"Do you think he's going to like our gift?" I ask, getting cold feet. "Maybe we should have gotten him something else?"
"Shut up. He's going to love it," Hazel replies, shushing me as he picks up the card and opens it.
He reads the front of the card and when he opens it, his eyes light up. "No way." He turns to his parents, and then looks at us. "Are these real?"
"Yes, buddy. What'd you say? Wanna go see the Lakers floor side with me?"
He drops the card on the table and rushes over to me, giving me the biggest hug of all. "I can't wait. Is mom coming, too?"
"We are all going. Your parents, too, if they want."
"This is the best birthday ever!"
Hazel kisses me on the cheek and whispers I told you so in my ear, while we watch him open the rest of the gifts. None make him smile quite like ours did. By the end of it, he's gotten almost a grand in cash. Kid makes out like a bandit.
We did clear the Lakers game with his parents before buying the tickets, because that's being respectful. They agreed to let us take him ourselves. It will be our first trip together and that makes it even more exciting.
After we say goodbye, and get back to Hazel's, the excitement of the day gets to me. Tomorrow is the opening of the bookstore, and my mind is going over everything, a check list of things to make sure everything is complete for tomorrow. Amy and I will open at eight in the morning sharp and hope that the ads in the newspaper and the hype on social media is going to bring customers in. I want this to be a success, and the first day being opening is going to tell me if this has been a mistake. I look up to the ceiling and mutter, please let tomorrow be a great day.