I looked down at my phone, surprised to see your girlfriend, Lily's, name flash across the screen. You were one of my closest friends and while we and I spoke almost daily, it was a rare occurrence for me to hear from her.
Little did I know the reason for her call, or the butterflies she was feeling as she dialled my number.
"Hey Lily," I answered, asking, "what's up?"
I could sense her nervousness immediately, as she tentatively started, "hi Jessica. You know it's Dave's birthday this weekend, right?"
I tried to stifle my groan, but it escaped before I could stop it. Some friend I was - I had agreed a few weeks ago to visit you over the weekend but had completely forgotten it was your birthday - and so had also forgotten to get you a present. Given that we were now only a few days out, it was going to be a push to get something suitable, rather than a last-minute gift.
"Thanks for the reminder, Lil, I had totally forgotten. I'll sort something out - do you have any suggestions, is there anything he wants?" I asked.
"Well actually," she started, the nervousness now even more evident, "I wanted to run an idea past you."
I was curious. You and I talked about anything and everything, and Lily knew it. There was never any cause for hesitation or nervousness in our discussions, and nothing that couldn't be said. So why was she nervous?
I would never have guessed the birthday surprise that lovely Lily had concocted.
* * *
Sundays were for your day for gaming, so Lily was unsurprised to walk into the bedroom to find you intensely focused on the television.
"Dave?" she asked tentatively, trying to gauge whether she could pull your attention from the game for a moment.
"Mmm?" you responded, still focussed on the screen.
"I have a surprise for you for your birthday," Lily continued, quietly.
The game paused, the room suddenly surprisingly silent. You turned to her, clearly startled.
"A surprise?" you asked, concerned.
She nodded at you, watching you carefully, trying to gauge your reaction.
"But I don't like surprises," you continued, a note of frustration in your voice.
She again nodded.
"Do you trust me?" she asked.
You looked at her sceptically for a moment, but couldn't deny; you trusted your girlfriend implicitly, and nodded your confirmation.
"Then do you trust me when I tell you that you'll like this surprise?" she continued.
With considered hesitation, you slowly answered, "yes."
"OK," she said as she smiled and turned to exit the room.
"Hang on," you called after her with alarm, asking "what's the surprise?"
You were met with silence, left with your imagination running wild to wonder what your girlfriend had planned.
* * *
Most of the guests had arrived and gone, and those few left had an obvious drunken happiness as they milled around the backyard, talking between themselves. Your birthday party had been going most of the night and was almost over. The buzz you'd had earlier having long worn off, you searched Lily out and stole her away for a short moment; the first opportunity you'd had to speak to her all night.
Finding Lily standing in the kitchen, seeming to take a moment to herself to catch her breath, you walked up and wrapped your arms around her from behind, your face nuzzled into her neck.
"How are you?" you ask, as you pressed a kiss to her neck.
Lily smiled and tilted her neck away, giving you more access, as she wrapped her arms over yours.
"I'm good. Have you enjoyed your night?" she asked, leaning back against you.
You nodded against her, looking over her shoulder through the window into the backyard.
"I have. It's been good to see everyone. I'm a bit disappointed that Jessica couldn't make it this weekend though," you answered.
Lily was pleased to have been facing away from you, saved from you seeing her blush furiously.
"It is," she agreed, continuing, "I'm sure we can arrange a catch up soon, so it's not too long before we see her."
You smiled at her; she was ever patient with our close friendship, and both of us were beyond grateful to her for that. Little could you have imagined, in that moment, how much closer the friendship would get.