Ava
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, BABY!
My boyfriend answers my FaceTime call with a sleepy smile.
Danny
Happy anniversary, my love.
Danny
I was just going to call you.
Ava
I wanted to be the first one to say it.
Ava
Can you believe it’s been a year?
Danny
Best year of my life.
Danny
What time should I come over?
Ava
Well, before you do that…
Ava
I have a surprise for you.
His eyes widen with delight.
Ava
Go to your front door.
He laughs, then gets out of bed.
Danny
What are you up to?
And picks up the note I left.
He tears into the note and reads aloud:
Danny
“Roses are red, violets are blue.”
Danny
“Let’s start this scavenger hunt with a clue.”
He grins at me like a kid on Christmas.
Danny
You set up a scavenger hunt for me?!
Ava
Really it’s for both of us.
Ava
And there’s an even bigger surprise waiting at the end.
Danny
You’re the best, you know that?
He looks back down at the note:
Danny
“One year of love and bliss.”
Danny
“Go to the spot where we shared our first kiss.”
He looks up at me and I blow him a kiss.
Ava
Do you remember where that is?
Danny
I’ll never forget it.
Danny
Picnic bench at the park.
Ava
And there’s something else in the envelope.
He reaches in and pulls out a smaller slip of paper.
Ava
Each envelope will have a word in it.
Ava
At the end, you can put them together for a special message.
Danny
This is incredible.
Danny
I can’t believe you did all this.
Ava
It’ll all be worth it…
Ava
I can’t wait to see your face when you get to the end.
Ava
You’ve got a long day ahead of you.
Danny
Call you when I get to the park.
When he calls me back 15 minutes later…
He’s sitting on the park bench where we shared our first kiss.
Danny
You know, I think I fell in love with you right here.
Ava
You never told me that.
Danny
I knew then I wanted this to be forever.
I stare into his handsome eyes, then sigh.
Ava
Did you find the next clue?
He looks around, then gets down on the ground.
I taped his next clue underneath the bench…
And it only takes him a few seconds to find it.
He opens it quickly, smiling all the while:
Danny
“I was nervous and you were late.”
Danny
“You’ll find the next clue where we had our first date.”
Danny
This is too easy, baby.
Ava
It’s going to get harder — you’ll see!
He scans me with loving eyes…
Then he reaches into the envelope for the small slip of paper:
Danny
Okay, so far I’ve got “you” and “are”.
Danny
The best boyfriend ever?
Danny
A stud in the sheets?
Ava
Gotta get the next clue to find out!
Danny
Okay, call you when I get there.
When my phone rings the next time…
Danny
I was just remembering our first date.
Danny
We didn’t even get to watch the movie…
Danny
Because you spilled that soda all over me.
I groan and shake my head.
Ava
Ugh — I really was so nervous!
Ava
I still can’t believe I did that.
Danny
It was funny then, and it’s funny now.
Danny
I deserved it for being late.
Ava
I thought you stood me up.
Danny
Nah, I’d never stand you up, beautiful.
Ava
So did you find the third clue?
Danny
Right next to the plant outside.
Danny
I knew you’d put it there.
Ava
It’s right where you asked me for a second date.
I gesture to the envelope he’s holding.
He laughs, then opens it up:
Danny
“You got steak and I got fish.”
Danny
“Where did we eat our second-date dish?”
He looks up with a smile.
Danny
I thought you said this was going to get harder.
Danny
Longtail Steakhouse!
Ava
It will — just keep playing.
He huffs a laugh, then reaches in for his word:
Danny
So now I’ve got “You”, “are”, and “so”.
I shrug when he looks up.
Ava
See you at the steakhouse!
He calls me back 20 minutes later.
Danny
Are we eating here tonight?!
Ava
Reservations at seven!
Danny
Awesome. We haven’t been in a while.
Ava
Did you find your next clue?
I watch him search around…
Until he stumbles across the envelope by the dock.
He jumps up and cheers like a child.
Danny
It’s gonna make my gift look lame in comparison.
Ava
You’re full of surprises yourself, baby.
He rips into the envelope…
And reads the next clue aloud:
Danny
“You gave me a promise ring in this lot.”
Danny
“Head on over to that special spot.”
I hold up my hand with the ring…
Danny
Only a matter of time before I give you the real thing, baby.
Ava
I’ll be sad to see this go.
Danny
Just move it to another finger.
He reaches in the envelope, and pulls out the small slip of paper:
Danny
You…are…so…unbelievably…
Danny lifts his arm and flexes.
Ava
All of those things and more, baby.
Ava
But head on over to the lot where you “proposed.”
Danny winks, then hangs up.
He calls me back ten minutes later.
Danny looks from side to side.
Danny
I can’t find the next clue.
Danny
And this lot is empty.
Danny
You think maybe it blew away?
Ava
I forgot I put it across the street.
Danny looks over, then frowns.
Danny
You put it at the sushi place?
Danny
We’ve never been there.
Ava
It’s definitely there.
But he heads over to the sushi restaurant.
He looks around for a second…
Then brings the phone up to his face.
Danny
I still don’t see anything.
Danny
Do you remember where you put it?
I smack my forehead again.
Ava
I guess I can’t remember.
Ava
But I do remember the clue…
Ava
So, I’ll say it out loud.
I clear my throat, then fluff my hair.
Ava
“Does the name Angela ring a bell?”
Ava
“Next clue is for you to go straight to h***!”
Danny blinks as he takes in my words.
But I interrupt before he can respond.
Ava
As for your next word?
And Angela’s face pops up on the call.
And she’s holding up a sign that reads: “stupid.”
Danny looks like a deer caught in headlights.
I finally get to unleash my anger.
Ava
You are so unbelievably stupid, Danny!
Ava
Did you think I wouldn’t find out?!
Danny
Baby, no, let me explain—
Ava
I heard you whispering on the phone last weekend.
Ava
Didn’t want to jump to conclusions…
Ava
So I didn’t say anything.
Ava
But when you got ready that night to “go out with your boys…”
Danny’s face is ghostly pale.
Ava
So I followed you to the sushi place.
Ava
You two looked like you had such a good time!
Ava
And boy, that kiss you shared in OUR parking lot!
Ava
That night, once you fell asleep…
Ava
I called her from your phone.
Ava
Had a nice little chat.
Danny
Ava, baby, I love you!
Danny
I don’t know what she told you—
Angela
You told me you were single!
Danny starts running to his car.
Danny
Just let me come over!
Danny
We can talk about this—
Ava
But just to get the stuff you left here.
Ava
It’s on the front lawn.
I promptly hang up, then put my head in my hands.
I take a few deep breaths to calm myself down…
And wipe away a few stray tears.
Angela gives me a sympathetic smile.
Angela
I really am sorry about this.
It’s starting to feel awkward.
Ava
Did you see the look on his face, though?!
We both break into hysterical laughter.
Angela
You definitely got him good.
My laughter quickly dies down.
Ava
Not as good as he got me, unfortunately.
She squints, and then leans forward.
Angela
Hey, did you really make a reservation tonight at Longtail?
Where is she going with this?
Ava
Yeah, I dunno why I bothered…
I debate for a moment, but then I smile.
Ava
You know what, Angela?
Ava
You are so unbelievably right.
