So This Is Love?

Part 5: Mishaps

***March 20, 2019***

It was a nightmare.

The day arrived that she needed to take a deep breath and give into the fact that she is over the hill.

40 is a big deal- even if you try to think of it as just another year older.

40 is the death sentence to all you dreamed of doing when you were younger- and missed out on due to foolishness.

Like having a natural- from you body and blood- child.

That is gone and it's literally just started.

Work today was plain and boring.

A few people remembered it was her birthday and therefore stated something.

She was a good sport about the old jokes, but inside she was dying.

Walking down the hall to leave, she just passes the left hall, when Ryan grabs her.

"FREE!"

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!!!! ARE YOU TRYING TO GIVE ME A BLOODY HEART ATTACK!!!!" She starts hitting him with her clutch and he just starts laughing and tries to grab her swinging hands.

"Stop!! Hahaha stop it!!" Grabbing a hold of them, he pulls her close- her red leopard dress blowing slightly in the wind she's created. "Sorry...haha I'm sorry."

"Why are you scaring me?! Give me a fright!"

"Because I wanted to take you somewhere tonight."

"Ry, I'm really tired. I want to just go home and sleep. It's been a long day."

"Listen, just cause you're forty doesn't mean you need to eat your dinner at 3 and go to bed at 5."

"It's 7:30–thank you."

"Either way- you're coming out with me."  Not giving her a choice, he tugs her along and they head outside where they're greeted by a limo. "Your chariot, Mi'lady."

"What are you up too?" He smiles and they enter the back of the limo, where he pops some champagne and hands her a glass. "You're playing a game, Little Boy- that you shouldn't be."

Smirking, he sips his wine and they ride downtown and get out at a tall skyscraper. She doesn't question it and follows him inside and onto an elevator that takes them to the top floor. When the doors open, everyone jumps out and screams Happy Birthday— which startles her, but also brings a few tears to her eyes.

"Happy Birthday Freems." Ryan wraps his arms around her from behind and kisses her temple.

He goes off and gets the party pumping even more. They get her up to perform a bit- though she isn't the best singer/rapper- everyone seemed to enjoy it.

Ryan ended up dedicating a song to her with the help of  Margot Bingham.

After they snag happy birthday and she blew out the candles on her 40 cake- she looks around and finds Ryan on the balcony taking a sip of his beverage. Going out to him, she  wraps her arms around him from behind.

"Hey...who's this?" He feigns ignorance.

"You did all this for me?" She turns him and asks. He smiles warmly down at her.

"Well....yeah. I wanted you to have a great birthday." Wrapping her arms around him so tightly, a few tears spring up in her eyes and he just holds her tightly until she is ready to let go.