The Accidental Birthday

My last four birthdays had all been disasters.

My 21st was a mind-bending blur, marked by the hangover to end all hangovers. I was left tethered to my bed. The room spun as I chewed on dry toast, feeling the world press in on me to the tune of the throbbing pain in my head. I felt green for a week.

At 22, I’d barely finished the sweet, sugary hum of “Happy Birthday” sung by my colleagues over a pile of freshly baked cupcakes before my boss called me into his office and fired me. My birthday was quickly overshadowed by the grim reality of “FIRING-GATE 2021” where most of my coworkers and friends were also fired. Its anniversary - and my birthday with it - then became an inside joke among my friends.

At 23 I had the misfortune of contracting my third bout of the dreaded disease-that-shall-not-be-named. By the time I recovered, everyone had moved on to bigger and better celebrations - a side effect of returning to the breakneck speed of 'normal' daily life.

The fourth was entirely my fault. I chose to spend the day with someone who let me down in the worst way. First came the changed plans, then the cancelled plans and then the changes again with someone new, who just couldn't live up to the lack of hype. This one was particularly crushing as I lost a connection I'd hoped would be long term.

My last four birthdays had all been disasters. Determined to escape the streak of birthday misfortune, I vowed that this year would be different.

My strategy was simple:

1. Avoid familiar faces.

2. Visit a bookstore.

3. Relax in a park.

I drove two hours into the city, the music blaring like a personal anthem of defiance against past disappointments. I ignored the relentless calls from Lilly, my well-meaning but intrusive best friend. Her insistence that she could salvage my birthday felt hollow after years of shattered promises. It wasn't her fault but I knew my birthday was better spent alone.

My first stop was a quaint bookstore nestled near the botanical gardens. The air inside smelled of aged paper and ink. I didn't spend the dreamy hour I'd imagined drifting through the shelves, but instead located a book almost immediately and jumped back in my car to drive the three blocks to the carpark near the botanical gardens. The whole thing lasted less than five minutes.

Driving was my first mistake of the day. I misjudged the distance between my car and the one to the left. A piercing screech of metal rent the air, sending a jolt of panic through me. I stumbled out to survey the damage, only to find I had scraped a strip of paint off the vehicle beside mine.

A voice interrupted my distress. “What are you doing?” I turned, heart pounding, to see a man in workout gear approaching.

“Owen?”

“Mandy?” he responded, his surprise evident.Lilly's older brother frowned as he came to a stop beside me. He seemed taller and more angular than he had before.

“What are you doing here?” I narrowed my eyes, suspicion coloring my tone. “Lilly hasn’t sent you to stalk me, has she?”

“Why would she do that?” Owen replied, peering at the dented car with a frown.

I bit back my answer about my birthday and cleared my throat. “I was just going to leave a note.”

“No need,” Owen said glumly. “It’s my car.”

A wave of shame washed over me. I made a face that was meant to say 'sorry'. “My insurance will cover it.”

Owen merely smiled, folding his arms with an easy grace and he leaed back against the - his - car. “Happy birthday, by the way.”

“You are stalking!” I exclaimed, but Owen shook his head with a chuckle.

“No, but let me buy you a cupcake or something. There’s a café by the lake.”

“A lake?” My curiosity piqued.

The botanical gardens were a full of beauty: the chatter of birds, the soft rustle of leaves, and the heady scent of blooming flowers. Towering trees, cloaked in velvety moss, formed a canopy over vibrant flower beds bursting with hues of emerald, blush pink, violet, and crimson.

I followed Owen down a winding path, clutching my new book like a lifeline. As we rounded a bend, a serene lake unfolded before us, its surface shimmering like a sheet of polished glass. Lily pads floated lazily on the water, while a mother duck led her ducklings to the edge before diving in, her fluffy brood trailing behind.

Owen’s easy conversation and warm presence were a soothing balm, but I couldn't shake the idea that he had been sent to keep me company. The café, nestled beyond a grove of densely packed trees, offered an idyllic view of the lake. The verandah was a cozy sanctuary overlooking the water, where I envisioned myself bidding Owen fairwell and retreating to read my book in peace.

That was my next misstep.

Owen, relentless in his enthusiasm, secured the ‘best’ seat with the ‘best’ view. He ordered a coffee and a large cupcake, complete with a candle.

Owen bought me a coffee and a large cupcake, and somehow had them deliver it to the table with a candle on top, singing so loud that my cheeks blazed with embarrassment. I neglected to tell him that I hadn't eaten cupcakes since Firing-gate 2021. The cupcakes were a sickly reminder of bad birthdays.

It was a lovelg thought, but my birthdays were never lovely.

The waitress accidentally burned herself while lighting the candle and knocked my coffee over our table. The scalding liquid splashed onto the tablecloth, soaking my cupcake and drenching my shoes.

None of this phased Owen. He maintained his cheerful demeanor throughout. It should have been infuriating but somehow it wasn't and i fund myself laughing along with him as he told me about his latest skiing trip, which was somehow more dsastrous than all of my birthdays combined.

Even so, I looked forwad to my alone time with my now slightly-coffee-stained book.

As I thought the ordeal was winding down, because his chater and laughter had slowed, Owen spotted something nea the lake. His slow grin and bewildering chuckle put me on edge.

My last mistake was agreeing to go canoeing. I had never canoed before in my life. The moment that I stepped into the canoe, I knew I was in trouble.

A moment later, I fell head first into the water. But when I resurfaced and my face broke through the surface of the water, and my lungs grabbed for fresh air, Owen beamed down at me and came crashing in too.