Zelda's eyes fluttered open. She could tell her husband wasn't in bed next to her before she even turned to his side of the bed. She'd spent five years without him lying next to her after spending over thirty with him sleeping by her side, and she hated the feeling of waking up alone. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was still pretty early but she wondered if he had snuck back downstairs to the computer. She was beginning to regret introducing him to the online world. He had taken to it more quickly than she had expected. He still couldn't master his cell phone, but could chat with their daughter clear across the country with no trouble at all via the internet. Even though she had called Gwen over a week ago and apologized for meddling in her life, she still felt like her daughter was suddenly closer to Dobie than to her, and it hurt.
"You're awake," Dobie said as he pushed the door open, carrying a tray in his hands. "I was hoping you'd wake up soon."
"What's all this?" she asked as he put the tray on the bed beside her. She stared at the pancakes, bacon, and coffee as well as the single red rose adorning the tray.
Dobie leaned in and kissed her, "Happy Birthday," he smiled. "I figured I can master breakfast once every forty years or so."
Zelda laughed. Dobie had never been good in the kitchen. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time he had tried to cook anything other than cereal and juice, and that wasn't exactly cooking. "You remembered my birthday?" she asked teasingly. She'd practically forgotten it herself, or rather she'd chosen to forget it. She could hardly believe she was seventy years old. It seemed like yesterday she was chasing Dobie around Central High and now their granddaughter went to school there.
"I would never forget your birthday," Dobie smiled. He sat on the edge of the bed beside her and watched as she took a bite of her pancakes and sipped at her coffee.
"How did you manage this?" Zelda asked seriously. "The pancakes are golden and fluffy and the bacon is actually edible? You don't even know how to start the coffee pot."
"Hey, give me some credit," Dobie said defensively. "I'm not completely incompetent."
"In the kitchen…yes you are," Zelda disagreed. "You didn't make this…did you?" she asked as she took another bite and licked the syrup from her fork. "Who cooked all this?"
"I have another surprise for you…" he said teasingly.
"What kind of surprise?" she asked curiously. "Did you hire a cook...I'd rather have a maid," she teased.
"You'll see," he chuckled.
"Tell me?" Zelda asked again, as she finished the last bite of pancakes. "Dobie…you are making me crazy!"
"Okay…okay," Dobie laughed. "No appreciation for breakfast in bed, huh? You just want your present?"
Zelda rolled her eyes in frustration, "I appreciate breakfast in bed," she sighed. "But I know you didn't cook this and I want to know what the big surprise is. You're being mean to an old lady here, you know?"
"You will never be an old lady," Dobie said seriously as he kissed her once more. "I don't want to hear that kind of talk from you again," he winked at her and she couldn't help but laugh. Dobie turned towards the door, "Come on in…" he called loudly and watched intently as the door opened and his daughter walked into the room.
"Hi Mom," Gwen said cheerfully as she walked into the room.
"Gwen!" Zelda's eyes widened when she saw her daughter in the doorway. "Honey…what are you doing here?"
Gwen walked over and climbed into bed next to her mother, "Daddy wanted to make you breakfast in bed…and we both know he can't do that by himself," she laughed as she hugged her mother. "Happy Birthday."
"Oh sweetie," Zelda hugged her daughter and smiled. "Are you back for good?"
Gwen nodded, "Yes…our things should be here in a few days, but I wanted to come now. I missed you," she leaned her head against her mother's shoulder and Zelda stroked her daughter's long auburn hair and felt happier than she had in a long time. "Oh…" Gwen grinned, "Do you want to feel the baby kick?"
"Really?" Zelda asked as she watched her daughter pull back the light sweater she was wearing over the yellow t-shirt that was pulled tight over her slight baby bump. "Aww…you look so cute," she said softly as she reached her hand out and let it rest gently on her daughter's stomach. She laughed when she felt the baby's soft flutters, "Such a sweet little baby," she smiled. "Those flutters are going to get a lot stronger before long."
"Yeah, I know," Gwen nodded. "I can't wait."
Dobie picked up the tray and smiled at his wife and daughter, "I'm going to leave you two alone," he said heading towards the door. "So, I guess you are happy with your birthday present?" he teased.
