It was a week before Valentine’s Day, and Mike and his friends John and Frank had gone to a local bar to watch a football game. The game almost coincided with prime time news, so once the game was on half time, one of the guys at the counter requested the bartender to switch the channel to the news before the game was back. That was when Valentine’s advert played and triggered a conversation among Mike and his boys.
“Ah, Valentine’s is next weekend and Brenda won’t stop asking me what I’m planning for us,” said Mike.
“I’m so glad I’m single this year. I don’t miss the pressure of that imposed and over-commercialized holiday,” said John with a look of relief.
“Ah, my guy, are you actually considering doing something special? I’m going to get myself out of it with my girl,” Frank said cheekily.
“What do you mean Frank? How will you do that?” Mike asked.
“You’re too nice to these women. Make plans without actually making plans so that she thinks you put in some effort or get something cheap,” Frank responded.
“Mike, I thought you actually liked Brenda, so why are you listening to Frank?” John asked.
“I like her but to show a woman you’ll do stuff for her on all these dates, she’ll fleece you,” Mike said as they all laughed.
“Mike why are you listening to John knowing he does all these nice things for women yet he’s the only one who’s single here?” Frank retorted.
“At least I don’t live in constant fear of getting caught, hiding my updates and asking friends not to post events on social media. Don’t you get tired?” John asked Frank.
“Guys, guys, focus! So how do I get out of doing something for Valentine’s?” Mike asked in an attempt to stop the personal attacks between Frank and John.
“I’ve got you, Mike. I’ll show you what to do and you’ll come out looking like the perfect boyfriend,” Frank said.
The game continued, and Frank laid out a plan for Mike.
Two days later, Brenda, Mike’s girlfriend, asked him about his plans for the lovers’ day.
“Babe, what are we doing for Valentine’s?”
“It’s a surprise. All you need to do is get dressed up and show up,” Mike responded.
“Any clues? Dress code? In town or out of town?”
“If I told you all that then would it even be a surprise?”
“Okay, then just tell me the dress code so that I don’t over dress or under dress,” said Brenda with a smile.
“Fair enough. Go with smart casual.”
On the other side, Brenda was excited for the day. She had always been a big fan of Valentine’s Day. She was a hopeless romantic and loved everything about the day. However, it wasn’t just about romance; this was the closest holiday to her birthday. Her birthday was in January, but she lost her dad on the same date, so she stopped celebrating it. Instead, she chose always to celebrate Valentine’s in an extra special way.
Mike and Brenda had been together for almost seven months. She really liked him, and while she wasn’t setting up a wedding board on Pinterest just yet, she felt like the relationship was headed somewhere. Socks and boxers were not an option; they never were for Brenda. Brenda believed in thinking through her gifts. She got Mike a five senses themed gift package.
Mike loved playing basketball, and he would play at least thrice a week. So for the touch sense, she got him a basketball. She got a Bath & Body Works hair, face, and body wash for smell. Brenda knew her man loved his whiskey, so she bought him an 18-year-old whiskey for taste. For sound, she made a playlist of songs that commemorated memories they had shared during their seven months together. Finally, for sight, she would be the “gift” she got sexy lingerie that would set the mood for hot and passionate sex.
On Valentine’s Day, Mike was all set to go and pick up Brenda. Before he left, he texted Frank.
“Frank, are you sure this plan is going to work out?” Mike asked.
“Mikey relax. Have I ever misled you?” Frank responded with many laughing emojis attached to the message.
“Lol. You better not start now.”
“If it makes you feel better, I called the place and they assured me that you can’t engage in any activities without making reservations at least two days before the planned date,” Frank responded.
“Okay, cheers man. I owe you one,” said Mike.
“Boy child 1- nil for females,” texted Frank as he smiled in glee.
Mike was ready for the evening.
“I have been waiting for this day all week long. I can’t wait to see what you have planned, “said Brenda.
“Babe, you know how I do,” Mike responded as he winked at her.
