A Pleasant Surprise

Ken sat with his elbows resting on the kitchen table, mindlessly scrolling through his phone. It was a slow Saturday afternoon, and the low hum of the vacuum was the only sound that filled the air as his mother moved through the house. His father had been out since that morning to run some errands.

The chime of the doorbell jolted Ken back to reality. “Who could that be?” he wondered aloud. Ken was sure that they were not expecting anyone. He looked up and briefly made eye contact with his mother, who had stopped vacuuming and was looking at him with a slight smile. With a furrowed brow, Ken pushed back his chair and shuffled to the door.

As the door swung open, there stood Uncle Jake, his smile as wide as the ocean he had crossed to get back home. Ken’s jaw dropped. “Surprise!” he bellowed, pulling Ken into a bear hug. Behind him stood his father, who was carrying a duffle bag and two large suitcases. Ken later learnt that his parents knew of Uncle Jake’s return, and the three had conspired to make it a surprise.

For the past year, Uncle Jake had been situated overseas for work. He moved from country to country, only coming back to visit during the Christmas holiday. However, this time, he was here to stay.

Sitting in their living room, Uncle Jake presented Ken with a box that was slightly worn around the edges. “I brought a piece of the world back for you,” he said. Ken carefully opened the lid to reveal a treasure trove of souvenirs. There were keychains from Paris, a handcrafted mask from Venice, and even a set of chopsticks from Tokyo. Each item was a story, and Uncle Jake regaled them with tales of his travels.

As the evening set in, Ken mentioned a new basketball court that had sprung up near the park while Uncle Jake was away. “How about a game of basketball this weekend?” he proposed. “Sounds good to me!” Uncle Jake grinned. Ken’s heart leapt with joy. He knew that they still had a lot to catch up on, and many new memories to create.

The sun had already begun to set, painting the room a warm, orange hue. Posters of my favourite band, The Echoes, lined the walls as I sat entranced in front of my computer, jamming to their latest hits.

Suddenly, the door flung open with a flourish and my younger sister, Emily, burst into my room. Her face was alight with a mix of mischief and excitement. “Guess what I have?” Emily teased with a grin, waving two pieces of paper tantalisingly in the air.

“What’s that?” I squinted, trying to make out the words on the slips of paper. With a wave of her hand, Emily presented the pieces of paper like a magician revealing her grand trick. My eyes widened at the sight of two glossy tickets emblazoned with the logo of The Echoes. “Tickets to see The Echoes live, next weekend!” Emily squealed as she jumped up and down.

I was stunned. The Echoes was the very reason I picked up the guitar. They were my inspiration, and to be able to see my favourite band perform live had always been a dream. Despite trying to secure a ticket to their upcoming concert, the tickets had sold out within minutes, leaving me disappointed and moping for days.

“But how?” I asked. “Let’s just say I have my ways,” Emily replied with a wink. “I knew how much this meant to us, especially you.” A rush of gratitude washed over me, and I tackled her in a hug. “This is the best surprise ever! Thank you!” I spun her around the room and we collapsed into a heap on the floor, laughing and giggling with excitement.

Emily and I spent the next hour plotting the day of the concert down to the minute. She suggested we make a day of it, starting with lunch at our favourite cafe, then hitting the mall for a shopping spree before making our way to the show.

As I lay in bed that night with the prized tickets securely stowed in my drawer, I realised that the true value of the gift extended far beyond the surprise itself. The anticipation of sharing this experience with Emily was what made the gift even more special and memorable.