Page 39 of Love and Other Chances

“I have the perfect place in mind,” she replies with a grin. Catherine tells me about her day at work as we drive toward Center Square. She finds a parking spot, but when we get out of the car, she comes around to my side.

Catherine holds up a handkerchief. “I’m sorry, Teegan, but I’m going to have to blindfold you.”

My heart lurches with excitement.What?! A surprise?! Yes!

I submit myself to the blindfold and let her lead me down the sidewalk. Music grows louder as she leads me through a door. Even though I’m blindfolded, I can still sense the darkness of wherever we are, interrupted by flashes of light.

I love this so much. My smile might permanently burst my cheeks, I’m grinning so widely.

Catherine leads me through another door and then pulls me to a stop. She takes off the blindfold, and I open my eyes to see a crowd of people wearing party hats. There’s a loud jumble of “Happy Birthday!” and “Surprise!” screams. I take in the room filled with everyone from my small group, Gina and Lucas from staff, Bailey, and a handful of seniors from Arrow.

Yep, my cheeks are goners. They’ll never recover from the happy grin splitting my face.

“You guys! This is amazing!” I exclaim, turning to hug Catherine. “Thank you!”

She laughs. “Don’t thank me—I was only the decoy, not the mastermind.”

Glancing around, I see a table full of food and drinks. A heaping platter of Sarah’s cookies caps the table, alongside a huge cake with “Happy Birthday Teegan” iced on top. The next thing I notice is a small stage with microphones at the front of the room.

“Oh my gosh! We’re doing karaoke?!” I can’t stop myself from jumping up and down.

Gina and a couple of the senior sorority girls kick things off with a karaoke classic, “Party in the USA,” as I take a few moments to walk around to thank everyone for coming. Bailey is standing with my church small group, and I gush my enthusiasm for the party.

“This is absolutely the best,” I exclaim. “I love surprises. And parties. And karaoke! Gah, I couldn’t be happier!”

“Hold on, you have one more surprise still,” Bailey says with a smile, then nods over my shoulder.

I swivel around to find not only Amaya, but AmayaandLana grinning behind me.

I scream.

They scream back and envelop me in a tight hug. I would cry if I wasn’t so impossibly happy to be back together with both of my Beefs in the flesh. I haven’t hugged Lana since spring break.

“What are you doing here?! Oh my gosh! I can’t believe you flew all the way here, Lana! Don’t you have class?” I’m squeezing her so hard she probably can’t breathe, but she manages to laugh anyway.

“I got my work done ahead of time, so I could be gone for a couple of days,” she says. “I’ll fly back to D.C. tomorrow evening, but I couldn’t miss an epic birthday party for my Beef!”

“You’re the best ever! And you too, Amaya! This is two trips to Brooklyn on my behalf now,” I say, transferring my squeeze hug to her.

“And I’d make a hundred more,” she declares.

“How did you even know to come?” I ask, mind still reeling with delight.

Lana and Amaya glance at each other, the look laden with unspoken communication. Amaya shrugs a shoulder, and Lana turns back to me. “Brooks planned this whole thing,” she says in a low voice. “He got Bailey to contact us to see if we could come and surprise you.”

That information is possibly the only thing that could still my hyperactive energy.

Brooks planned this whole thing?

Of course, he would remember how much I loved celebrating my birthday. But why would he go to this much effort?

My mind is overloaded with puzzling thoughts and emotions. The kind I don’t want to sort out right now. Or ever, maybe. Besides, I can’t waste this perfect night with all of my people in one room. Akaraokeroom, no less!

“I’m just going to table that bombshell for later,” I tell Amaya and Lana. “Let’s party!”

My time is divided between killing it in karaoke and conversing with each person in attendance tonight. Lana and Amaya take the stage with me for a flawless rendition of “22,” even though I rolled past that age a few years ago. Hey, if Taylor can sing it on tour at age thirty-four, then I’m allowed to sing it at twenty-six.

Brooks rallies Will and Jason to sing with him. He carries the group through a performance of “Bye, Bye, Bye,” surprising no one when he dances all the choreography. Will and Jason are a half step behind, but they mimic his moves, being good sports for my party even if it may not be their jam.

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