The destination was about an hour’s drive from the city. Brenda was dying of curiosity as they took the drive to the place, so she tried to get Mike to spill, but Mike wouldn’t badge. Finally, they were there. Brenda couldn’t believe that Mike had picked one of the places she had on her bucket list.
“Oh my God, Mike! How did you get a reservation here on such a weekend? I have wanted to come here for quite a while.”
“I told you you would love my surprise,” Mike said, smiling coyly.
They headed towards the reception.
“Hi, good evening,” Mike greeted the lady at the reception.
“Hi, welcome. Happy Valentine’s,” the lady responded cordially.
“We would like to watch the movie under the stars by the lake, dinner later and a room,” said Mike.
“Okay, name please.”
“Michael Mburu.”
“Uhm, I can’t seem to find that name in our system reservation. Could I see the reservation?” asked the lady.
“Oh, I didn’t make a reservation,” Mike said.
“Unfortunately, we cannot admit you. We require our guests to make reservations so that we can plan for the expected number.”
Mike pretended to be persuading the lady.
“What about dinner?” Mike asked.
“Unfortunately we’re fully booked tonight given it’s Valentine’s,” said the lady apologetically.
Mike then turned to Brenda.
“I’m so sorry babe, I didn’t know they required prior reservations.”
“We really can’t do anything? The rooms?” Brenda asked, looking very disappointed.
“Nothing, she’s said everything is fully booked,” Mike said, looking very sad.
They went back to the car. They now had to figure out what else they could do. After deciding that most of the hotels around were too expensive, they decided to go home and make plans for another weekend. The consolation was that they had spent time together on the drive.
Mike acted so “apologetic” that Brenda was convinced that it was just an oversight on his end. He had wanted to make the evening memorable but had planned poorly. By the time they got home, they were in a dull mood, but Brenda gave Mike his gifts except for the lingerie one. They soon turned in, but Mike felt guilty after seeing Brenda’s gift.
They were woken up in the morning at around 6:30 am by a knock on the door.
“Mike! Frank! Open the door,” a lady was shouting.
Mike and Brenda went to check who was shouting at the door. Once they opened the door, they found Frank’s main girlfriend, Alma.
“Alma, what’s going on?” Mike asked in both confusion and anger.
“Frank said he was coming to spend the night here because he was too drunk to drive back to our place,” Alma told Mike.
“Come inside Alma, before neighbours come out to see what’s happening,” said Brenda.
“So Frank isn’t here? I had a hunch he was lying to me,” Alma said, looking at Mike.
Mike had just texted Frank when Alma grabbed his phone. There was a commotion as Mike tried to grab back his phone.
“Mike I know you’re trying to cover up for your friend. Which of his other women is he with?” Alma said as she tried to look at the messages thread.
As Mike and Alma engaged in a back and forth verbally, Brenda took the phone from Alma. At this point, she thought Alma was acting a bit crazy. Just as she was judging her, Frank responded to Mike’s text, and she accidentally saw some of the messages in that thread, and there it was. She saw Frank and Mike’s text exchange on Mike’s Valentine’s plan for them.
“Mike, you knew we couldn’t get into the resort without reservations?” Brenda asked angrily.
“Babe, why are you reading my texts?” Mike responded in panic.
The focus had now shifted from Alma.
“Don’t change the topic Mike. It’s all here and it now makes sense.”
“Babe, I can explain.”
“Mike, you knew why Valentine’s is important to me, yet you went ahead and pulled this crap on me? A hurt and disappointed Brenda asked.
“Babe, that was Frank…”
“Don’t even try to pin it on Frank!” Brenda said as she headed to the bedroom and started packing.
Mike followed her and started begging her to calm down so that they could talk.
“I can’t even have this conversation with you Mike,” Brenda said as she walked out of the door. Alma followed Brenda, given the situation. Mike had almost gotten away with doing nothing for Valentine’s until the events of the morning. Frank called Mike since he did not respond to his text.
“Mike, what’s happening?”
“Frank, you and your women have messed it up for me big time,” said Mike as he narrated the story to him.
He sat alone in his house looking at Brenda’s gifts and pondering over the fact that he had probably lost her over a cheap stunt.
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