A/N: Takes place before and after Guy Talk chapter 11, Birthday Girl.
"I'd like to celebrate the anniversary of your birth," Josef told Sandrina.
"You don't do birthdays. Neither do I."
"I don't celebrate my birthday. I would be celebrating yours."
"That's a fine distinction. Vampires tend not to celebrate holidays and special occasions for good reason. You know what some humans are like after a few decades of holidays. Multiply the madness by centuries."
"I only want to celebrate this first year we're together."
"What about a year of holidays? It might be fun if there are costumes. You could be a turkey for Thanksgiving and an elf for Christmas and Cupid for Valentine's Day."
"You've already seen me naked with a bow and arrow. And don't change the subject. I'm serious about your birthday."
"All right, but I don't want you to spend a lot on a present."
"I have a lot to spend."
"That's not the point. For example, don't just go out and buy me a car because you can afford it."
Josef, who had been planning a visit to a dealership, asked, "What do you mean?"
"I'd like you to think of something special but not too expensive."
"The office Christmas exchange has a 50 dollar limit. Is that cheap enough?"
Sandrina smiled. "It's not the actual amount that matters. It's the thought."
Josef was bitter as he reflected on whether, just possibly, his Sandrina was a little high-maintenance. Why did he have to be in love with a woman who wanted him to talk and feel and share and think? Why had he even wanted to celebrate her birthday? Because he thought he had the perfect gift nailed, that's why. Sandrina was with him a few weeks ago when he was looking at cars. She had admired a Porsche. Not in a hinting way, just a passing observation. It was a very decent vehicle but not out of the ordinary. In L.A. anyone might be driving a Porsche. But if Sandy liked it, she should have it. Except that she had shut down that option. Instead she wanted him to find her something meaningful for 5.95 at a discount outlet.
He knew what she was trying to do. He was supposed to choose something she might not even know she wanted and probably wouldn't get for herself. Like a Porsche! He sighed and scrapped the car idea. He was pretty sure jewelry was out of the running as well. A handful of diamonds in a bracelet and earrings would be on the same level as a car, ostentatious and obvious. What did that leave? Money didn't mean much to Sandrina. She appreciated having enough and knew its value in making life comfortable but she wasn't extravagant. She owned her home and had good clothes. She had extravagant moments but overall she lived modestly from choice, not because she couldn't afford it. Like Mick. Those two were a pair. If Josef hadn't managed his finances, Mick would be living fang-to-vein, renting in a trailer park and driving a beater. Okay, a slight exaggeration. Mick was better than the average human at handling money. Still, he would not be driving a Mercedes and living in the penthouse of a building he probably didn't know he owned. But Mick had other talents and, since he had been living with Beth for five months, thinking like a woman might be one of them. Josef called Mick and asked for ideas.
Mick hesitated. "I can't."
Josef knew right away what had happened. "She got to you already?"
"She asked me not to help. Because she knows you can do this yourself."
"I should give her a savings bond that doesn't mature for a century!" Josef hung up. He was on his own.
He worried about it for a few days. He overheard two human women talking about a spa day. Vampire women were lucky, no need to waste time and money staving off deterioration that would never happen ... wait a minute ... just because she didn't need it didn't mean she wouldn't enjoy it. Most women loved that kind of thing and while Sandy was not 'Most women,' Josef thought she would fall in the majority on this. She got manicures and pedicures and the occasional massage but he didn't think she would go to a spa by herself. It seemed to be something two or more girlfriends would do together. Sandrina hadn't had a close friend until recently. She and Beth could go. This was sounding better and better. L.A. was a town that catered to every whim no matter how unnecessary. Was it possible someone was already making money off of vampire women? Josef asked a female vamp officer in his company and the answer was yes. A spa for vamps but humans were welcome. It was perfect. And not cheap. A night for two – in at 9 pm and out by 5 am – was pricier than he expected. That suited Josef.
Now for the timing. Sandrina's birthday was on a Monday but she and Beth would want to go on a Saturday night. He would tell her early in case they wanted to go before her birthday. That had the added benefit of getting it over sooner because he was suddenly a little nervous that it wasn't as good an idea as he first thought.
But it was. Sandrina loved it. And expressed her appreciation in bed in such a way that Josef remarked, "I feel like it's my birthday."
"Just wait until it really is," Sandrina replied. "I know you've had a hard time lately."
"I'm always hard around you. Oh, you meant choosing a present. That was nothing. You're easy to buy for."
Sandrina and Beth decided to go to the spa the Saturday before her birthday. Josef called Mick. "You want to bring Beth to the house? The limo will take them to the spa. We can swill blood, watch sports and scratch ourselves while the womenfolk get purtied up."
"Good times," Mick agreed.
After Mick and Beth left early Sunday, Josef and Sandrina retired to the room freezer where Sandrina said, "My birthday isn't until tomorrow but you won't make me wait, will you?"
"Wait for what?"
"My other present."
"What other present?"
"The car. Can I have the keys now, please?"
Josef was steaming. "You didn't want me to spend a lot! You specifically told me not to get a car!"
"But you bought it anyway. I know you."
Josef sighed and opened a hidden compartment. He tossed her a key fob. "I sincerely hope my rivals can't read me so easily."
They dressed enough for decency and went to the many-stalled garage to take a look. And then a short test-drive before returning to the room freezer for the day. Sunday afternoon Josef kissed Sandrina goodbye and waved her off in the new Porsche. She had an evening symposium and would stay at her own house Monday. Josef would meet her there.
Josef went back to the room freezer and opened another hidden compartment. Sandrina had guessed about the car which Josef had half-expected, but this would be a surprise for her on Monday night. He took out a jeweler's box. It held a ruby in the rare color known as pigeon blood red. The perfect stone was cut in the shape of a heart and hung from a platinum chain. It was large enough to be very noticeable but not big enough to be gaudy. Josef had wondered if the heart shape was too hokey. The jeweler assured him a heart was always in style. Who you gave it to determined if it was appropriate. Josef went with the heart. The facets caught the light and made it seem as if the ruby heart was pulsing. Worth more than the unbeating one in my chest, Josef thought, but they both belong to Sandy.
