Carly's Ramblings Blog - Style

My Worst Birthday Ever

WDC Birthday Bash Blog

Day Four: SCARIEST BIRTHDAY EVER

Josh, my boyfriend of two years, said he had a wonderful birthday surprise for me. I was excited, but also apprehensive. Josh's surprises were not always my cup of tea. I was hoping for a hike along the escapement, a picnic lunch under a canopy of lush vegetation and maybe even a marriage proposal.

Saturday morning we headed in the direction of my dreams, but then pulled up in front of a plane hanger. My heart sunk.

"We're going skydiving!"

My horror matched his enthusiasm.

This was not the first time he had planned something for us that was more his thing. If I showed any dissention, he would pout the whole day and my birthday would be ruined.

The thought of jumping out of a plane was just this side of suicide as far as I was concerned.

Josh was dancing in delight. As usual, he was completely oblivious to my fears and concerns.

"We get a training session and then its up, up and away!" He bounded from the car.

I felt the nausea roll through me as the chills gripped my gut, leaving me light headed with terror as I struggled to make my way out of the car. My limbs felt like lead.

"Happy Birthday, Meg! This is going to be awesome." he called as he made his way into the hanger not even waiting for me.

I dragged in breaths of air hoping to find some equilibrium. When I did manage to move forward, it was on legs of rubber.

As I entered the hanger one of the training crew caught my eye. He gave me a reassured smile as he listened to Josh yammer on about this being the best birthday ever.

"Is this your birthday?" the young man asked him.

"Hell, no. It's her's. The big 30."

His booming voice made me cringe as he shared those details. I was already on tenterhooks about the idea of being 30 and not yet married.

"Oh, so you're both going up?" the young man asked looking over at the ashen look on my face.

"Damn straight." Josh said as he walked over to inspect the equipment.

"Are you sure?" the man asked me.

I bit my lip. To say no would result in a tantrum. I did not want these people to see how vile Josh could be when he didn't get this way. I pulled in a deep breath and nodded curtly.

"We could offer you a tandem jump?" the man offered.

"No way. Full on. Grab the bull by the horns, Meggie and do this right." Josh called over not looking at me.

I hated when he called me Meggie. It made my skin crawl. I blew out another shaky breath and said around a dry mouth, "Would that be a safer option?"

The man raised a brow and gave a half shrug and a lopsided smile as he said, "Only marginally."

I had to appreciate his honesty and the fact that he seemed more concerned about me than my boyfriend.

"Well, if I have to do this..."

"You don't have to," he began.

"Yes, she does. This is my present to her. Don't be a chicken shit, Meggie."

I flinched as if hit. Straightening up to my full height - a mere 5 feet, I nodded determined to suffer through this.

"I'll do tandem... with you?" I asked the young man who gave me a reassuring smile.

"Oh, Meggie," I heard Josh mutter disapprovingly.

I suffered through the training and the safety measures. Each bit of knowledge made me sick with fright, but glancing over at my tandem partner as he lead the group, I did not feel quite as awful as I expected.

Tension built as we loaded ourselves into the plane and headed up into the perfectly blue sky.

I could do this, I told myself. And if I lived through it things were going to change. I was done balking and backing down to Josh's thoughtlessness.

Josh was the first out. I watched him sail through the air. Malicious thoughts scraped at me as he descended.

When his shoot opened, it was my turn.

Gabe shifted up behind me and asked if I was ready. I nodded and he connected us. We moved carefully to the open doorway of the plane.

My life held, then catapulted as we jumped. I screamed, not caring what Gabe would think. My life flashed before me and I realized - This had to end. Either in my death or this relationship. Either way, I was done.

When we were safely on the ground. I could hear Josh whooping and hollering like it was the best thing he had ever experienced. I could feel Gabe's strength behind me. Even as he untangled our gear he kept a hold of me. I still shook from the exhilaration and terror of the experience.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I will be," I said smiling back at him. My first real smile and he smiled back.

As Josh rushed towards me. I held up my hand to stop him.

"NO." I bellowed as loud as I could. He stopped in his tracks. "We're done."

"But," he sputtered, "you loved it."

"That's just it Josh. I didn't and you don't even realize that... I am done. No more. Good bye, Josh."

I headed off towards the truck that would take us back to the hanger.

I could hear Josh laughing behind me. He didn't believe I was serious. When he climbed back into the truck, I turned to Gabe and asked, "Do you think someone could drive me back into the City?"

"My pleasure," he said. "I know this great burger place on the way, if your interested?'

I smiled my acceptance as I avoided looking at Josh. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see his jaw had dropped as the dawning of my seriousness began to weigh on him.

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