Stolen Surprise

    The bright morning sun peered over the mountains spread across the horizon, pouring blinding light into the world. It filled every nook and cranny with sunshine, taking over the darkness. That light awoke Maddie, whose eyes immediately fell upon her calendar. She squinted her eyes for a closer look at the words and numbers written on it, looking for something specific and special.

    It's one week until my birthday! A wide grin spread across her face. Soon she would be ten, which seemed like such a big number to her. It would mean that her age would have not just one number, but two. That made her feel giddy and excited for what was to come. 

        I'm almost all grown up, she marveled as she climbed out of bed, gently arranging her stuffed animals atop the vibrant pink sheets of her bed. I wonder what I'm going to get for my birthday... candy? A new Barbie doll? More stuffed animals? Thousands of possibilities swirled through her head as she changed her pajamas for her pink dress. She looked down at her outfit, wondering if it was the right choice for the day. Maybe I should save this one for my birthday, she noted, switching the dress for something more casual, but still something pink. 

    It was quite evident that pink was Maddie's favorite color. It had been that way for as long as she remembered, and it would always be that way. She hoped that whatever she got for her birthday would be pink. If she was having a party, she would have hoped everything in it would be pink. However, her parents had never mentioned a party, which must mean that she wouldn't be getting one.

    That note brought a frown to Maddie's lips. She almost always had birthday parties, but this year she wouldn't. Why was she not getting a birthday party for one of the biggest ages she would ever turn? It was a mind boggling question, and she wanted an answer.

        Maybe I can be a spy and see if Mama has any secrets... 

    On that note, Maddie grabbed a few spy tools and snuck out of her room. She tip-toed down the hall and spotted her mom standing in the kitchen. Everything seemed normal, but Maddie noticed something different. Not only was her mom preparing the breakfast gravy, but she was also texting someone on her phone. Maddie's mom almost never texted while cooking. She wasn't very good at multitasking, so she rarely did it.

    Maddie silently stepped closer, tilting her head upwards in an attempt to see what was on the screen. Maybe she's texting someone about my birthday!

        Maddie got even nearer to her mom--dangerously nearer. She held her breath and didn't make a single sound. Being as quiet as she could, Maddie looked at her mom's phone.

    Will these decorations work? the text read. A picture was above the message, and in it were several different party decorations--and they were all pink.

        Yes, those are perfect, her mom replied to the text. She will be so surprised. Thank you so much for helping!

        Maddie's eyes widened. I'll be surprised? At what? Maddie thought for a moment. Am I getting a surprise birthday party? A small gasp escaped her lips, which instantly gave her away.

        Her mom turned around swiftly, attempting to look casual. She plastered a smile on her face, fumbling with the spoon she was using to stir the gravy. "Good morning, sunshine," she greeted Maddie, setting aside the spoon.

    "Hi, Mama," Maddie spoke, still stunned by the texts she had seen.

        Why did I spy on Mama? It's supposed to be a surprise party. I never should've done that!

        "Are you ready for breakfast?" Maddie's mom inquired, grabbing a couple potholders and pulling the biscuits out of the oven.

    "Yeah, sure, yep!" Maddie replied nervously, trying to not let her secret slip. She couldn't let anyone know that she knew about her surprise birthday party. She would have to pretend that she was surprised when the time came for her party. If she didn't seem surprised, then that would definitely give her away. No one could find out. She would be the only one who knew her secret.

~ ~ ~

    The days prior to Maddie's birthday party seemed to fly by. She didn't know if that was a good or bad thing. She needed more time to come up with a way to cover up what she had done. She was still unsure of what she would say at her party. How could she fake being surprised?

    These feelings and questions made Maddie feel extremely conflicted as the days passed by. She felt far more nervous than excited, even though she knew she had a birthday party coming up. 

        Maybe I should just tell Mama what I did, Maddie thought, grimacing as she pictured her mom's reaction. Would she be mad? Sad? Disappointed? Would she feel a different way? Maddie feared the possibilities. 

        No matter what I do, the party is going to happen. I guess I should just keep it in as long as I can. If nobody finds out then that's fine, but if somebody does find out I'll probably get in trouble for spying on Mama. I kind of deserve to get in trouble, though.

        Maddie sighed. Just mere days ago she felt more excited than ever for her birthday, but now she didn't know how to feel. I'm definitely not sad that I'm having a party... but I think I'm disappointed in myself. I shouldn't have done that, but I did it anyways. I need to say sorry, but not just to Mama. I need to say sorry to everyone at the party.

~ ~ ~

    Soon it was Maddie's birthday, and she was dreading it. She never thought that she would ever feel this way about one of her birthdays, but she did anyway. 

    Even though Maddie was already awake, her mom came in to wake her up.

    "Happy birthday, Maddie!" her mom exclaimed, a bright smile on her face.

    Maddie stared at her mom silently, wanting to burst. The weight of the secret was indescribable and she had to say something. But what?

    "Maddie? Are you okay?" her mom inquired, sitting on the edge of the bed. She looked at her daughter, her eyes filled with concern.

    Maddie hesitated, blinking back her tears of guilt. "I'm so sorry, Mama! I saw you texting and I saw the pink party decorations and I messed up the surprise!" she blurted out, burying her face in her hands.

    "The surprise?" her mom repeated, confusion in her words. "What surprise, Maddie?"

    "My birthday party," Maddie answered, her words muffled by her hands.

    "Your birthday party?" Maddie's mom paused for a moment, taking a second to think her next words through. "Maddie... that's for your sister's birthday next week," she said regretfully.

    "So it's not mine?" Maddie asked, a bout of sadness hitting her like a bag of bricks. Her mom shook her head. That small motion broke Maddie's heart. Now that she knew that the party wasn't hers, she wanted it even more. Feeling more disappointed than she ever had in her entire life, Maddie slunk under the sheets of her bed and silently wept over the loss of her special surprise.