Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday

by : Asia Monae Carlton

Mo sat alone at her favorite restaurant as she stared at the single cupcake covered in melting wax. The candle was almost completely melted and yet she couldn’t bring herself to make a wish. After all, how far had wishing gotten her in the past. Just as the thought occurred, her waiter walked up to drop the check. “ You better hurry, the window of opportunity is closing.”,he said.She gave him a half smile and decided to go for it. With a moment to spare, Mo closed her eyes and made a wish, blowing out the remnants of the candle.

She stood outside of the restaurant waiting for a cab, but she couldn’t seem to flag one down. The night grew darker by the moment and she began to long to be in the comfort of her warm bed with a cup of tea. “ I should’ve wished for a cab”. Mo decided to take a shortcut through Central Park. Her commute home would only be 10 minutes. As she entered the park, she saw various couples holding hands and enjoying boat rides. Another couple held each other close as they danced to the live violinist by the fountain. Mo rolled her eyes at the sight, annoyed that she was alone on her birthday. Just then she heard a snap, and felt her ankle buckle. The right heel of her favorite pumps snapped. “Really?!”, exclaimed Mo. She took a seat on an empty bench and held the heel in her hand, looking at it in pure disbelief. Her eyes began to well up with tears. Mo buried her head in her hands and decided to pull herself together. As she looked up, she noticed something that hadn’t been there before. A lonely, small box, wrapped in brown paper. Mo looked around to see who left it, but there was no one to be found. She stared at the box for a moment and then realized there was a tag on it. She cautiously opened the note and read “Mo”.

Mo was confused , but continued to investigate its contents. She carefully untied the brown string and peeled the paper back. Inside was a velvet ring box. Mo’s heart began to beat out of her chest. She opened the box to see another note that read, “ Will you marry me?”. Mo looked up to see her ex Marcus walking towards her with a ring in hand. She sat with her mouth agape. She suddenly felt the presence of others. As she looked around she saw her parents, best friends and siblings surrounding her.

“Marcus? I don’t, I don’t understand, How could you-”, babbled Mo in disbelief.

“ Mo, I didn’t walk away from you because I didn’t want to be with you. I took time away to prepare myself to be the man that you deserve. And today, on your 30th birthday, I wanted to ask you to give me the biggest gift. Would you do me the honor of being my wife?”said Marcus, pulling out a rose gold ring with a chocolate teardrop diamond. All of Mo’s friends and family waited in excitement. Mo, with tears in her eyes, looked at Marcus with total shock and adoration. “Marcus, I’ve waited for this moment for years, and I never thought it could happen. And then tonight, I ate at our favorite place, and I made a single wish, and now-” Mo began to cry. Marcus reached up and wiped Mo’s single tear streaming down her face as he held her right cheek in his hand. They shared an endearing look before Mo’s little brother Mekhi yelled out,” Say yes already!” Everyone laughed. Mo looked back to Marcus, “ Yes, Yes! I will marry you!”. Marcus placed the ring on Mo’s finger and stood to hug and kiss her as everyone cheered. The violinist came closer and started playing Lauryn Hill’s ‘Nothing Even Matters’, Mo’s favorite song. Mo looked at her ring and then up to the heavens, “ Happy Birthday to me”.

The End