JACK glanced at his watch. 07:00 Local Time. Perfect. Clara was still asleep, her face looked peaceful under the thin blanket. Today was Clara’s birthday, his beloved wife, and Jack had been planning a little surprise for a long time. This vacation in Xantos Island was a birthday present as well as an escape from the busy routine of Jakarta.
A few days ago, while Clara was busy with her spa session, Jack secretly contacted the hotel’s concierge. He spoke to a man named Made, his voice calm and friendly.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Jack. How can I help you?” said Made at that time on the other end of the phone.
“Good afternoon, Made. It’s like this, my wife, Clara, has a birthday on July 10th. I want to make a little surprise in the room. Maybe simple decorations, a mini cake, and flowers or the like?” Jack explained his idea with a little hesitation, worried that his request was too sudden.
Made laughed softly. “Oh, July 10th! That’s tomorrow, Sir. Don’t worry, Sir. We at Xantos Eco Resort are always happy to help make special moments more memorable. You don’t have to worry about the decorations, the cake, or the flowers. We’ll arrange the best.”
“Really? Thank you very much, Made! I want it to be a total surprise. So, can you arrange it while we’re having breakfast?” Jack confirmed.
“Of course, Sir. We’ll lock the door from the outside after you and Mrs. Clara have breakfast. You just give me the spare key during breakfast,” Made explained in detail. “Are there any other details, Sir? Maybe Mrs. Clara has a favorite flower, or a favorite color?”
Jack paused for a moment. He had never thought about such small details. “Mmm, she likes bright tropical flowers. And colors… maybe bright colors like yellow or orange?”
“Okay, Sir. I’ll write it down. And for the cake, does Mrs. Clara have any allergies or special preferences?” Made asked again.
“No allergies. Any sweet cake,” Jack replied, feeling a little relieved that Made was so detailed and helpful.
“Okay, Mr. Jack. Leave the rest to me. It will be a beautiful surprise for sure.” Made’s voice sounded very confident.
This morning, Jack tried to act as normal as possible. After Clara woke up, they got ready for breakfast at the hotel restaurant.
“You look very excited this morning, honey,” Clara commented as they walked to the elevator. “What’s wrong?”
“Of course excited! The morning air in Xantos Island is always nice,” Jack answered casually, trying to hide his nervousness.
At the restaurant, Jack saw Made setting up a table in the corner. Jack pretended to go to the toilet, then approached Made. “Made, here’s the key,” Jack whispered as he handed over the room key card.
Made smiled cryptically. “Leave the rest to me, sir. Enjoy your breakfast.”
Jack returned to the table with his stomach churning with hunger and anticipation. Breakfast felt longer than usual. He kept glancing at the clock. It was 08:30 Local Time. Made must be working now.
“Are you done, honey?” Clara asked after finishing her orange juice. “I want to go back to my room soon, I feel like taking a quick dip before we go to the beach.”
“Sure! Let’s go,” Jack stood up with excessive enthusiasm.
They returned to their floor. As Jack inserted the key card, Made suddenly appeared from the corridor, as if he had been waiting.
“Good morning, Mr. Jack, Mrs. Clara,” Made greeted with a wide smile. “Was breakfast enjoyable?”
“Very enjoyable, Made. Thank you,” Clara replied.
Made nodded, then turned to Jack. “Mr. Jack, sorry to interrupt you a little. I just remembered there are details about tomorrow’s tour booking that I want to discuss with you.”
Jack immediately understood. Made was stalling for time. “Oh, is that so? Okay, Made. Clara, you go in first. I’ll be there in a moment.”
“Okay,” Clara nodded, then opened the bedroom door.
When the door opened, Clara’s eyes widened. A muffled exclamation escaped her lips.
“Jack! Oh my gosh!”
Jack smiled broadly, stepping into the bedroom. The sight before her was beyond her expectations. Their room, which was previously tidy, had now transformed into a mini surprise party.
Balloon decorations in yellow, orange, and white floated on the ceiling, some of them forming the numbers ‘3’ and ‘5’. On the table near the window, there was a delicious-looking mini birthday cake with candles ready to be blown out. Next to it, there was a beautiful and vibrant arrangement of tropical flowers, dominated by frangipani, heliconia, and frangipani in various bright colors. The fragrant aroma filled the room.
Clara turned to Jack, her eyes filled with tears. “Jack, this… this is so beautiful! You prepared all this?”
Jack put his arm around Clara’s shoulder. “Not alone, honey. Made helped me.”
Made, who was standing in the doorway, smiled proudly. “Happy birthday, Mrs. Clara! May you have a happy day.”
“Thank you so much, Made! This is so beautiful!” —Clara. (*)
