Mother Dearest (part 2)

Inspired by true events.

The Element of Surprise.

We had been planning this party for about a month now. Everyone had been given their tasks and the menu had been arranged and shared out so that each family brought one food dish to build up the buffet. The grandchildren were also involved and were given instructions for organising all the party decorations and banners for their nans surprise party. It was going to be the best party my mother had ever had.

Since the passing away of my father, mum had become very down and depressed. Which is understandable considering they had been married for over 38 years and loved each other dearly. In any case having this party, for her birthday, was going to cheer her up and show her how much we love her.

Two days before her birthday, mother rang and I picked up. After catching up on the latest events, mother asked, "I hope you can make it on Thursday, it will be nice to have you round."

"Oh, umm actually, Thursday I have invited my friends round. I haven't seen them in a while and it will be good catching up." I said this in a light-hearted manner as not to indicate that I knew my words would have hurt her. "Why don't you come round to mine on that day, as I know it's your birthday?"

"No, I was hoping you would come, your brother is buying a cake and it would be nice to have my children around." You could tell by the tone she was not happy. "I phoned your sister and she is not feeling well so will not be coming either."

"It's ok, I am sure she will come on the weekend, like me. You know it's hard on weekdays' due to work." I promised but was feeling really bad now.

"Your other brother will be home late from work on that day too, so he will probably pop in for a minute just to say happy birthday." she said sounding so sad, but eventually we finished our conversation and said our goodbye's. The call ended.

I knew for a fact that all my brothers and sisters had come up with an excuse to say they were busy, just so mum would be fully surprised at her party. The plan had been instigated and now we were just waiting for the day to arrive.

On the day of the party, as planned everyone had gathered at our friends (more like a sister) house and had the food and decorations set up. My mother lived just down the road with my younger brother and his wife. Everything was ready except for one thing that no-one had accounted for; how were they going to call mum to come up to this house without her suspecting a party. The dilema.

"I know" one of my sisters said. "We will get our friend (who's house we were in) to phone down to my mum and say her the baby had fallen and was bleeding from the head."

I can honestly say the room was buzzing with excitement and if there was any other way we could get our mum to come we would have done it. After considering the idea (granted it was only considered for about a minute) my friend took the phone and started the call.

She was good. She deserved an oscar for her performance. Even though the phone call lasted one minute or even less, she had cried in such a panicked way that a couple of us had to ask if the baby had really fallen. She then slammed the phone down. Everyone crammed into the kitchen waiting for my mum.

Again within a couple of minutes the doorbell rang and there was urgent banging on the door. My friend went to open the door. Everyone waited patiently in the kitchen, when we heard our mother in the living room we poured out the kitchen and shouted "SURPRISE!!!."

Pouring out that kitchen and shouting 'surprise', you should have seen mum's face. She was in shock. Looking at her she must have run pretty fast to get here so quick.

Her hair was not combed, she didn't have a coat on and one shoe was on her foot with the other in her hand, not to mention the expression on her face. She looked petrified with everyone pouring out the kitchen shouting 'surprise'. My other brother and his wife arrived saying "she ran out before we could stop her."

All of a sudden we heard a noise. "Eeeeeeeee," it was a high pitched screeching sound. We turned to our mother and saw her holding her chest, making this sound and trying to breath.

All hell broke loose, within a couple of seconds there was everyone rallying around mum, shouting at all the kids to go out to the garden and screaming at each other saying it was their idea.

"Mum, what's the matter, just breath."
"Oh no, we've killed our mother on her birthday."
"Come on mum, it was a surprise party, the baby is fine, just breath."
"No you move out her way, why should I move."
"Who's stupid idea was this, if she dies that won't be good."
"Eeeeeeee," tears rolling down my mums face while she tries to breath and her clutching her chest and all of a sudden falling to the ground making the screeching noise. It was a manic time.

Little fights broke out, where my sisters blamed each other and my brother blaming everyone for the stupid idea. It was such a sight. Mum was still screaming and crying everyone was telling her to calm down and breath giving her an inhaler and other prescription drugs that she takes for angina and diabetis. Yes I know, we should have taken her health into consideration before our stunt. We just hadn't planned it would take such a drastic turn for the worse.

Eventually everything did calm down. We got mum on the sofa and gave her some air, everyone was upset by things that had been said in the heat of that moment and were sitting quietly in a huff. The atmosphere was quite tense.

"So! where are my presents?" mum said looking at everyone as if nothing had happened. We all burst out laughing.

Trust me we have never given her a surprise party since.