The Unexpected Happily Ever After

Chapter 6

    Liam was long gone when I woke up the next day. He was a physical trainer at the local gym. A gym that he and Trey had bought together. Trey also worked for the school part time as the football team's physical therapist and Liam volunteered at the nursing home one night a week teaching an aerobics class to the elderly residents. I was starting Wednesday at the DA's office as a paralegal while I waited to take the Bar so that I could practice as an attorney. The degree didn't mean much until I passed my Bar exams. I spent most of the day unpacking things and trying to establish some kind of order in the chaos. Andrea probably wouldn't be getting home until five thirty or six since she had started her new job at a gallery over in Jackson. The day passed quickly and it was a quarter after six before I realized that I was still home alone. Deciding to check in on Andrea, I shot her a quick text asking if she was OK. Moments later she was calling me.

"Hello?" I said as I put the phone to my ear.

"Hey. I need a favor. Can you come pick me up? I'm stranded at the bowling alley. Flat tire. I tried calling Matt, but he's not answering." Andrea pleaded.

"Sure. Just give me twenty minutes, and I'll meet you there." I replied.

"Thanks. You're a life saver. Just come in when you get here. I'm going to order us a pizza for dinner." Andrea said before hanging up.

    Twenty minutes later I was walking into The Lucky Strike.

"SURPRISE!"

    Yells and applause rang out when I pushed through the doors of the bowling alley. There stood Andrea, Matt, Liam, Trey, and my mom.

"Guys what's going on?" I asked in confusion.

"Did you really forget your own birthday?" My mom asked.

"Uh I guess so. Stuff has been crazy with the move. I can't believe that you guys did all of this." I replied as I took in the table they surrounded covered in pizza, cake, ice cream, and chips with dip.

"Y'all didn't have to do all of this." I said as tears welled up.

"Of course we did sweetie. It's your 25th birthday and the first birthday that you've been home for in seven years." My mom said as she hugged me.

"Thank y'all." I mumbled as Liam and Trey both hugged me.

"What are friends for?" Andrea tossed out with a wink.

"Happy Birthday Ards. This is from all of us." Matt said as he handed me a large box wrapped in bright orange paper.

"You guys shouldn't have." I said as I accepted the box.

"Oh hush." Andrea chided, "You don't even know what it is yet."

I sat down and began opening the gift. As I tore the paper off, I couldn't help the gasp that escaped my lips. They had bought me a brand new Mac Book Pro.

"Open the box." Trey urged.

    In the box sat a business license for Johnson Law, LLC.

"We know that you have a position with the DA's office waiting on you when you pass the Bar exam, but you are meant for much bigger things than that. You majored in environmental law and it just so happens that daddy needs a good lawyer for his new endeavor into oil. He wants to be your first client. He wants to put you on retainer. Obviously you could have other clients, hence the business license, but you wouldn't need other clients. Daddy wants you and Matt to basically run Winston Oil. You can run your business out of the office he plans to put you and Matt in. Please say you'll accept." Andrea rushed out.

"How could I refuse an offer like that? Oh my God. I can't believe y'all did this. I can't believe your dad is doing this for me. I'll never be able to pay him back." I rambled.