Chapter Forty
Aaron
three months later
The only problem with my plan is I requested the help of my friends when it came to set up on the day of. My apartment is in shambles.
Josh is standing on a ladder and where he is supposed to be hanging fairy lights, he’s air-humping Darian’s head while he tries to air up balloons.
Cammie’s sitting on the couch laughing—apparently putting the paper plates on the island was enough work for her.
Jenna and Angie are working together to hang up the ‘Happy Birthday, Bear!’ banner, the only reliable two.
Kade is still trying to figure out how to lay out all the snack bowls for them to fit on the island with the plates and Alex is running around trying to hide little printed pictures of Benjamin around the apartment for people to find.
I will be confiscating Josh’s before he leaves—obviously.
And Amber isn’t even here yet. Fucking great. As I’m balancing a stack of napkins and a stack of folded blankets that need to be put up—my phone starts to ring. Everyone shuts up in an orderly fashion.
“It’s him.” I say and answer the phone—setting him on speaker.
“Hey.”
“Hey—your parents are holding me hostage on my own birthday!” He complains—clearly hiding in a bathroom somewhere.
“Aw, they missed you! Be nice—Tina is more obsessed with you than she is with her own sons.” Benjamin scoffs.
“Not true. What are you doing?” I look around the room a bit panicked.
“Not much, hanging around the apartment.” Okay—not a lie—just not the full truth.
“Hm—boring. I can’t wait to be boring with you. Oh—also… not to sound dramatic but did you know not a single one of our friends has told me happy birthday?” Everyone looks around at each other—trying not to laugh and ruin the whole fucking thing.
“Really? Hm. Maybe they plan to come by tonight or something.” I offer, trying to sound nonchalant.
“Yeah, maybe. It’s not like we’ve been besties forever—they don’t owe me anything.
I just… I think I might like them a bit more than they like me.
It makes me a little sad. Maybe I’m a little too much.
Should I talk less at events?” All eyes in the room are suddenly wide and so sympathetic for poor Button and his social anxieties.
Just hold on babe! “Aaron? Are you there?”
“Yeah, yeah. I don’t think you should change anything—you’re not too much of anything. They’re probably just busy. Give it some time, okay? I know for a fact they all love you. They’re my friends—remember? I would know.” Darian gives me a dramatic thumbs-up.
“That’s true.” Benjamin gives a sneaky little giggle. “Especially Josh. Think he likes me?”
“You’re done!” He’s full-blown laughing at me now and Josh has his whole face shoved into his shirt. “You’re being bad.”
“But it’s my birthday. I’m allowed.”
“Go hang out with my mom, Button.” He giggles some more.
“Okay—love you.”
“I love you, too.” I press to end the call and after a second or two Darian speaks.
“So, we all want to die after hearing his sad little confession of thinking he’s inferior in our friend group—right?” There is a collective series of agreements amongst the crowd.
“We need to smother him in love, I say.” Jenna suggests now that the banner is hung.
“I’ll work extra hard guys—don’t worry.” Josh jokes.
“Big talk for a guy standing on top of a ladder.” I say, narrowing my eyes at him. He throws his hands out in defense.
“Peace! No love from me!” I just shake my head—a small smile breaking its way through my angry facade.
About an hour later, the doorbell rings and everyone damn near has a heart attack. It wouldn’t be horrible if Benjamin was home now as we have most everything set up—but it’s not time yet! I peek through the peephole.
“False alarm!” I open the door to Amber holding a cake box.
“Hey—I’m not late, right?” I smile at her, shaking my head.
“Nope, come on in.” I eye her cake box as she walks past me, curious considering we already have a cake, but leaving it be.
“Hey—” She turns on me suddenly. “If I don’t say something now, I’ll be moody all night and I’d like to be a pleasant guest.” She stares at me for a moment and I give her the floor—us now standing alone in the kitchen.
“I’m hurt that I had to find out about your waking up from the group chat.
I can understand it being the next day—you needed time with family and with Bear.
But my best friend was dead to the world for five fucking months, and I get a casual text from his brother to let me know he’s back? ”
I can see the hurt in her eyes—the betrayal. She’s trying so hard to keep it together, to not make too big of a deal out of this as to not make it all about her. But her point is valid.
“You’re right.” I say—bowing my head. “That was very fucked up. I was so wrapped up in Benjamin that I didn’t even think about calling you personally and that’s not right.
You’ve been here with me, right by my side for forever and I love you.
You deserved to be one of the first to know.
