The Gift

(This week’s writing challenge was about keeping it to 100 words. Sometimes it is much harder to for me to write something short.)

I told myself this year’s birthday would come and go. I took the date off of social media so I wouldn’t get the not-so-endless notifications. I would not think about last year’s excuses made not to want to be with me.

I would not offer myself as an excuse for cake and a fun trip for the kids.

It would just be me. That is how I wanted it. Quiet, peace, and the laziness that comes with a three-day weekend. Nothing more.
But then the text came through.

Meet me. I have a gift for you, Baby.