He wasn’t someone who wanted a huge party or a room full of people singing to him.
He hated being the center of attention.
But he loved small things.
His favorite meal.
A handwritten card.
A cake from the bakery he had been obsessed with since before we met.
He noticed the effort, even when he acted embarrassed by it.
This year, I decided I wasn’t doing the usual routine anymore.
His birthday fell right in the middle of a 24-hour shift, so I planned a surprise instead: I picked up a dozen balloons and a small cake from his favorite bakery, then drove straight to the station during what I knew was their downtime between calls.
I kept the plan to myself.
That was harder than it sounded.
Usually, I told Tyler almost everything.
If I bought him something, I wanted to give it to him immediately.
If I planned something, I nearly ruined it by asking suspicious questions.
This time, I stayed quiet.
That morning, Tyler kissed me goodbye while I was still standing in the kitchen with a mug of coffee in my hand.
“Don’t do anything crazy today,” he said.
I smiled.
“Why would I?”
He narrowed his eyes at me for a second.
That look almost broke me.
Then he laughed, grabbed his bag, and headed out.
“Love you,” he called.
“Love you too.”
The front door shut behind him.
I waited about ten seconds before smiling to myself.
The plan wasn’t complicated. That was what I liked about it.
