The Anniversary

“Don’t forget my basketball game, Mom.” Nick said loudly as he opened the door.

“I haven’t forgotten. You’re going to smash the other team, aren’t you?”

“You betcha!”

Nick hopped out the car, nearly slamming the door on Craig as he slid across the seat.

“Nick, you little sh*t!”

Simone gasped.

“Language, Craig!”

“Well, he is.” Craig grumbled.

Nick laughed.

“Sorry!”

Simone rolled her eyes.

“Get going, the pair of you.”

Craig muttered something under his breath and exited the car, slamming the door behind him. Simone shook her head with a smile as she indicated to pull out and moved into the traffic. She loved her kids, although she had to admit a slight favoritism for the middle child Craig, who matched her mannerisms almost to the tee when he was fully awake. Carl and Nick took after their father but Craig was more like Simone. At twelve, he was maturing into a teenager and a young man and was starting to drift away from Simone’s side to do things on his own.

Simone missed it and dreaded the day when Nick would start doing the same. She loved spoiling her children and husband; her world revolved around them. But Simone had been brought up to let people spread their wings when they wanted to. Toby had been taught that but in a more restricted regime. Simone’s was the opposite and her lifestyle she had drilled into their children.

As Simone pulled up at an intersection and waited for the lights to change, she thought about how everything had been for her and Toby in the last twenty-seven years since they first met in their freshman year in high school. Toby had been walking down the hall with his friends and Simone had been at her locker. They zigged at the same time and Simone had dropped her books everywhere. Toby’s friends had laughed at her but Toby had apologized and picked up her books for her. Despite his pals jeering at her because of her skin color, he hadn’t said a bad thing about her and the moment he smiled at her Simone knew she had been caught.

It certainly wasn’t easy expressing how they felt; Toby was white and Simone was black and there was a clear divide in ethnicities back in the late eighties. Dating a different race was a definite no-no.

But Toby had decided he didn’t care. They had become friends and after spending their freshman year dancing around each other, he had asked her out. Simone had accepted and they had been virtually inseparable ever since.

Even with the racial tension, Simone’s friends and family supported them. Her friends had no qualms with Toby and allowed him to join them at lunchtime and in class while her parents and older sister thought he was a lovely boy and perfect for her. She had come to rely on them a lot during her teens.

Toby’s friends and family, on the other hand, thought differently. Simone couldn’t count the amount of times she was beaten up by Toby’s former friends and the police didn’t do anything. All of them thought Toby had lost his mind and called her all sorts of names. But Toby had turned his back on them, choosing to stand by his girlfriend.

Toby’s family had been even worse. Toby had tried to bring her home to introduce her after they had dated a few weeks but his mother started calling her every name under the sun the second she saw Simone and his father had told Toby to end it or end up being homeless. Toby had chosen Simone and moved in with Simone’s family with his things, her family welcoming him without question.

Separate bedrooms, of course. They were both told in no uncertain terms they were to sleep separately until marriage; that was the only rule.

It was in their senior year that Toby asked her to marry him. That had been a no-brainer; the yes had come out of her mouth before he finished proposing. Marrying the week after they graduated from university, everything had been great. They had been even better when Toby sold his software company at the right time fifteen years ago for billions and they were able to live the life of luxury. It wasn’t what Simone had signed up for but she wasn’t complaining. At least she could make sure her kids got what they wanted. They were her priority.

Them and Toby. Money didn’t mean a thing if she didn’t have them.

As the lights changed and Simone put the car into drive, her cell phone bleeped in its holder slotted onto the dashboard, speaking in its computerized voice.

“Incoming call from Maria.”

Simone turned the car into the next street, heading towards the community center where she was taking an art class.

“Answer call.” Then after the bleep to say it had been picked up. “Hey, Maria. You’re up early.”

“I have good reason, sis. That package you ordered has arrived.”

“That’s great.”

Simone had been waiting for weeks for that order. It had to be specially made, which was fair enough, but it was getting close to the big day and Simone wanted it now.

“Not really. It woke us up too early.” Maria yawned. “Now the kids have gone to school in a grumpy.”

Simone laughed.

“Never. You’re the one in a grump and because of that you think the kids are.”

“Not true.” Then Maria backtracked. “Not really. But you could’ve told me it was coming at the crack of dawn.”

“I didn’t choose the date or time, Maria.”

“Do it next time you want me to take a parcel, please. And send it to your house this time.”

“You know why I couldn’t have it delivered to us. It would have raised suspicions.” Simone gave the car behind her a glare as it roared up close to her back bumper. The car immediately backed off. “You haven’t told Toby about this, have you?”

“Of course not. I said I wouldn’t.” Her older sister sounded unsure. “But are you certain you should be doing this cloak and dagger stuff? I know you want it to be a surprise but you know Toby doesn’t like them.”

Simone did know. Toby was an impatient person. It had taken a lot to stop Toby from dragging Simone to the nearest courthouse to be married. But he knew her parents wanted a proper wedding when they were able to look after themselves so he waited. It had been an agonizing wait for him but Toby had done it.

“But I want it to be a surprise this time. This date is special and a surprise makes it even more special.”

Maria sighed. Despite the ten-year age-gap they were close and Simone couldn’t ask for a better sister. They never kept any secrets and Maria had been the one to suggest something special for Toby. Simone had taken it on board and set things in motion. Now they needed to keep it quiet, which was easier said than done.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Simone. Toby loves you to death but he’s going to go ape if he thinks you’re doing something suspicious. He could think you’re cheating on him.”

Simone laughed. It was ludicrous.

“He’s been with me long enough to know I would never do that.”

“Don’t be so sure. Men are more insecure than women, don’t forget. And Toby’s had a lot thrown at him regarding you.”

That was true enough. Toby’s brother was the worst. He had tried so many times in twenty-seven years to split them up. To Simone’s chagrin Toby did his best to maintain a relationship with his brother when their parents wouldn’t talk to him. It was his choice but Simone wasn’t happy.

She glanced at the clock. If she didn’t hurry she was going to be late opening the center up.

“I’d better get going. I’ll pick the package up this afternoon.”

“I’ll be here all day.”

“Cheers, Maria. End call.”

Simone couldn’t stop the smile as she turned onto another road towards the community center. This was going to be a big surprise for Toby and he was going to love it. She knew he was.

She just needed to keep quiet until the big day.