Special Friday

I don’t have classes on Fridays so last Friday, being the first Friday of a really busy week at work, I wanted to take things slowly. I woke up late and was passively walking around the flat not really looking for anything to do. After I had checked my emails that day, I curled up on the couch and read Paulo Coelho’s “The Zahir”. My husband told me that he’d be home early but I assumed that “early” meant “5:30 pm”.  At some point my father-in-law called me on the phone and was talking to me about the usual things. He often calls me so I can practice my German and also so he could use up free minutes of his mobile phone plan.  But that day the conversation was unusually long and he was trying hard to keep me talking. I didn’t want to be impolite so I entertained his babbling.  Then the door bell rang. I went to ask who it was and I was really shocked to hear my mother-in-law’s voice. I immediately thought that maybe they (in-laws) had a fight and then she came rushing to our place and that he was lonely so he was talking nonsense on the phone.  They don’t normally come to our place unannounced.

Damn, if I knew she’d be coming I would’ve clean the place like crazy. My mother-in-law is not that kind of mother-in-law. I never heard any criticism from her and not once did she try to mingle in my way of running our place but still…it would have been better if I would have made the place spotless clean for her visit.

So anyway, after I let her in I notice that she didn’t look sad at all. In fact, she was all smiles when she told me that she didn’t have to work that day too so she thought of visiting me. She handed me some sweets and the cake she specially made for me. Then I heard the door creaking… I must have forgotten to close it so I rushed to the entrance only to find my father-in-law standing there. By that time we were all laughing. So they both successfully surprised me.  Hah! Wait till my husband hears about this…

But I didn’t have to wait long because hubby entered the door a minute later. Hubby told me that the parents came for a small visit and will be going back to their place (2 hours drive away from our place) that same day but we should all have lunch together. We decided to go to one of those Buschenschank for lunch. On our way there, hubby pulled over to a parking place and told me to get out of the car. I was already very suspicious but didn’t have any idea what they’re playing at. Then hubby pointed to a parked car and told me that car is mine.

A grey and apple green Smart—just what I have in mind for a perfect car for me. I was literally shrieking. So… they all connived in planning all this. Hubby bought the car and my in-laws delivered it.  They were really successful in keeping it a secret from me until the very last moment.

A lot of hugging and “thank yous” followed after that then we headed off for lunch—Hubby and me in my Smart and the in-laws in hubby’s car. The lunch was long and was filled with happy conversations and laughter.

Once again, I realized how blessed I am to have a loving husband and kind in-laws.