"Get going, Chasez!"

He jumped, looking up and seeing Evelyn hanging out of her bedroom window, a bright smile on her face. "Emmy's not gonna wait all night for you!"

"I know!" He gave her a smile that matched her own, looking back down at the letter. He was going to be a father again. What good were the last ten reasons? That 21st reason was a good enough gift for him to last his entire life. He didn't care if she liked his eyes, or his butt; he cared about her, period. He knew she loved him and she was carrying his baby, while his first baby was on her hip the entire ride.

She was his baby. That was good enough reason to know that he loved her. He didn't need a letter.

But, curiosity got the best of him, and he found himself looking down to read more of what she had to say.

#22: I know you, Josh. I know you inside out. What's scary is that on our first date, I knew everything about you just by looking at you. I knew how caring, opinionated, strong, honest, loving and an all-around good person you were. I love that even when we're not talking, I know everything you are saying. I know everything you are saying just by looking into those blue eyes. Those baby blues (that sometimes seem a little more gray) that I could get lost in. But your eyes were the first reason, am I right? Your ability to say it all without saying anything is something I love. When you're angry, how your eyes darken to the deepest blue, when you're sad, how they get a tinge of gray, and when you cry (you can't hide that from me, baby), especially when Kaylee was born, how blue they are. I can read you like a book and though you may think it's a bad thing, it's the best thing when you are giving me the silent treatment after a bad day. I know exactly how you feel the moment you walk in the door. But one touch to your face and all seems well again.
#23: How, when I was in the hospital for a week, you were the last person I saw when I fell asleep, and the first person I saw. I am so glad it was you.
#24: How you do not care how skinny, how small you are (though I wouldn't say 5'10 1/2" is small ...) weight-wise compared to anybody - you are always my protector. Like, on our third date when we were at the same bar we met and some guy kept trying to take me home with him, you stood up for me and actually made the guy (who was probably a hundred pounds heavier than you) look as if he had lost his best friend. You have always been my best friend, my protector, my lover, my everything.
#25: On the day we met, my horoscope said, 'true love waits for you', and I truly believe you did wait for me at the bar that night. You are my true love. My reason for not going crazy, for being a wife, a mother ... for being the best person I can be. You have driven me to the best. I see stars each and every time I see you.
#26: How you never pressured me to be something I'm not. For example, at the bar when you tried to 'buy me a drink' and I declined (and basically ignored you), you never pressed it. Instead, you sat your little butt down and asked me if I wanted a 'refill on whatever you have in that glass of yours'. I even declined that (it was water, by the way).

Come to the bar and get me that refill, Chasez.

He grinned, putting the letter on the passenger seat and starting his car up. Five more reasons and he'd be at the home stretch. Though he was sad to see the reasons go and sad to see that his smile wouldn't be stretched with anymore 'Pregnant' words, he'd be able to see the author behind those reasons, and that, that was the best reason of them all (well, besides being pregnant, obviously).

When he pulled into the otherwise vacant parking lot (it was a Tuesday), he cut the engine and took a deep breath. It was almost as if he were going back in time (it was a weekday the day they had met, too) and doing it all over again. He remembered coming in with his friend Byron, they both in search of some alcohol for a party for the end of the week (they always stocked up beforehand) and seeing her across the room, near the pool table with a couple of her friends. She had on jeans and a bright purple tank top, her hair much longer than it was (he teased her about her shorter, layered 'mommy 'do', though it really wasn't - he liked it a lot on her) and a pair of heels that made her 5'2" frame seem endless. He almost expected to see the same people waiting by the doors.

They obviously weren't.

He looked back down to the letter, the smile widening on his face as he read the rest of the reasons. #27: How you walk quicker when you get excited and fidget like a child. How can I resist seeing that face when you know something good is going to happen?
#28: Even when I'm mad at you, all I have to do is think back to the day we married and see that look of relief, mixed with pure love and all those emotions suddenly come spilling out in that one dazzling smile. Just one look, and I began to fall all over again.
#28: How I never was a romantic, until you came along. Who knew I'd try and romance you every single anniversary since we met?
#29: Hearing you say 'I love you' never grows old. That has to mean something.
#30: Well, you'll see.

