SURPRISE!!!!!!



Birthday dessert

For a couple of months, I had been lying to Shell ...which wasn't easy, believe me.  I had planned to go down to Florida to surprise her for her 33rd birthday.  I hadn't been down in almost two years and decided it was time to go down to spend time with my family and friends.  Shell calls me five days a week and as the weeks got closer, the harder it was for me to talk to her because I had to make sure I didn't say something to spill the beans.  I flew down on her actual Birthday and Elaine picked me up at the airport.  During the weeks before, I had talked to Shell about where her birthday dinner was going to be and what time.  She didn't think anything of it because I always ask questions like that.  The dinner was to be at "The Pub" at the International Mall in Tampa.  As Elaine was driving me across the Courtney Campbell bridge, Shell was driving across Howard Franklin bridge, heading to the mall.  Little did Shell know I was lying through my teeth when I told her that Chuck and I had gone to Huntsville during the day and that when I came home, I went down to work in the garden, but it was too muddy because it had rained.  Then, I told her that her daddy was down at the barn and that he would call her later to wish her "Happy Birthday".  After I hung up from talking to Shell, I called Chuck to tell him to call her but if she wanted to talk to me again, to tell her that I had gone over to the BNOE's.  Elaine dropped me off at the mall early because she was going to her grand daughter's school concert.  I had two hours to kill, without running into Shell at the mall.  I knew I had to hide in a store that Shell wouldn't go into. ( Chuck had called and told me that her and Tony were already at the mall)  The only store I thought I would be safe in was " Build A Bear".  I ended up spending 1 1/2 hours in there, talking to the two sweet girls that worked there.  At one point in time, I did see Shell and Tony walking around the mall, downstairs.  Finally it was time to go surprise her at the restaurant. I asked the hostess if there was a party for Michelle Peterson and she told me that they were at the bar still.  If I would wait outside for another ten minutes, she would seat them and then take me upstairs to them.  I walked around for another ten minutes, carrying this present with a huge pink bow on it...yes people looked at me funny.  I was hoping it was because of the present so I just smiled at them...ha!  After I walked up the stairs and headed across the room to where Shell's party was sitting, Shell had her back to me and Tony was facing me.  Tony and I have never met so he didn't really know who I was.  As I walked closer, carrying this huge present, he says to Shell " Who is that lady?".  She turned around and cried " That's my Mama!!!" and came running to hug me with tears in her eyes.  She was so surprised and couldn't believe that I was actually there.  I think it was the best Birthday ever for her, except for me it was the day she was born.  I can't believe I actually pulled it off and she was totally surprised.  What fun it was!!!