Starving, we raided the refrigerator and slowly came down from our buzz.
In late afternoon, Jaime and Mary left. As I waved goodbye, a truck pulled up, and a man holding an expansive bouquet of white roses approached.
“Special delivery for Anna Trapani,” he said.
“That’s me.”
“Important day?”
“It’s my birthday. I’m sixteen.”
“A very happy one to you, miss.”
“Thanks,” I said, accepting the blooms and inhaling their scent as I brought them inside. I fished out the note.
Dear Anna,
Happiest birthday wishes on your sweet sixteen!
We love you,
Mom and Dad
My overriding resentment for my parents weakened at the gesture. I’d never been sent flowers before.
I glanced at the clock. Speaking of parents, they’d be home soon, and I still needed to erase any signs of partying. I sprinted into the kitchen and put things away, haphazardly washing and drying the glasses and wiping down the countertops. I checked my appearance in the hall mirror: disheveled. I combed my hair, downed a glass of water and popped in a piece of gum.
My parents returned, none the wiser. I chatted with them more than I had in months and gushed about the flowers. As my mom prepared supper, Pete arrived, allowed over for the special occasion.
Dinner was pleasant, the mood festive and buoyant, and the conversation actually flowed, with my father refraining from lecturing either of us about future plans.
My mother brought out my favorite dessert: chocolate layer cake with chocolate icing and M&Ms on top—glowing with sixteen lit candles. I blew them out, made a wish and enjoyed a large slice, heaven on a plate.
I opened my presents. My parents gave me three new outfits plus a hundred dollars. Anthony left me two rock albums I wanted, and Pete scored us tickets to The Who concert the following weekend. Talk about a totally rad birthday haul!
Pete and I took a walk after dinner. He gave me a letter, asking me to read it in private before I went to sleep that night. We talked, kissed and hugged until it was time to part.
I couldn’t complain about the day. My birthday had been nearly flawless. As I snuggled under the covers, I pulled out Pete’s letter with anticipation.
Anna,
How do I love thee? Let me count sixteen ways.
1) You tolerate my behavior even though I get a little childish at times.
2) You are always willing to forgive and forget, and I understand it can be hard when your boyfriend is stubborn.
3) You are always loving and understanding when I have a problem that needs solving.
4) You are faithful, loyal and trustworthy.
5) You have the most beautiful hair in this whole entire world. It’s just so pretty the way it falls down around your gorgeous face.
6) Your eyes are one of your best features.
7) Your nose is the type you would expect to find only on the most beautiful of women (and by the way, you fall into that category).
8) Your lips are soft and warm—the kind very guy would like his girlfriend to have and every girl would envy.
9) Your smile is definitely one in a trillion. It’s just so big and full, perfect for kissing.
10) Your neck is so soft and kissable. It is one of your ‘hot spots.’ You also get hickeys very easily, and it’s fun watching you come to school with a turtleneck and scarf on trying to hide the little devils.
11) Oh yeah, I forgot your ears. How could I forget them? You should not cover them up with your hair because it would be easier for me to get to them and get you all squirmy.
12) This next topic is more general. I love your back, how it’s soft and smooth with all its curves and grooves.
13) Now onto your biggest subject: your butt! Oh, your beautiful full, round, squeezable pudgy buns. It is one of your sexiest features.
14) Moving around to your front, your stomach, the flat area right below your breasts. That perfectly proportioned, ticklish part of you that can turn you on (if you know how to do it).
15) Now for your strongest subject, your feet (ha ha), those pretty things that are so ticklish. And those cute little toes just knock my socks off.
16) Now for the two biggies. Well, I think we can skip those two points; they speak for themselves. Besides, I don’t have enough room for all the compliments needed to cover those subjects. They are your most beautiful parts and there is no room for improvement.
Okay, I’ll cut the corny stuff now and get down to some serious romantic-type writing. I only counted sixteen reasons why I love you, but that is nowhere near as many as I could put down if I wrote all of my true feelings. I guess you know by now that you are my only love. I could not live without you for more than twenty-four hours at the very most. You can tell that by the number of times I have called you since we met. I’m damn glad you live close and I don’t have to make toll calls because I would run up a large bill.
Happy birthday!
I love you,
Pete
Tears ran down my cheeks and spilled onto my comforter. I smiled, clutching the letter to my chest. This was by far the best gift ever.
The following day, my mom drove me downtown to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get my driver’s license. I aced the written exam, but the gentleman administering the driving portion had beady eyes, a huge belly and reeked faintly of onions. He kept clearing phlegm from his throat and breaking my concentration.
Even though my nerves got the best of me during my driving test, in the end, I passed! With my brand
