"Many happy returns!" Andrea's mother exclaimed to the sound of clinking champange glasses.
"Happy birthday, future wife." Michael whispered in Andrea's ear.
She turned to look at him grinning. "Can't believe it's been a year." She told him.
"And we've already got the 'through thick and thin' part nailed down, don't we?" Michael rested his arm on her shoulder as they gazed upon their friends and loved ones. Andrea had the vivid recollection of last year's feast and the mayhem that ensued.
"Well, if we can get through that, we can get through anything." She told him before adressing the room. "Thank you all so much for coming today. It means the world to me. Most of you know, but in case some don't, I want to let you know that since two weeks ago I am officially cancer free."
Everyone clapped and cheered wildly. It had been a hellish year for Andrea, getting the dreadful news a little over a year ago that her dizzy spells, which she had dismissed as exhaustion were actually something much more dangerous.
"And to Michael I want to say, thank you for being in my life. Thank you for not giving up on me when I wanted to give up on myself. I can't wait to marry you!" Andrea said before standing on her tiptoes to give him a soft kiss.
A few hours later after every one of their guests had gone, Michael looked at his watch. "It's your birthday for another 45 minutes. How do you want to spend it?" He asked her.
Andrea looked at him meaningfully.
"Alright, I'm getting the keys."
As Michael drove them through the empty streets of their hometown to their secret spot a melodic song about a couple that endured misunderstandings, fights and trouble played on the radio, which Andrea found quite suitable.
"Remember when you used to pick me up at midnight in this very same truck, always stopping a block away from my house?"
"Your father would have killed me if he saw me." Michael said as the car came to a halt.
Michael laid down a blanket on the back of the truck and they both climbed up and laid down. As Andrea gazed at the full August moon she thought of all the times they had come here.
They first started going out when they were seniors in high school. She was the good girl, focused on her classes, president of book club. He had long hair and wore tight jeans and didn't participate in school activities until one day he appeared in a book club meeting. He stayed back after the meeting ended, and they got to talking and still talking as he drove her home. As it turned out they had the same taste in books and music and they continued talking the next day and the day after that.
They exchanged books and records and they went to see local bands play and one day he drove her in what was to become their secret spot and he told her he joined book club to find a way to talk to her.
Andrea was shocked especially because of the rumors she had heard about him and some other girl. He didn't deny the rumors but he said that all that was in the past now. And he meant it.
They started going out and for the first time in her life, Andrea wasn't counting the days till graduation. But when the time came as she knew it would, they gave each other promises that the physical distance wouldn't break them up.
They fought for a while, but promises are meant to be broken.
The next time Andrea saw Michael she felt like all the air had left the room. She was a senior in college with her job lined up for her after graduation and a serious boyfriend who wanted to introduce her to his parents. And there he was up on stage, as handsome as ever, his long hair falling carelessly on his shoulders, his white t-shirt soaked in sweat, taking her breath away.
He had dropped out of college, Andrea learned over drinks later. He was now the lead guitarist of an indie band that was currently on a college tour, trying to get signed.
"Do you regret it? Dropping out of college?" She asked him.
"No, not at all. College wasn't for me. I have only one regret in my life, but that's not it."
Andrea felt her knees weaken.
They lost touch again after that. Months went by. She got engaged to her steady boyfriend and worked at her steady job and Michael was now on the radio and had a world tour and one of his band's songs beared a stunning ressemblance to a song he once wrote for her.
"Andrea if you're hearing this..."
She heard him. She left her steady fiancee and quit her steady job but for once the future didn't scare her, for it was full of possibilities.
"... I love you."
"I love you too. I never stopped."
When they reunited it was as if they were never apart. But then the cancer came and it was the biggest obstacle yet. After she fainted on her birthday party last year, Michael took her to the hospital. As they waited for the tests to come back he never left her side. When the doctors gave them the news, he was strong enough for both of them. He saved her life.
"That's Aurora." Michael said, pointing up at the sky, waking Andrea from her daydream. "Are you alright? Are you cold?" He was always taking care of her.
"No, not at all. I was reminiscing about old times."
"Happy memories?"
"The happiest. I can't wait for the rest of our life."
