Birthday delight

I can’t remember an overall better birthday than the one I was blessed to experience this year.

No…I didn’t go on a cruise, or get engaged, or win the lottery for that matter. But you know what… Sway had a great mutha effin time!

On Monday, my oldest friend Biah…not in age but in the length of our friendship…took me to dinner. She and her 2 month old, hopped in the back of my car and we headed to Chili’s. I know she and her husband are struggling, partly because she hasn't worked at all in the last 3 years, so the fact that she even wanted to do something for me was a blessing. The place was empty save the couple in the corner and a family of four by the front door. We sat in a huge booth and chit chatted until our food came. Oh it was soooo good. I’m such a lame because I always get the same thing from Chili’s. The Triple Dipper baby! Hey, I know it’s an appetizer, but I swear I’m always full after chowing down on it.

“Anything for dessert?” Our plump waitress beamed as she took our empty plates. I patted my stomach while shaking my head no. I was full. Plus I wasn’t paying for this. I’m always conscious of not spending all of folks money when they take me out.

“Oh Sway, you HAVE to get dessert. It’s your birthday!!” Biah said softly. “Can we see a dessert menu?"

“Sure.” Our waitress brushed her brown stringy hair from her face and pulled out the menu. “I’ll give you guys a chance to look over it”

Of course my girl knew exactly what to get. I bargained with her to let us split the dessert.

“The molten chocolate cake please!” Biah devilishly responded when our waitress came back.


Ooooh she was soooo wrong for this. She knows I love this! It’s so go rich and chocolaty and creamy! Mmmmmm. We ate to our hearts content and little did I know. That was the theme for my entire week.

Tuesday was my last day at the office for the week. I hear a tap at my officle around 11:45 and see 2 of my co-workers smiling down at me.

“Hey, we know it’s your birthday tomorrow. You wanna go to lunch at Ray’s in the City to celebrate?”

"Of course I do! Just lemme finish this one last email." I grab my bag and my phone and meet them in the hall. To my surprise, 16 of my 19 co-workers came along too help me celebrate. Cool!
Everyone was ordering the healthy food. Salmon salad, veggie plate, grilled chicken and asparagus…etc.
“I’ll have the fried seafood platter please” I said nonchalantly.
Everyone looked at me simultaneously. I forgot this was a health-conscious bunch. I shrugged and said, hey, it’s my birthday!

My plate was by far the largest at the table. Ooohs and ahhhs escaped many lips when our waiter sat my plate before me.
“You’re not gonna eat all that” my Malaysian co-worker knowingly stated.

“Watch!” I said as I popped a perfectly crisp shrimp into my mouth. I was in heaven. 2 hours later, we’re back at work and I’m sooo full. I finished up some loose ends and headed home to get my celebration started. My cousin called me around 7 that evening to ask me if I was busy. I wasn’t, so I asked her what was up.
“Girl, lemme do your hair for your birthday. I know it’s jacked up.” She laughed.
“Whatever!” I said and rolled my eyes as I looked in my mirror. My wig had seen better days. And under it my hair was looking even worse. She was right. I needed a new “do”.
“I’ll be over in 8 minutes.”
After what seems like forever, my cousin had created a masterpiece up-do that was fit for a prom or a wedding…or something other than me going home and going to sleep. But it was now 1am. And I was tired. Plus, Usher told me that I was to be at his house on my birthday no later than 4:30pm. That seems reasonable to most people, but it IS my birthday. I’m gonna sleep til noon. Then after that, I got a billion errands to run. Plus, I gotta get an outfit to match my new hair right?

I think one of the reasons my birthday was so wonderful is because for the first time in forever, I had absolutely NO PLANS. I didn’t expect anything from anyone. I didn’t assume I’d spent time with anyone. I had planned to be by myself and enjoy my own presence on my special day. I realized that in the past, I’ve counted on others to make my day special for me…and they’ve always disappointed me. Not this year. I got up with a smile on my face and did me for a good minute. I went shopping. New shoes, new dress, new accessories. Check! Got a manicure and pedicure. ‘Bout time. Got my face “done” by a lil gay guy I call “Sweetness”. Hell I even let him put me on some lashes. I felt FABULOUS! I enjoyed myself so much that I didn’t realize that I was running late for my evening festivities with Usher!

“Usher baby, um, I’m gonna be about 10 minutes late. I gotta go home and change really quickly” I blurt out into my cell phone. I’m speeding from the mall praying that I don’t crash my car or get pulled over. That would really suck.
“ Home? You’re just going home now?” He said alarmed. “Um…. Alright. Hurry up!”

