This story was written in response to the Newsies Challenge #2: 1000 words, starting with "Everything would have been fine if he just hadn't..." and ending with "Mondays were always rotten anyhow."
And away we go . . .
Everything would have been fine if he just hadn't forgotten his girlfriend's birthday. Sure, he wasn't exactly the brightest when it came to remembering things, but Jack Kelly knew that Sarah would be furious with him when he called her later.
He tried his hardest, he really did, but it seemed like the fates had conspired against him. He had gotten her red roses the night before, but being a guy, he had forgotten to cut the dead part of the stem off and place them in some water so that they wouldn't die. Well, to say the least, Sarah wouldn't be happy getting a pile of dried up rose petals. Then, he had made reservations at the restaurant that they had their first date on for today, or so he thought. He had called the restaurant earlier today, wanting to make sure that the reservations were a go, and had found out that whichever bonehead had answered his call on Friday night had put his name down for last night, and now they were booked for tonight. Finally, he had misplaced the one thing he really needed for tonight: the ring. He had no idea where that stupid thing was, and it was the most important part of his plans for her birthday.
They had been going out for almost four years and he figured that he would surprise her by popping the big question. Well, she would've been thrilled, or so he hoped, but he couldn't find the damn thing anywhere. It's not like the friggin' thing could've grown legs and walked away, but with all the luck he was having tonight, it very well could have.
And now, he would have to call her and break the news to her. Man, was she going to be livid with him, but at least he could try and make it up to her on a different night. It's not like she was going to expect anything like the night he was ready to give her tonight. And besides, he couldn't find the ring, and that was what he really needed to make her birthday this year special. It wouldn't matter to her if he didn't have the roses or the fancy restaurant, as long as they could celebrate her birthday together. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be able to celebrate with her unless he found the ring.
He pulled out his cell phone and scrolled through his contacts until he came to her name. Pushing send, he wished and hoped she wouldn't pick up her phone, but again, those damn fates just couldn't leave well enough alone could they?
"Hey Jack!" Sarah chirped happily into the phone and automatically he felt bad about having to call the night off.
"Hey Sarah." He said normally, or so he had hoped, but alas, no such luck tonight.
"I know that tone, Jack. Also, you never call me Sarah unless something is wrong. What happened?" She asked him, starting to get worried.
"About tonight, we're not going to be able to go out."
"Why not? I thought you told me you had it all planned out, so what the hell happened?" She said, getting both angry and upset. "I mean, come on Jack, it's my 25th birthday! And the 4th anniversary of when we started dating, so what went wrong?"
"Well, it was going to be a surprise, but the roses I got you yesterday died because I didn't put them in water, the restaurant we had our first date had screwed up the reservations and the gift I got you mysteriously disappeared. I think the fates conspired against me tonight." Jack said, trying to add a little humor to the situation, but instead making it worse.
"So, it wasn't YOUR fault? You're blaming everything that went wrong on the fates? Seriously? I can't believe this!" Sarah practically screams into the phone.
"I know, sweetie and I'm really, truly sorry, but I don't know what to tell you." Jack says, trying to defend himself. "I know I screwed up, but I'm going to make it up to you, I just don't know how or when."
"I'm so furious with you right now, Jack Kelly!! How could you not know to put the roses in water? Don't those come with little instructions and a little packet of nourishment for the damn things? And the restaurant screwed up the reservations?! Are you sure you told them tonight and not yesterday because they're usually very good about putting people down for when they want to come in and eat!! And I don't even want to think about what went wrong with what you got me!!"
"I know, honey and I said sorry. So, what do you want me to do about it?" Jack asks her, starting to get furious.
"I don't know!! My birthday is ruined because I thought that we were going to spend the entire evening together, but instead I get let down by the one person I thought would have truly cared!" Sarah says, starting to sob.
"Aw, damn, Sarah. Come on, I do care! I tried to put together this perfect evening, but all the plans I made fell through!!"
"Just call me tomorrow and we can go out then. I can't promise that I'll forgive you completely, but at least we can spend the day together, okay?"
"Yeah, okay. I'll call you tomorrow. Bye honey and Happy Birthday."
"Bye." She said hanging up.
Shoving his hands into his pockets, he became both surprised and enraged by his stupidity. There, in his left front pocket was the ring he was looking for! He cursed his luck and called Sarah back. All he got was her voicemail! She was still angry, but at least she gave him tomorrow to make it up to her! Still, today was her birthday and he ruined it. Yesterday everything was fine, but damn it all, Mondays were always rotten anyhow.