” Amber stares at me for a long moment. Then—her eyes slowly soften—her shoulders relaxing.
“It was a scary time—people make mistakes. I forgive you, A.” I scoop her up into a hug.
“Thank you, Your Majesty!” She swats at me, laughing. When you’ve been friends for as long as we have and when you’ve barely ever fought, it makes forgiving and forgetting a lot easier. She knows me—I know her.
“Let go, I need to put this up.” I leave her to put up her mystery box and check the rest of the house.
Then my phone begins to ring. Once again, everyone’s heads snap this way, staring right at me in pure silence. I answer—not on speaker this time.
“Hey, baby.”
“Hey—I’m driving home. I’m probably like five away, do you need anything?” I hold up a five to everyone and they start rushing around me.
“Nah, I’m good—tell Mom to just drop you off.”
“No—Aaron—I’m driving home.” I stand in silence for a moment because what the fuck is he talking about?
“Uh—did you take the truck?” He laughs.
“They gave me a fucking car.” My eyes widen—a startled laugh bubbling out of me.
“No fucking way. What is it?”
“A BMW.”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“Swear!”
Right then Felix and Kayla come sprinting in. I hold up a four and they panic—closing the door.
“Fuck, baby—that’s awesome. I’ll come look at it after you come up and eat.”
“Eat? I just had dinner with your parents.” He sounds like he thinks I’m stupid.
“I know—smartass. I got us a cake. You didn’t let me last year, sooo.”
“Aw, you sentimental baby. Okay—I’ll come right up.” We say our goodbyes.
I look around the apartment: the banner hanging in the living room, the fairy lights, the blue and purple balloons, the confetti.
It’s all done. Even the snack table is done up.
I turn off all the lights except for the hall light and direct Felix on when to turn the living room lights on.
Everyone will jump out from different places—behind the couch, the hall to our bedroom, the kitchen.
It’ll be great.
I’m waiting by the front door when Benjamin comes up, and he looks startled by my being there.
“Hey there, puppy—waiting for me at the door all day?” He asks, giving me a cute little laugh. He’s wearing a pair of his high-waisted dress pants and flowy shirt tucked in—a combo that always makes him look like a fucking prince. His little dimples are tempting me. I lean down and kiss one.
“Of course. What else would I do while you’re gone?”
“Um—the laundry?” I laugh at him, grabbing his hand and pulling him to walk next to me.
“You’re so funny today, Button.”
“And you’re being super—”
“SURPRISE!” Everyone jumps out—lights come on, poppers go off. Benjamin screams.
“Aaron!” He’s tucked himself into me. “What is it? Fix it—get it, Aaron.” There’s this hot ball of pride that grows inside of me as everyone stares at us. Yeah, I’ll save you, baby.
“Button, turn around.” He looks up at me, startled and confused.
“What?” He turns and screams again. “What the fuck is this?!” Everyone laughs at him now and he flushes a deep red. I lean him back against me.
“Bear—it’s a surprise party. For your birthday.” Felix says, pointing to the banner. Benjamin looks between the banner and Felix—then one by one to each of our smiling friends. He tilts his head back and looks up at me now—eyes full of tears that make my heart tight and hot.
“For me?” Aw fuck. He sounds so shocked, so overwhelmed by the happiness and attention. Clearly, he’s never been in this position before.
“Yes, Benjamin. All for you.” He looks back at the room—takes it all in and turns around to shove his face into the crook of my neck—crying softly. I’m grinning at our friends like I’ve won the lottery. Darian makes kissy faces at me.
“Cake! CAKE! Cake!” Cammie cheers, causing Benjamin to choke on his tears when he laughs. I pull him off of me and hold his face as our friends begin to discuss what we should do first.
“Hey—” I say, so softly as I wipe tears with my thumbs. “You’re okay.”
“Sorry I’m ruining it. I just don’t know where to put these feelings or how to feel them.” My fucking heart!
“You aren’t ruining anything—this is your party. You can do whatever you want. Which includes crying.” He cracks a smile, bringing out the dimples once more.
“I am very happy. You did this—didn’t you?
” I shrug, grinning down at him. “I’ve never…
I’ve never really had much of a birthday party before.
Definitely never a surprise one. I thought we were getting fucking robbed.
” He shakes his head. “Thank you, Aaron. Really. This—this really means more to me than you think.” I pull him against me, wrapping him up tightly and burying my face into his golden hair.
“I love you more than any single thing—any single being in this world.” I whisper to him and he presses himself closer to me.