Chapter 102 - Surprise

I ran from side to side of the restaurant to put here and there balloons, birthday notes, and confetti to decorate the room for my sister's birthday.

I asked the guys who rented us the place to leave me carte blanche to decorate everything for the event on my own, but when I punctually found myself having to take care of everything alone I always regretted having decided so.

I finished setting the room with beautiful pink decorations matching the bday theme and Evelyn's favorite color right in time for the first guests to come.

Joanna was the third one to come since I told her I didn't need any help and she still had to purchase Evelyn a gift for her birthday.

A few of Evelyns friends came and then finally my mother with the remaining of the guests.

When the waiter gestured to us she finally arrived by widening his eyes and mouthing us to hide, we walked behind the walls. When she entered the dining room we all walked out screaming "happy birthday!"

Evelyn was surprised and deeply touched by the surprise, a big smile filled her face and she covered her mouth as her eyes thinned up shaping her smile. 

Her facial expression drove away any hesitation I previously had about the party and I grew excited at the second surprise. I couldn't imagine how happy she would be when she would see Julien.

"Oh my!" She whispered as her gaze flicked through each guest and then around the room adorned by decorations everywhere.

"Thank you so much." Enthusiasm and joy filled her voice as her huge smile were still on her face.

I went to hug her and then my mom followed.

Julien hadn't arrived yet and every five minutes I checked the phone for his signal.

The table was filled with a banquet of pastries, many snacks, and different types of food.

We put the gifts in a reserved room and a waiter started to serve champagne as people gathered in groups or couples to chat.

Julien texted me saying he was outside so I inwardly let out an excited scream oF joy and walked frenetically outside.

"Hi!" I said smiling, we didn't have a great relationship but I could already say he was excited as well to see Evelyn.

He was carrying a huge gift box and I recommended he stay down as I sneaked him inside from the emergency exit.

I whispered to Joanna to distract Evelyn so that he could walk behind her back and surprise her from behind.

Indeed, that's what he did, while Evelyn spoke, Julien tapped on her shoulder to catch her attention, she turned around and her face morphed in a particularly odd way. She first smiled happily then she turned to the side and her face grew concerned. I wasn't the best at deciphering facial expressions but I was sure hers wasn't the type of expression you make when you are genuinely happy.

Not that she wasn't happy but not as much as I expected her to be, it was like her happiness was affected by a weird concern.

"What are you doing here?" she asked before my mother intruded by walking between them and hugged him.

"You made it!" She turned around to gaze at me, "he made it!" He told me. Evelyn put two and two together when her forehead frowned slapped by the revelation. For some instant, ger glance met mine and she glowered at me.

Did I see it right?

Why did she glower at me if I didn't do anything wrong but had only the best intentions for her?

Maybe I misunderstood her facial expression, she offered me a smile then offered the same smile to my mother and turned around to start questioning Cameron how did he get there and if he had traveled well as they walked further from the crowd of people, her voice faded away and she kept staring around the room as if in search of something or rather someone.

My mother didn't notice something was wrong since her eyes were filled with commotion and she continued to whisper, "they're so in love."

"They are so NOT in love." Joanna rectified whispering nearer to my ear, I took a relieved breath glad I wasn't the only one to have noticed something was off.

"Have you seen it too?" I whispered back nodding to her to walk to the side so that we could have some more privacy.

When we walked enough far from my mother, she spoke, "I noticed it too, I don't know what is wrong but something sure is. It's like they are nervous, especially Evelyn she keeps looking around in a concerted way."

I sighed massaging my forehead, I should have listened to her, often surprises didn't turn as amazing as you think they would.

"I hope she is not mad at me," I said, shutting my eyes close and gazing at the corner of my eye to my sister who was chatting animatedly with her friends, between them there was also the girl I saw walking out of the mysterious flat where I saw Evelyn a few weeks ago.

They were probably in crisis as a couple, Evelyn told me she missed him a lot and she was having second thoughts about their situation. Maybe they were taking a pause but if it was so then what did he accept to come? He could have made up an excuse.

Too many questions to solve and so little time to fix the situation I unconsciously caused.

I walked to my sister, as soon as she saw me she stopped to chat and silence lapsed over us. I said hi to the few friends I knew and then asked her to speak in privacy.

We walked to the nearby corner, I took a deep breath mentally preparing myself to apologize to her and then face her.. I needed to know what was bothering her.