and want," I told him.

He kissed my forehead this time.

I glanced at the clock and the time kept ticking closer to my bedtime schedule and I hated it.

"Well now we got to get your cake done," I told him as he let go of the embrace.

"Wait," he remarked as he stopped me from standing up.

He kissed me. You could feel the love from his soul.

"Now you can get the cake ready," he commented after a second.

I smiled at him as I stood up to find the lighter.

I got all the candles lit.

"Make a wish," I told him as I held the cake in front of him.

"How can I wish for anything else when I've already got you and this newfound life?" he asked.

I smiled.

"Well wish for something. It's your special day. Who knows it may come true like last year's wish," I told him.

He smiled at me before he closed his eyes and blew the candles out.

"Happy Birthday Andrew," I told him.

"It is indeed," he told me in response.

Happy Birthday Andy. Only the stars know what's in store for the next year.