Welcome to another Blog story, please relax, put your favorite playlist, prepare a really good cup of coffee or tea and follow me in this new adventure. Hope you like it <3
An Easter Surprise
Pumping my arms, I kept up a decent pace. I could feel my legs burning and my heart pounding, but I kept running.
I crossed the deserted street and stopped at our house. Running up the porch steps we recently built, I found my water bottle in it's usual spot on the railing.
I checked the time on my stopwatch before draining my water bottle.
Stretched and rehydrated, I opened the screen door to get inside.
"You should have come today," I ran into my boyfriend of four and a half years in the kitchen, "I'm getting pretty fast."
"That's exactly why I don't come." Jesse snickered, sipping his morning coffee.
"I thought it was because of your asthma." I teased, giving him a kiss on the cheek before leaving the kitchen to have a shower.
"That's just an excuse I use!' Jesse yelled, "I could totally take you down in a race!"
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Jesse!" I called back from our bedroom.
His chuckling could be heard down the hall. Smiling, I got ready for my shower.
Since moving into this three bedroom rancher just over three months ago, I've been going for morning jogs around the neighbourhood every few days.
Every morning that I go, I invite Jesse.
And every morning he refuses to come with me.
His loss really.
Drying my hair after getting dressed, I sat on our bed to brush it out.
"Ang," Jesse walked in holding my phone, "You know what today is, don't you?"1
"Should I?" I frowned, trying to think.
"It's Easter." Jesse's eyes lit up, "And your aunt just called."
"You're excited about Easter?" I laughed.
"Not really, but your aunt invited us to have dinner tonight at her place with your cousins."
"Will my mo-"
"Just your aunt and cousins, I swear." He pinky promised.
Every since grade 12, I've had issues with my mom. I haven't talked to her for a year or two and I'm not planning on starting now.
It's a bad attitude, I know. But she brought it upon herself when she:
1) Basically kicked me out just before grade 12 to go live with my aunt and twin cousins because work was too much for her.
2) Gave me no option but to switch schools and drop everything to move.
3) Told me straight to my face she doesn't like my boyfriend.
4) Made no attempt to get a hold of me when I was living with my aunt.
For those reasons, I'm not so keen on seeing her anytime soon.
"Did you say we'd go?" I braided my hair down my back.
"I said I'd ask you what you thought and you'd call her back."
"Thanks for doing so much work." I rolled my eyes at Jesse before grabbing my phone from his hand.
"At least I answered your phone." He shrugged, sitting down beside me on our bed.
Sighing, I rest my head on his shoulder. I closed my eyes and felt Jesse wrap his arm around my shoulder.
"We could just stay here and not go." He murmured, resting his head on mine.
"It's only 9 in the morning." I laughed, "We won't have to go until like 4:30."
"Oh good." Jesse pulled me down onto the bed beside him. "We can lay here until then."
"Jesse," I squirmed, "My hair is wet and it's gonna soak the blanket."
"It'll dry." He grabbed my hand.
"I've got stuff to do." I wiggled away from him, only to be pulled back closer.
"Not anything as important as laying here with me."3
"I have to go grocery shopping." I gave him a pouty look.
"No you don't."
"We have no food."
"Sure we do."
"Jesse..."
"Ang..."
"I've gotta at least call my aunt back." Jesse let go of me and I sat up to make the call.
"Hey, auntie." I swatted Jesse away. He was trying to tickle me while I was on the phone.
"Angie, how was your run?" My aunt asked me.
"Really good, thanks."
"Good, good." I heard my cousins talking in the background, "So, I talked to Jesse about it, but I'm having an Easter dinner tonight. Do you guys have plans?"
"No, we actually forgot it was Easter." I admitted.
"How do you do that?" My aunt laughed.
"Who knows." I shrugged, scooting off the bed to get out of Jesse's reach.
"Dinner should be around 6, but you guys are welcome anytime before then."
"Thanks, auntie. We'll probably be out around 5."
"Sounds good, see you then." We said our good-byes and hung up.
"I've gotta go grocery shopping." I turned to look at Jesse who was making the bed, "Wanna come?"
"You know I'd love too, Ang," He came and gave me a hug, "But I've gotta do something."1
"And 5 minutes ago you didn't have to?"
"I just remembered."
"Good excuse." I shook my head, "I'll be back in like an hour."
I grabbed my purse and car keys, wrote a list of things we need, and left for the store.
Knowing what to buy, I went up and down each aisle filling my cart.
As I was going down the frozen foods section, I recognized a girl I was friends with in grade 12 after switching schools.
Not sure whether I should say hi or not, I kept my head down and focused on my list.
"Angie?" I looked up, "Oh my god! How are you?" Jessica's contact green eyes shone.
"Jessica!" I grinned, happy to see her after two years. "I'm great, you?"
"I'm really good." She smiled, reminding me of how much I missed talking with her.
Sometime in grade 12 after being friends for a few months, we stopped hanging out so much and our talks came to a halt. By time graduation rolled around, we only chatted here and there.
When I moved with Jesse after that, I lost contact with her. It's been a while since I've seen Jessica.
We stood catching up in the aisle. She hadn't changed much, but she said I looked like I had.
"I don't know what it is, but you look... happier?" She laughed, moving her cart for a mom and her kids to pass.
"Is that good?"
"Yeah," she grinned, "it is."
She asked me about Jesse and told me how happy she was to hear that we were still together.
