Chapter 24: Bobby's Gift To Sparky
Darcy: Can I have your attention, ladies and gentlemen? Appearing tonight by special request and only once-in-a-lifetime-experience; drum roll please…Take it away, Elvis.
Bobby as Elvis: Thank you, Thank you very much. I’m pleased to be here to sing a few special songs for the birthday boy and my best mate. (Laughs)
Jack: I don’t believe it. (Smiles and Laughing)
Bobby starts shaking like Elvis and singing “Jailhouse Rock” for everybody. He then walks over to where Jack is standing and precedes to serenade Jack, “my boy, my boy”. Bobby as Elvis sings three more songs: “Love Me Tender” and “I Can’t Help Falling In Love” looking right at Jack and then over at Sue. Bobby also sings, “Blue Suede Shoes”. Jack is so shocked and having a great time, laughing and watching Bobby sing and dance around him. Bobby continues singing while he pushes Jack out to the dance floor. Bobby is shaking and showing his Elvis moves for the ladies to see. Darcy comes alongside Bobby and starts dancing with him. The party is in full swing, everyone gets up and dance the night away.
Sue and Levi are watching and laughing at Bobby’s terrific performance. Jack comes up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist. He gives her a hug and tells her thank you for making my birthday so very special.
Jack: I still can’t believe you did all this for me. (smiles)
Sue: Why not? You do so many wonderful things for me. Happy Birthday! She looks around the room and says all of this is from me and the team.
Jack: Signing-Thank you. Speaking- I still don’t know how you got Bobby to dress up as Elvis. That was totally astonishing.
Sue: Well, you can thank Darcy for that idea. She came up with it. Don’t forget you still have presents to open tonight. The party is not over yet.
Jack: I almost forgot about my presents. There is so many of them, I wonder which one I should open first? (smiles and a wink at Sue)
Sue: I don’t know. If you are looking for my present you won’t find it in that tower of gifts.
Jack: So where are you hiding your present for me? (smiles)
Sue: I don’t know what you are talking about. Isn’t it enough I plan the party for you?
Jack: Yes. It’s more than enough. By the way, my family wants to have you over for dinner tomorrow night.
Sue: When did that happen?
Jack: My mom starting interrogating me about us. So will you have dinner with my family?
Sue: Okay. Do you want me to bring something for dinner?
Jack: Just you and Levi will do.
Sue: Okay. I lied. I have your present in my purse. Do you want to open it now?
Jack: First, I want to dance with you. Then I will open all my presents, starting with yours.
Sue: Sounds good to me.
Jack held out his hand and Sue put hers in his and he led the way to the dance floor to the far corner where they can have some privacy. Jack pulls Sue into his arms and they dance very close. They are oblivious to everyone else, it seems like they are just the only two people in this room right now. To hold her like this, and move slowly around the dance floor with her, listening to Bobby sing more Elvis songs in the background. This feels so good, so right. As they continue to dance; Jack is about to kiss Sue, but then he hears
Jack: What are you going to do to me? (Everyone laughs)
Lucy: Do you want your presents or not?
Jack: Alright. I’ll do whatever you tell me, Tara.
Someone brings out a huge birthday cake shaped like a Viper GTS coupe with lots of candles on the cake. Everybody tells Jack to blow the candles out and cut the cake. Each person gets a piece of the yummy chocolate layered cake. Then Jack opens all his presents, some of the presents blew him away. He thanked everyone for celebrating his special day with him.
As the party begins to wind down, Jack puts his arms around Sue and pulls her snugly against him. They dance cheek-to-cheek as close as two people can be without stepping on each other’s toes. The song playing in the background for them is called “Like I Never Loved Before”. It goes like this:
I guess I gave myself to someone / Maybe a time or two / I tried, I went through the motions / What was I supposed to do / I spun my wheels, I wasted so much time / And then with you I finally got it right / CHORUS: It's like I never loved before / Like I never saw the sun / Or felt the rainfall on my face / It's like it's never ever been / I can't imagine life without you anymore / It feels just like I've never loved before / I never talked about forever / Now it's not long enough / Who's that guy lookin' in the mirror / Cause it's not the man I was / I only know I tremble when we kiss / I'm making up for everything I missed / CHORUS / I ran around in circles / I never knew / I was only getting ready for you / CHORUS
It is such a poignant song and he revere in the fact that Sue is in his arms right now. He cradles her face in both of his hands and covers her mouth with his own. He doesn’t want to let her go, not for a second. Tonight, Jack realizes he is in love with Sue, but doesn’t know how to tell her what he is feeling. He wants to be 100% sure before they take the next step in their relationship. He spins Sue around the dance floor once more, making them both breathless.
One more dance with Darcy and “Elvis” has left the building for good. Bobby changes clothes, comes back and hugs Jack. It was a fantastic party. They all say goodnight to each other and hugs goodbye all around. The party is finally over. Everyone goes home except Jack and Sue. Sue gives Jack an envelope. Jack looks inside and sees a pair of hockey tickets 4th row to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Sue: You didn’t open my present yet.
Jack: I don’t have to. You’re the best present I could ever ask for. (gives the look)
Sue: Awe. That’s sweet. But I think you’re going to want this. (smiles)
Jack: Signing- Wow! Where, how did you get these tickets? They are so hard to come by.
Sue: I have my sources. Are you happy?
Jack: Oh yeah. You want to go to the hockey game with me? (smiling)
Sue: Go with you to a hockey game? Hockey’s not really my thing. (Teasing Jack)
Jack: Don’t make it sound so awful. You might even enjoy yourself being with me. (laughs)
Sue: But I don’t know anything about hockey. You don’t want to be stuck with me, I would bore you.
Jack: That’s not quite how I put it. And I can teach you anything you want to know about hockey. It is my favorite sport. I want to share that with you.
Sue: I would love to go the Stanley Cup Finals with you. That is why I got two tickets. You didn’t think I was going to let you take someone else, did you? (Laughing)
Jack: That’s my Sue. I wouldn’t want to take anyone else except you. I better take you and Levi home. I know how much you need your beauty sleep. (Smiles)
They arrive at Sue’s building. Jack slowly lowers his head to give Sue a gentle, sweet kiss on her lips. Then he walks her up to her apartment. He says it’s late and I should go. He also reminds Sue to be ready at 6PM tomorrow for dinner with his parents. He waits until Sue opens the door to go inside, they whisper goodnight to each other. He leaves and gets in his car to drive home dreaming of Sue. What a splendid birthday party.
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