You Don't Know Me | A Andy Gibb What If Story

Chapter 69

"I'm sorry I'm late," I remarked running into the house.

I was stuck at the office late. And of all days I had an extra stack of work to do, it was Andy's birthday.

I walked in to find Andy nowhere to be seen.

"Weird his car is in the driveway," I remarked as I put my stuff up.

I walked and Sam was asleep outside my bedroom door.

"Wait he must be in the bedroom," I remarked before stepping over Sam and going into the bedroom.

He was asleep. I felt so bad cause I did not expect to work late. Let alone be late on his birthday.

I sat down on the bed and felt his forehead. His eyelashes rested against his cheek.

I leaned down and kissed his forehead.  I didn't want to startle him.

He began to stir.

"You're finally home," he mumbled half-asleep.

"Yes I am," I remarked as he sat up.

"I began to think the office swallowed you up," he commented with a chuckle.

I shook my head.

"I am so sorry to be late for your birthday," I told him.

"Darling no need to fret. It's okay," he told me as he ran his hand over his hair.

I glanced at the clock and it was already 5:30. I sighed knowing I had to be in bed and do the routine all over again for work.

"Let's go eat and also you can see the cake I made for you tonight," I told him.

And so, we trekked out to the living room. I had left money for Andy to pick up something, whatever he wanted, to celebrate his birthday dinner. Then, on Saturday, his parents, his sister Berri, and possibly some other friends would be over for his official birthday dinner. 

So he had gotten some sort of takeout from a steak house and had managed to keep it warm in the oven while I was busy at work.

We ate and then as he sat in the living room, I ran to get his presents and also got his cake and candles.

I was very much having a deja vu to last year for his birthday. But this time,  I was actually with him. Not putting on a masquerade. Before heading to the living room, I went and let Sam out for one last time for the night.

"Here we are," I remarked with an accent.

He chuckled.

"That accent was cute," he remarked as he grabbed the bags from me.

"Haha thanks," I remarked as I put the cake on the table.

I took the lid off and put some candles.

"You ain't gonna put 29 on there for me?" he asked chuckling.

"I mean I could I just, it's a fire hazard," I joked.

"Are you calling me old?" he teased back.

I laughed even louder.

"No no no Andrew," I told him.

"I'm just teasing darling," he told me.

"I know but open your gifts now," I told him.

"Okay okay," he told me as I finished putting the candles on the cake.

"Now start with this one," I told him.

I knew at this point in his career that he was still sort of struggling. He wasn't making millions and millions like he used to. He had a debt to certain credit cards and such. So, I knew the best thing to do was to get him stuff he could use. Like, new shirts, shoes, etc. But, in the other bag, I had planned this sailing tour in the early fall in Croatia in Europe. I wanted Andy to have something to look forward to and I had enough time to build up days off and use PTO later in the year (if I was still working at IBM that's a whole other story).