Surprise birthday party

"Have a good evening. I'll see you tomorrow," Mrs. Minner dismissed the orchestra. I jumped up and rushed out of the rehearsal room, pushed my violin into my case and zipped it up securely while walking to the music lockers to put my instrument away. Then I ran back into the hallway, grabbed my backpack, and rushed around the corner, up the stairs and down the third floor hall to room 307. John was right behind me as I opened the door. Joel and Christy came in after us.

A ring on people greeted us as we entered the darkened room. Colourful balloons rolled along in the air currents left behind as we walked to seats set up in a ring around the room's perimeter. I let my backpack fall from my shoulder. "Phew," I sighed, "I can't believe this seems to be working. I really hope Mrs. Minner and Robbie detain her long enough for everyone else to get up here." Danielle dashed into the room. "John, can you play 'Happy Birthday' when she walks in?" Stephen asked from his perch on the piano bench. He stood up and gave his seat to John. Jonathan came in. "She's still talking to Robbie about chamber group rehearsals," he informed us. I greeted Breanna and Erin who I had sat beside and we talked in almost-whispers. We all waited, excited yet trying to control our emotions and be quiet until the moment Bryn opened the door and we could yell out and surprise her.

Danielle walked over to the window. "Hey, she's down there by her car!" My heart sank. Our plan to give Bryn a surprise birthday party hadn't worked after all. She must have figured it out. Maybe she hadn't even given Mrs. Minner time to ask her to unlock the room for a pretend rehearsal. Suddenly the phone in my jacket pocket started to vibrate. I pulled it out and stared at the screen. "It's her! Bryn's phoning me!" I called. "Shhhh everyone. I'm going to answer it." I quieted the group then answered my phone. Bryn wanted to know if I was going to pick up our cousin Breanna and one of her friends for the supper we were planning to have at our apartment for her birthday - this was the decoy party that I had discussed with her several days earlier. I figured if she knew I was going to plan something at our place, something plain and ordinary like we usually did, she wouldn't think that we would have a surprise. I assured her I would take care of it and hung up. Danielle broke in again to continue reporting live on the event taking place outside the building. "OK, she just went to her car to get something. She's coming back in!" Yes, I thought. This is working. She probably just forgot her card in her car or something like that.

We waited in almost-complete silence (as silent as 15 or so excited college students can manage to be) as Bryn entered the building and walked up two flights of stairs to the third floor. Then she was standing in front of the door. A piece of paper notifying people of a practice in the room later that evening obstructed her view through the small window in the door. She slipped her ID card into the lock. It, obviously, was unlocked. She turned the handle and pushed open the door. For one second we stayed silent, watching for her reaction. Was this roomful of people a surprise? Did she know what was going on? What in the world was she thinking? She stared at Christy who was sitting closest to the door Bryn had just opened. Then, as if we all had one mind, we shouted a loud "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!" and John grandly played through the song while we sang with gusto. Bryn stood in the doorway, blinking and grinning. By that time I had my answers. It had been a surprise. She had had no idea what was going on. I was thrilled.

Bryn has always wanted a surprise birthday party, or really any surprise party at all. The problem with this is that anytime her birthday approaches, she always thinks out every possible surprise scenario. She once told me that, even though she so wanted a surprise party, it would be impossible to surprise her because she had already thought of all the ways in which she could be surprised. This year it became my mission to plan and execute a successful surprise party for my little sister and, in that moment as we burst into song, I realized that, with the help of my friends and brother, we had achieved that success. I guess there was at least one scenario that Bryn didn't think of in all her imaginings.