"Very happy," Zelda agreed. "Thanks…both of you." She watched as Dobie walked out the door and then she turned to her daughter, "I should get up and get dressed."
"No," Gwen leaned closer into her mother. "Let's just lay here a while. Please."
"Okay," Zelda agreed. "Is everything alright?"
"Yeah…I'm just tired," Gwen replied. "And I've missed you so much. I can't remember the last time I crawled into bed with you and could just lay here doing nothing."
"Me neither," Zelda admitted. "Where's Jack?" she asked.
"He's downstairs," Gwen answered. "Asleep on the couch. He was tired from the flight." She sighed and then looked seriously at her mother, "Mom…I have to tell you something."
"What honey?" Zelda asked, a little worried.
"Jack and I got married in Vegas last week," Gwen confessed. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I know you wanted to plan a big wedding…"
"Vegas?" Zelda cringed. "Oh Gwendolyn…"
"Mom…I'm sorry," Gwen knew she had hurt her mother and it broke her heart. She wiped away a few tears that were stinging her eyes, "I was so overwhelmed with everything. I just wanted to get the wedding over with. I didn't really care about the wedding ceremony…I just wanted to start our new life together."
"My mother refused to come to my wedding," Zelda sighed. "I always wanted to be there to watch you get married."
"I know, Mom," Gwen sniffled. "I'm sorry. I should have thought about that. I'm so sorry…"
"Don't cry, baby," Zelda held her daughter close to her. "It's okay. You did what you thought was best…for you and Jack. It's okay."
"Really?" Gwen asked tearfully. "You forgive me?"
"There's nothing to forgive," Zelda kissed her daughter on the cheek. "I'm happy for you." She wiped away her daughter's tears that were sliding down her cheeks, "Did your Dad know about this?"
"No," Gwen insisted. "We told him this morning. He was afraid you'd be upset. That's why he said I should make you pancakes and bacon."
Zelda laughed, "That sounds like a plan he'd come up with."
"You're really not mad?" Gwen asked again.
"No…I'm not mad," Zelda said gently. She was a little bit hurt that she had missed her daughter's wedding, but in a lot of ways she was relieved. At least Gwen had married Jack and wasn't planning to spend her whole life living with him and raising their child without the sanctity of marriage. No matter how progressive she tried to convince herself she was, she knew deep down she was old fashioned about those sorts of things. "So…what should we do today? It is my seventieth birthday after all. We should have some fun, you know...before I'm too old to remember what fun is." She rolled her eyes playfully.
Gwen laughed, "I was thinking we could go out to dinner tonight. I called Georgie and he said he and Chatsy and the kids could come. Where would you like to go?"
"Anyplace is fine with me," Zelda smiled. "As long as I don't have to cook it." She put her hand back on her daughter's stomach and laughed again as the baby kicked softly. "What does my little grandbaby want to eat?"
"You mean your little grandson," Gwen beamed. "It's a boy! We found out a couple days ago."
"A boy?" Zelda asked. "Really? Aww, honey…congratulations. I promise to finish his baby blanket as soon as I can, and then I'll knit him some tiny blue booties."
"Mom, you've got some time. He won't be here for three more months. Now, back to dinner. Your grandson likes anything, so choose whatever place you want." Gwen chuckled. "Trust me…all I ever do anymore is eat. Jack says he's going to enter me in one of those competitive eating contests."
Zelda laughed, "I'm sure it's not that bad."
"Almost," Gwen insisted.
"Did you tell your Dad the baby is a boy?" Zelda asked eagerly.
Gwen shook her head, "Not yet. I wanted to tell you first."
"Finally…I know something before he does," Zelda smirked. "It's about time."
"Seriously Mom…dinner?" Gwen asked. "Where are we going?"
"Gwen...it's still morning honey. We have time to decide," Zelda hugged her daughter.
"Sorry…all I can think about is food," Gwen laughed. "I think I'm going to go downstairs and eat the leftover pancakes." She climbed out of bed and grinned at her mother. "Happy Birthday, Mom. And no matter what you think...you're not old. Trust me."
"Thanks," Zelda got out of bed herself and hugged her daughter tight. "This has been the best birthday I've had in a long time." She meant that, and the day had barely started.