Half an hour passed. Nick still hadn’t appeared, even though by her calculations, the whole hunt should have taken fifteen minutes, tops. Olivia strained her ears.

No footsteps in the house. She slipped out from behind the curtain and peeked cautiously out of the room. She listened again.

Silence. She crept downstairs. Nick was in the kitchen.

He had pulled a container of leftovers from the fridge and was already eating, standing over the granite countertop, tie loosened. Everything she had prepared had gone completely unnoticed.

  • Where have you been? I’m starving. Started without you, — Nick said, his voice edged with annoyance. — And why are you all dressed up?
  • Well, it’s your birthday, — Olivia answered, her voice small and confused.
  • And you figured we were going out somewhere to celebrate? — he scoffed. — You women are all the same. Does it even register that I just worked a twelve-hour day trying to save a deal? I’m exhausted, Liv. You could’ve figured that out and not gotten your hopes up for some big night out.
  • I wasn’t planning on that, — Olivia felt even more lost. — Did you… did you not notice anything?
  • What was I supposed to notice?

Olivia took his hand and led him to the foyer, to the spot where the whole adventure was supposed to begin.

He genuinely hadn’t seen a thing. She walked him through the entire trail of clues, pointing out all the hidden notes, which finally led him to the gift on the bed.

  • And I made a special dinner… it’s set up on the deck, — Olivia said quietly.

Nick didn’t even glance at the present. He turned to her sharply.

  • So you decided to throw me… this little show? Are you ever going to grow up? I’ve been putting up with your little arts and crafts projects for months, and I haven’t said a word. But to pull this kindergarten crap on my birthday, after the brutal day I just had? Could you not have just wished me a happy birthday like a normal person and made some dinner? Or are you just incapable of doing anything normally?

After shouting at her, Nick slammed the bedroom door and went back downstairs. Olivia was left sitting on the edge of the bed, feeling hollow. She had no energy to speak or move.

It felt like someone had just dumped a bucket of ice water over her head. Nick ate his dinner and then pointedly went to sleep in the home office. Once she was sure he was asleep, Olivia quietly went downstairs. She cleared the festive dinner from the deck, meticulously packing everything away, and cleaned up the kitchen.

Then she went back upstairs, quickly packed an overnight bag, called an Uber, and went back to her own small apartment. Her mother didn’t say anything when she arrived in the middle of the night. But the next morning, an explanation was required, and her mom’s reaction was devastating.

  • So what did you do now? — her mother exclaimed. — Nick is right, you just refuse to grow up. Have you ever considered that it’s time? How old are you? You found such a great guy, a provider, and you’re ruining it with your own two hands. You’re being a fool. Go back there right now, apologize, and for God’s sake, learn how to act like an adult.

At first, Olivia was just stunned into silence. Then, pulling herself together, she let out everything she was thinking.

  • Okay, Mom, first of all, I’m not going back anywhere. Second, I’m not being childish, I’m trying to do something nice for people I care about. Third, if I irritate someone that much, why should I be with him? I just don’t get why he put up with it for so long. And finally, you’re not happy with me, either. Why are you attacking me right now? I’m the one who got hurt here.

Olivia turned away sharply and left for work, just to escape the inevitable argument. The next month was a complete blur. Nick called constantly, demanding to see her, but she refused every time.

He called her mother several times, probably asking her to talk some sense into her «silly daughter.» Her mom kept trying to «make her see reason.» Every day was the same script, the same conversation. It was like living in the movie Groundhog Day.

Her saving grace was Chris, a long-time colleague from work.