A Surprise Dinner
I hadn’t heard from my stepdaughter, Hyacinth, in what felt like forever. So when she called and invited me to dinner, I thought, “This could be my chance to fix things between us!” But nothing could have prepared me for the big surprise she had in store for me at that restaurant.
My name is Rufus, and I’m 50 years old. My life has always been pretty steady—maybe even too steady. I work a quiet office job, live in a simple house, and spend my evenings reading books or watching the news.
It’s a calm life, and I’ve grown used to it. But there’s one thing I never quite figured out: my relationship with Hyacinth.
Hyacinth is my stepdaughter, and our connection has always been complicated. When I married her mother, Lilith, she was still a teenager. She kept her distance from me, and over time, I stopped trying to get close.
After Lilith passed away, the gap between Hyacinth and me grew into a huge canyon.
It had been over a year since I last heard from her. So, when she called me out of the blue, her voice cheerful and bright, I was taken aback.
“Hey, Rufus!” she said, sounding excited. “How about dinner? There’s this new restaurant I’ve been dying to try!”
I was speechless for a moment. Hyacinth reaching out to me was rare—almost unheard of. Was she finally trying to reconnect? I couldn’t believe it. I had spent years wishing we could be more like a family, even if it was just a little bit.
“Sure,” I replied, feeling a spark of hope. “Just tell me when and where.”
The restaurant she chose was fancier than any place I usually went. It had dark wood tables, soft lighting, and waitstaff dressed in neat uniforms, giving it a sophisticated feel.
I felt a bit out of place, but Hyacinth was already there when I arrived. She looked polished and different, but there was something off in her smile.
“Rufus! You made it!” she said, her voice a little too bright, like she was trying hard to be cheerful.
I sat down across from her, trying to read her mood. Something felt strange. “How have you been?” I asked, hoping to start a real conversation.
“Good, good,” she replied quickly, her eyes already scanning the menu. “How about you? Everything okay?”
“Same as always,” I said, but I could tell she wasn’t really listening. Before I could ask anything else, she waved the waiter over.
“We’ll have the lobster,” she announced with a quick smile. “And maybe the steak too. What do you think?”
I blinked, surprised by her sudden decisiveness. “Sure, whatever you’d like.”
As the evening went on, though, her behavior became more and more unusual. She kept glancing at her phone, giving short answers to my questions, and avoiding eye contact. It felt less like a dinner and more like an awkward obligation.
“So,” I tried again, “it’s been a while, hasn’t it? I’ve really missed catching up with you.”
“Yeah,” she muttered, still focused on her plate. “Been busy.”
Her answers felt like dead ends, and I was about to give up when the check arrived. I instinctively reached for it, but before I could pay, Hyacinth whispered something to the waiter and stood up suddenly.
“I’ll be right back,” she said, flashing me another quick smile. “Just need to use the restroom.”
I watched her walk away, and my stomach sank. Something wasn’t right. Minutes ticked by, and still, she didn’t return. The waiter hovered nearby, and with a sigh, I handed over my card.
The total made my jaw tighten—it was outrageously high. I paid and stood up to leave, my frustration bubbling inside me.
As I reached the exit, I heard a voice behind me.
“Rufus, wait!”
I turned, irritation ready to boil over, but then I stopped short. There was Hyacinth, holding a gigantic cake and a bunch of colorful balloons. Her face lit up with a grin that looked both nervous and triumphant.
Before I could say anything, she blurted out, “You’re going to be a granddad!”
For a moment, I just stared at her, the words not fully sinking in. “A… granddad?” I repeated, still in shock.
She laughed, the balloons bobbing above her head. “Yes! I wanted to surprise you!” She held up the cake, its white frosting decorated with “Congrats, Grandpa!” in bright blue and pink icing.
“You… planned this?” I asked, trying to piece it all together.
She nodded, her grin a bit sheepish. “The waiter was in on it. I wanted to make it special, but I guess I made it more awkward than anything. I’m sorry if I worried you.”
I blinked, suddenly understanding her nervous energy and strange behavior—it was all for this surprise. A rush of warmth spread through me, pushing out the frustration I had felt earlier.
“You’re serious?” I asked, my voice cracking with emotion.
“Yes,” she said softly. “I know we haven’t always been close, Rufus, but I want you to be part of this. My life. The baby’s life.”
Her words hit me like a wave. All those years of distance and unspoken tension felt smaller now, less important. I looked at the cake, then back at her, and suddenly I found it hard to speak. My chest tightened with feelings I hadn’t allowed myself to feel in years.
“Hyacinth…” I began, but my voice faltered. Instead, I stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. She stiffened for a moment, but then she melted into it.
We walked out of the restaurant together, the balloons swaying in the cool night air, and I felt lighter than I had in a long time.
“So,” I asked, a genuine smile spreading across my face, “when’s the big day?”
“Six months,” she said, grinning from ear to ear. “Plenty of time to prepare, Grandpa.”
I laughed, a lightness settling in my chest. For the first time in years, I didn’t feel like the distant stepdad. I felt like family.
“Let’s make this an adventure!” I said, excitement bubbling up inside me. “I can’t wait to be a granddad!”
Hyacinth beamed at me, and in that moment, I knew we were finally on the right path.
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