Two weeks after sending my son Leo to his grandmother Martha’s house, I received a call that turned my world upside down. Leo’s terrified voice begged, “MOM, PLEASE SAVE ME!!! I’M SCARED! I’M IN SOME DARK PLACE, AND THERE’S A MAN WITH ME AND…” The call dropped. Panicked, I rushed to Martha’s house, but it was eerily quiet. Inside, I found a note: “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

Suddenly, friends, family, and Leo emerged, shouting, “Surprise! Happy Birthday, Arlene!” Brandon confessed, “We wanted to surprise you for your birthday. We know you don’t like big parties, so we thought this would be a fun way to celebrate.” Martha added, “It was all Leo’s idea. He wanted to do something special for his mom.”

Leo, beaming, asked, “Did you like the surprise, Mom? I practiced that scared voice for days!” Though initially angry and confused, I hugged Leo tightly, relief washing over me. Brandon apologized, “We’re so sorry for scaring you. We just wanted to make your birthday unforgettable.”

“Well, mission accomplished,” I replied, finally smiling. “This is definitely a birthday I’ll never forget.” Surrounded by love and laughter, I made them promise never to pull a stunt like that again.

Looking back, I can laugh about it now. But at that moment, the fear and panic were all too real. It was a birthday surprise like no other, and while I appreciated the effort, I was just grateful everyone was safe. After all, there are less heart-stopping ways to say “Happy Birthday!”