Joyce's birthday was fast approaching and Hopper had something planned...something top secret and huge. Almost every time Joyce walked into the room silence fell. "What are you guys up to?" She'd ask. This time though, El spoke.
"Mom stop, you know its your birthday soon...let us do this...its a surprise...".
"OK, ok" Joyce smiled and left them alone. Throughout that week, every time she entered a room they'd stop talking and just smile at her. She'd smile, roll her eyes and leave the room.
The morning of her birthday finally arrived. When she woke she could smell coffee, bacon and something sweet, probably eggos. She stretched and got out of bed. In the kitchen on the table was every breakfast item you could think of and her whole family looked up and shouted "happy birthday!".
Joyce sat whilst breakfast was served to her, she sipped on her coffee, smiling at the scene around her. El jumped in first, holding a present out stretched to Joyce. "Happy birthday mom" El hugged her tight. Joyce carefully unwrapped the box to find a photograph of herself with El in a beautiful silver frame with the word MOM engraved on it. "El! It's gorgeous sweetheart, thank you so much". Before she could say anything else, Will pushed forward and held out his present. "Happy birthday Mom". Feeling very spoilt she opened the present to find a pair of earrings, almost identical to a pair Hopper had bought her in high school. She starred at them with a huge smile on her face. She looked at Hopper "what? Will chose them, I just agreed they'd suit you".
Next was Jonathan's turn his box was bigger than the others and heavier too. "Wow" she said "its heavy".
Jonathan smiled at her, "Nancy helped, it's from both of us". Joyce opened the box and found a photo album full of photos from Joyce's life. Her baby photos, her school photos everything through to today. Jonathan held up his camera and snapped a picture of her. "This picture I'll get developed today" he kissed his Mom and sat back down. Joyce could hardly believe it. Some of these photos she hadn't seen in decades yet here they were beautifully displayed.
"I guess its my turn" said Hopper. He gave her a present and smiled as she opened it, they all smiled. As she unwrapped the gift, paper fell to the floor she held in her hands a new kettle. She tried to smile but was confused as to why Hopper would buy her such a practical "house" gift. "Do you like it?" He asked. "I noticed you needed a new one".
Joyce tried to hide her disappointment thinking to herself "a kettle??? What the hell???". She set it aside and thanked him. El was the first the speak, "come on Mom, make sure it works". She dragged Joyce to the sink. Everyone was smiling, Joyce was confused but did it anyway. She took off the lid and went to pour in water when she saw something else in it. She reached in and pulled out a little black box. She starred at it and then at Hopper. "Oh, that's where I left it..." Hopper grinned "go ahead, open it". Joyce opened the small box to find a gorgeous diamond ring. She looked at Hopper then the kids before settling her eyes back on the ring. Hopper took the ring and Joyce's hand and got down on one knee. "Joyce Laura Horrowitz, will you do me the huge honour of becoming my wife?". Joyce, with tears in her eyes, nodded and said "yes Hop, yes I will marry you". Hopper picked her up and spun her around the room, everyone cheered. Jonathan smiled as he recorded every moment on camera.
