Clara had a surprise she wanted to share, but she couldn’t think just how to do it. She wanted it to be perfect, but so many people had used all the best ideas, and she wanted to match them. Finally, she got an idea.
She set up to do a FaceTime phone call with her brother, Ryan, who was overseas. She figured that would be the perfect opportunity. She got many people in on it, making sure they knew of her plans. When the time came, the family gathered like it was just a normal Sunday phone call to talk to someone who was a long distance away.
She sent Ryan an email to set up the time and had everything prepared. It would be early in the morning where he was, even though it would be afternoon in Idaho where the rest of the family would gather.
She made a big deal of it, getting aunts, uncles, and many others together. It happened to be a holiday season, so that made a good excuse for the gathering. By the time she was ready to make the phone call, there were more than two dozen family members gathered.
Clara dialed the number, and after a few rings, Ryan picked up. “Happy birthday!” they all yelled.
Ryan laughed. “It’s still a couple of days away.”
“Yes,” Clara said, “but we couldn’t get everyone together on a weekday. That is why we had to do it on a Sunday.”
Everyone took the time to visit with Ryan. Their other siblings, his friends, and many other family members each took a turn. Clara and Ryan’s mother insisted on being one of the last, because she wanted plenty of time. Finally, it was David’s turn. David was Clara’s husband, a man of little emotion and few words.
When Clara handed him the phone, he shrugged. “What should I say?”
“Just tell him how things are going at work and stuff,” Clara said.
“Uh, work is going well,” David said into the phone.
“Tell him about your garden,” Clara said.
“Oh, my garden is really growing,” David said into the phone.
“What all are you growing?” Ryan asked.
“Corn, peas, potatoes, and mostly weeds,” David replied.
Ryan laughed. “Sounds like when I garden.”
David didn’t say anything more, but just stared at the phone. If he was a man of few words normally, it seemed a phone made his mind go blank even more. Finally, he started to hand the phone back to Clara.
Clara pushed it back to him. “Tell him about your new bicycle.”
“I got a new bicycle to ride to work for some exercise,” David said.
“Is it a nice one?” Ryan asked.
“Yeah,” David said.
Once more, David started to hand the phone back, but Clara pushed it back to him. “I’m sure there are other things you can share with Ryan.”
That was the cue she had worked out with her brother. Ryan responded as planned, “Yeah, David, is there anything new with you and Clara?”
“Not that I can think of,” David said.
“There is one thing,” Clara said loud enough for all to hear. “I’m pregnant.”
David laughed and said into the phone, “She’s teasing. She really isn’t.”
Clara looked at her husband and smiled. “Actually, I am.”
Then everyone, including Ryan, yelled. “Surprise!”
And everyone laughed because the stunned look on the face of him whom the surprise was really for was priceless.
