A Partridge in a Pear Tree

My eyes flitter awake, the grogginess taking over.  Oh, how I would love to go back to bed right now, I think to myself.  Suddenly, the realization hits me.  “Buddy! It’s Christmas Eve!”  I say to my dog.  Ding! My doorbell rings. “Hmm, Buddy, I wasn’t really expecting anyone.”  Confused, I walk to my door.

“I have a package for Ms. Tudor,” the postman announces.  “Here is your partridge in a pear tree.”

“What? Who is this even from?”  I glance over the large package--From Tristan.  Why did Tristan get me a partridge in a pear tree? I sign off on the package and lift it inside my door.  I can hardly wait as I rip open the box.  And sure enough, there is a partridge in a pear tree.  How do I even take care of this? I search the box, looking for some kind of instructions. My hand catches on a piece of paper at the bottom.  I open and see that it says, Will you marry me, Allie?  How am I even supposed to react?  I rush to the phone to call my best friend, Jordan.  She could not answer the phone slow enough.

“Hello?” She answers.

“Jordan.  Don’t laugh, this is real.  But, Tristan just sent a partridge in a pear tree to my door and wrote a note asking me to marry him inside!  I have no idea how to feel and my brain is going crazy.”  I reply, the words spewing out of my mouth.

“WHAT!?!?  Are you serious right now?  But, you’ve only dated him for six months.”

“I know.  That’s why this whole thing is so weird.  I don’t even think that I want to accept the proposal, but I don’t know what to do.”  Ding!  “Okay, one sec.  The doorbell just rang again.  Stay on the phone and I’ll keep you updated.”

“I have a package for Ms. Tudor,” the new postman announces.  I groan just thinking about what could be inside.  I sign off on the package and bring it inside.

“Okay, Jordan.  Are you still there? Another package just came, and guess who sent it? Tristan.” I rip open the box again, scared to see what’s going to be inside this time.  Why does this have to happen on Christmas Eve?  I have so much to do already!  “Yep, two turtle doves.  Why is he sending birds?  Oh, and another proposal letter.”

“How could he put you in this position?  You barely know each other.  Also, I think he might be trying to be romantic with the Twelve Days of Christmas gifts.”  Jordan is just as confused as I am.

“Well, I think the next time I see him, I’ll break up with him.  It’s just going too quick.”

“I get it.  I think that’s the best thing to do.  I’ll let you go, I know you have so much to do to get ready for your party.  Let me know if there are any more packages.”  We say our goodbyes and hang up the phone.

Now, onto the next most important thing of the day.  I begin making my special cookies that I always make on Christmas Eve -- peanut butter kiss cookies.  What made him think that this was a good idea?  I mean, I guess I should have gratitude that he is giving me gifts, but birds?  Really?  Ding!  The doorbell rings again.  “Oh no,” I say to Buddy.  

“I have a package for Ms. Tudor,”  the third postman announces.  I can’t even imagine what it will be this time.  Once more, I run through the drill and open the package up.  Three French hens!  Are you serious?  Once again, there’s the note.  Why does he think this is a good idea?  As the day goes on, I am slowly realizing that I barely know this guy. I put the cookies in the oven and get dressed for the day.  Yep, I was in my pajamas for that whole thing.

Thirty minutes later, I am all ready for the day, as ready as I’ll ever be.  Ding!  Oh, the oven timer went off!  That didn’t really sound like the normal time, but enough weird things have happened today.  I rush downstairs, Buddy at my heels.  Hmm, the oven timer is still going… Oh no!  I open the door.

“I have a pack-”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” I say, cutting off the fourth postman’s spiel.  I rip open the box.  Four calling birds!  Who does this guy think I am? The bird sanctuary???  I text Jordan right away to let her know and run to the kitchen where the real oven timer went off.  Before I know it, my phone is ringing.

“Hi, Jordan!”

“Why is he getting you so many birds and where are you putting them?”

“Honestly, I’m just kind of leaving them in my living room,” I reply while finishing up my cookies.  “Maybe I’ll give them to the zoo once I turn him down.”

“That sounds like a good idea.  I do have one thing to tell you.  I’m pretty sure he is going to send five gold rings next.  He has been following the Twelve Days of Christmas, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he comes with a ring next, so be prepared.”

“Okay, thanks for the heads up.  I gotta go, so I’ll call you if anything else happens.  Bye,” I say, hanging up the phone.  “Buddy, this has been the craziest of days.”

I trudge to the couch, ready to sit down and relax before I have to go to the party.  I plop down, and open up my book.  Ding!  The doorbell rings for the fifth time.  You have got to be kidding me.  Not again!

I open the door.  “Yeah, yeah, you have a package for me.”

“Actually,” He says.

I look down.  There he is.  Tristan.  At my house.  On his knee.  With a gold ring. Why does Jordan have to be right about everything?

“Hi, Allie,”  he says.  “I know this isn’t five golden rings, but I thought that one would be enough.  So, will you marry me?”  I don’t know what to say.  I have been preparing for this all day.  Yet, now that the time is here, I have no words.

“Wow, Tristan.  Thank you so much.  I just don’t think that this is going to work.  I’m really sorry,”  I say solemnly.

“Okay then, I wasn’t really expecting that,” he says, looking hurt.  “Can I at least have the birds back?”