"I remember the first day of grade 12 when I was partnered up with you to show you around," Jessica ran her fingers through her long, black hair, "I barely got a word out of you until I asked about a bracelet you were wearing. Your face lit up and you said it was from your boyfriend Jesse."
Blushing, I nodded as I remembered too.
"Happy Easter, Ang." She smiled, exchanging numbers with me.
"You too. Call me later."
"Definitely." She grinned before pushing her cart down the aisle.
Grabbing the few things I still needed, I headed to the checkout and paid.
Loading the bags into my car, my phone began playing the ringtone assigned for Jesse.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Hey, how's it going?"
"I'm just loading the car. I ran into Jessica and we talked for a while, sorry."
"Jessica?" Jesse's voice sounded confused.
"You know, the first friend I made in grade 12 at my new school?"
"Oh." He paused, "You saw her?"
"Yeah, that's why I'm so late. I'll be home in like 15 minutes."
"Okay, see ya then."
"See ya." I hung up.
The drive home was fast and problem free.
Pulling into our driveway, Jesse waved at me from the porch.
Running to help, he grabbed as many bags as he could at once and brought them inside.
Instead of our usual two or three trips out to the car, it took us one to bring everything in.2
We emptied the bags and stocked up our fridge and cupboards with the food.
"Done." I shut the fridge door.
I turned around expecting to see Jesse, but he wasn't there.
His footsteps could be heard coming from the bedroom.
"Ang, I've got a surprise for you." He grinned, handing me a piece of paper.
"You know, you've ruined surprises for me." I teased, "I no longer am surprised when you try to surprise me."
"But this one is really good." Jesse nodded, making sure I read the note.
Frowning, I looked up from the piece of paper.
"It's a clue."
"Yeah."
"What am I suppose to do with this?"
"It's a clue, Ang. Follow it."
"You didn't make me a-"
"You have half an hour to finish." He set his watch, purposely interrupting me. "Ready, set, go!"
Shaking my head, I reread the clue. Figuring he meant our bedroom by "blanket heaven", I went there first.
In our closet, (where we keep extra blankets, sheets, and pillow cases) I found another clue and a couple chocolate eggs.
From there I went to both of our spare bedrooms and found the same set up: another clue and a pile of mini chocolate eggs.
Going to our dining room, I found the next clue in an Easter basket- which I took to carry all of my chocolate eggs- and a chocolate bunny.
The next clue lead me outside. Jesse had conveniently placed my shoes beside the back door, so I slipped them on and stepped out.2
Once outside, I found three more clues and tons more chocolate.
After finding what I hoped was the last clue, I got stuck. I couldn't figure it out.
You're almost there. Just one last stop. Head to the place where you store, keep, and cherish memories.
"Where I store memories?" I sat down in the living room. "I don't have a memory box or anything."
I sat and thought for some time.
Where I store, keep, and cherish memories..1
Coming up with an idea of what Jesse might be talking about, I walked down the hallway to our bedroom.
Going straight for my desk, I pulled out my notebook that I use to keep notes from Jesse.
Taped to the outside was another note.
Happy Easter, Angie!
Was all it said.
"Jesse!" I called him, "I'm done!" I took a seat on our bed with my basket of chocolate and handful of clues.
"And it only took you 29 minutes." He chuckled as he walked in.
"Shut up, I got stuck." I laid down.
Jesse lay beside me, moving my basket to the end of the bed.
"You know you're the worst, right?" I rolled over to face him.
"I know, but what reasons do you have?" He played along.
"You never let me surprise you with anything. You build me forts and buy me chocolate and I always feel bad because I'm just not good at surprises." I stopped for a moment, "Plus I just think you're the worst." I joked.
"That's why I surprise you." Jesse looked at me, "You do everything else. I figure I owe you something every once in a while."1
"I don't do anything." I bit my lip.
"Sure you do," He grabbed my hands, "You go grocery shopping whether you want to or not because I'm lazy and usually don't want to go. And you make sure I don't just waste my day laying in bed with you because I probably could."
"That's nothing though." I scooted closer to Jesse, "You make me things and buy me stuff. I just nag you for trying to get me to stay laying beside you all day."
"And that's okay." He laughed, giving me a kiss.
"One day I'll surprise you."
"Okay, Ang."
"I will."
"I'm sure you will." He winked, earning himself a nudge closer to the edge of the bed. "Hey!"
"I'm never going to finish all of this chocolate." I stared into my full basket. "You're gonna have to help me." I threw a piece at Jesse.
"See? There's another thing you do for me." He picked it up off the bed, "You share the goodies you won't finish."
Laughing, I opened up a piece for myself.
"You know we have to go soon, right?" I eyed Jesse's messy hair and old clothes.
"I'm ready."
"Not for Easter dinner at my aunt's, you're not."
"Aw come on, you know I look good." Jesse grabbed my hands and pulled me towards him, causing me to knock over the basket.
"Jesse!" I screamed, laughing the whole time. "Let go!"
"We have time to lay here." He pretended to sleep.
"It's 2:30."
"Exactly, we don't have to leave until at least 4:30."
"I've gotta go get ready." Once again, I found myself trying to squirm out of Jesse's arms.
"You look gorgeous already." Jesse gave me a small kiss, "just lay with me for a while."
"Fine," I sighed, giving in.
"I love you, Ang." He let me lay beside him, "And all the things you do for me."
"Love you too, Jesse." I shut my eyes, "And even though I forgot it was today, happy Easter."
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