I sped home and slid my car down the driveway as quickly as possible. By the time I hit my room, my clothes were off and I was halfway done getting ready. My makeup was already done, hair already perfect….i just needed to freshen up a bit and put my dress on. In less than 10 minutes I was out the door and speeding down the street again.
When I finally got to Usher’s house, I was hot and tired. Man, this birthday has been long. I laugh to myself.

When Usher opens the door, he’s visibly stunned at how beautiful I look. A few weeks ago we had a big fight about the fact that he never compliments me when I make a big effort to look nice for him. It seems petty when I write it, but the ish was VERY serious at the time. lol
Anyways, his point was that to him, I always look the same…nice of course… but in his mind, he felt that I should know that he thinks I’m pretty. Which I do, it’s just nice to hear sometimes…especially if I really tried that day. Anyways… I digress.

I guess Sweetness did a great job making me different on my birthday because the compliments were just flowing. He loved the hair, he loved my makeup…and my dress…LOVED IT. :)Anyways… I looked like a million bucks and had no idea where we were going. For all I know, we could end up at waffle house. No birthday of mine is complete without that. But today, I didn’t dress up for him. I dressed up for me. Guess that made all the difference.

“Where are we going?” I asked in a little child’s voice as we get on the expressway heading the opposite way of what I imagined.

“To your house.” He says smoothly.

“What!??” I frown. I know I didn’t just RUSH out of my house to go right back.

I didn’t pout, but I’m definitely wondering why the heck we’re going back to my house. I become even more confused when we pass the exit for my house.

“Just sit back and enjoy the ride Sway” He said as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.

We pull up at Daruma’s. It’s special to me because I’ve been trying to get him to take me there for about a year now. It’s always been too far away and expensive to just pick up and go. It was a perfect place to celebrate. I had Filet Mignon, Lobster, Shrimp, and Scallops. There was NO way I could eat all of that, but Lord knows I did my very best. We both had take-out bags (first time for me that week) and I had a hard time eating the complimentary cheesecake and sherbet the restaurant gave me as they sang happy birthday to me.

We chatted in the car for a while when I realized that we were heading towards his parent’s house. I say nothing about it because I knew he’d deny it if I asked. Sure enough, we pull into his parents driveway and I smile. His parents are so nice to me. They asked him earlier that week if they could come along to dinner, but he told them it was something he wanted to do with me alone. I guess this is how he compromised.
I walk in expecting to see only his parents. Instead I see mine…his sister…my cousins…aunts…uncles…dang everybody’s there! Where did they come from? I saw no cars?

“Happy Birthday Sway!” everyone cheers.

Awwww! A chocolate cake with a “28” candle stood alone on the table waiting for me to blow it out.
I make a wish and struggle to put out all the candles. Usher's mom cut the cake as I make my way around to hug and thank everybody. They all went on and on about how pretty I looked. It felt sooo good. Ya’ll know I’m a compliment whore. lol But really I think they were just seeing the manifestation of the genuine happiness I felt inside. Usher and I ate another piece of cake and smiled at each other. I love him. He can be such an butthole sometimes, but he's always stepping up to the plate when it matters. I collected cards and gifts and finally we all went our separate ways.

On our way home, Usher asked if I had a good birthday.
“The best! Now all I need is my I. R.-uh. S. check so I can get my new mattress and I’ll be set!”

My parents had already bought me an air conditioner unit for my room as an early birthday present a few weeks back. That was such a blessing!

I dropped him off and went home smiling. I had nice gifts: money mostly…a full body massage gift certificate and a really cute shirt. Usher gave me a card that was soooo sweet with a P.S. that read: “And by the way honey, I always think you’re beautiful. Even if I forget to say it.”

Awwww… the tears came… but I pushed them back in. I didn’t want to ruin my makeup. lol
The next day we had planned to go shopping for the other gifts he wanted to get me.
I walked to my room feeling tired, opened my door and saw the most beautiful Serta pillowtop mattress EVER!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! I screamed as my parents laughed and wished me a happy birthday again!

They bought me a friggin mattress! “ They love me! The love me!” I sang happily.

So THIS is why Usher panicked when I said I was running late and going home to change. He knew they were bringing my mattress and needed me to be out of there. Ah! Sneaky man!

I was soooo grateful! I really did get everything I wanted.

The next day Usher bought me a single red rose. It was beautiful. Especially since he doesn’t “do” roses. lol

We spent up all my birthday money buying stuff. lol He ended up buying me some shades, Jordan’s, and more clothes. By the time Friday rolled around, I was too pooped to pop. I still had a dinner date with a girlfriend of mine at Arizona’s.

The funny part is that…all through the weekend, I was still getting birthday surprises although my birthday ended Wednesday.
My fingers hurt now though so I’ll spare the details. But seriously, I enjoyed every moment of my special week. I truly felt loved. God is good. Happy Birthday to me!