There it was. The biggest box I had ever seen sitting smack dab in the middle of my desk. A red bow sat on top of it with a tiny scrap of white taped to its corner.

My hands itched to pick it up. To pop open its lid and see what was hidden inside. Yet I couldn’t do it. The last time I’d gotten a present, the box had exploded upon yanking off the lid, sending numerous pounds of confetti and glitter into the air.

Jaime had thought it was funny. She was known to play pranks in order to get her points across. That day, unfortunately, she’d gone too far. Granted, no one had gotten hurt, but the confetti and glitter had taken forever to accumulate and get rid of. Approaching the lovely blue box, I leaned forward to read the little card.

To my beloved Tony.
A little something for your birthday
to show just how much I love you.

Yours Forever Always,
Jaime

A profound sense of emotion filled me, yet I was still weary about opening the damned thing. The itching within my hands increased and the curiosity to know what was in it ate at me, but I still couldn’t bring myself to yank the lid off and look inside.

What if she’s left me another exploding box? I wondered. Then again, she’s probably left me a pack of socks. God knows I need them.

I paced the room, eyeing the box through the corner of my eye. It taunted me, urging me to discover what lay inside. Part of me was happy that Jaime had remembered my birthday, even though I’d specifically requested that she not give me any presents. Another part of me remembered her past stunts, keeping me from looking inside that pretty box.

Jaime knew I loved surprises. It was my only weakness. The mere sight of the present drew me in like there was no tomorrow. I wanted whatever was in it like a drug addict needed his next fix.

Taking a deep breath, I approached the desk and reached out to caress the smooth corners of the box. Against my better judgment, I gave in. I untied the ribbon and slipped the lid aside. With a racing heart, I peered inside to find several packages of underwear.

At least, she remembered, I thought as I replaced the cover and smiled.