He paused, suddenly aware of how quiet the bar was. Was it not open? Had they forgotten to lock up? Was this the right bar? He folded up the letter, shoving it into his pocket. Suddenly, he was more aware of his surroundings than anything else.

"Hello?" He called, looking around at the somewhat dark bar area. "Anybody here?" He pushed the door open, greeted with even more darkness. He heard his phone ding, pulling it out of his pocket and seeing that he had received a text message. It was from Emmerson.

From: Emmy

I guess you're wondering exactly where I'm at, huh?

CB: 767-442-1106
Wed, Aug 8, 9:53PM

He chuckled. Obviously.

To: Emmy

I'm standing here, alone, on my 31st birthday in a bar where no one is at.
So yeah, I'm wondering, ha ha.

CB: 767-442-1984
Wed, Aug 8, 9:55PM

Grinning, he stared at the front of his phone, waiting for it to ding again. Just as he opened it to say something else to her, it alerted him.

From: Emmy

But, my love, you aren't alone <3

CB: 767-442-1106
Wed, Aug 9, 9:59PM

Just as he was about to respond, the lights turned on and he nearly jumped out of his skin as every person he ever cared about stared back at him with wide grins on their faces and all wearing birthday hats, they all looking incredibly happy and completely into the birthday mood.

"SURPRISE!"

He placed his hand on his heart, shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't believe any of you," he laughed, opening his arms as everyone came to him, hugging him tightly and smothering him in kisses as they wished him a happy birthday. "Hiding this from me for how long?"

"Months," his mother grinned, kissing him once more as she stepped away for everyone else to get their love in.

"So hard to keep from you," Evelyn grinned, hugging him tightly once more. "So how does it feel? A surprise baby and a surprise birthday party!"

"Good," he said softly, kissing her forehead, "very good."

"Good," she laughed, leaving as everyone stepped away, he seeing the only two people (well, make that three ... kind of) he had been wanting to see all day.

His face hurt from how wide his grin had formed, seeing Kaylee dressed in the pink and white striped dress that he had bought her only a month before when he was in New York, her bloomers even matching. She had the toothless (well, almost toothless, she had one bottom front tooth emerging) grin and was kicking her pink sandaled feet excitedly as she saw her daddy, squealing as he neared. Emmerson was dressed in the same thing he had met her in (with the exception of the soft belly - how had he not noticed it before?), the grin just as wide as he wrapped his arms around both of his girls, kissing Kaylee's face as he took her from Emmerson, balancing her on his hip. "Now, I can thank you properly," he grinned, kissing her deeply as everyone around them let out hoots and hollers, they both pulling away as he waved them off. "I never saw this coming," he stated, bouncing Kaylee and wrapping his arm around her shoulder, placing his chin on her head as he took it all in. "None of it."

"Well," she laughed, shrugging and kissing the crook of his neck as he closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. "A birthday, a baby, and thirty-one reasons."

"Which reminds me," he said, pulling away and digging into his pocket, Kaylee tugging at his chin as he looked over at her, making a silly face before kissing her as she giggled. "Thirty one, thirty one ..."

"You haven't read it yet?"

"No," he said, managing to unfold the letter and scan the letter, finding where he left off.

For all the years we've been together and for all the times you've made me smile, cry, and so proud of you - this day is yours, baby. I love you, so much and I hope you realize just how much you mean to me and to Kaylee. Just how much I thank my lucky stars I found you. I love you. Forever and ever, babe.

He grinned as he read the words, the commotion going on around him all a blur. Where was thirty one? What was her thirty first reason?

He felt her laugh, pressing herself against him, he looking down at her. "What?"

"Can't find it, eh?"

"Find what?"

"Reason thirty one," she laughed, watching as he looked down at the letter, shaking his head. "That's 'cause it's not written, it's verbal."

He raised an eyebrow, hearing the echoing chorus of 'Happy Birthday' as he looked down at her, she placing her lips on his once more, holding his face and leaning into his ear, his hand on the small of her back, "What's that?"

"The biggest reason why I love you?" She said, a statement more than a question, "you're mine."

He laughed, kissing her again as they both turned, he taking his hand and wrapping it around his daughter once more as Emmerson as she joined in on the song.

"Make a wish, man!"

He looked at everyone, slowly meeting his wife's eyes and then to his daughter. He didn't need a wish.

"Come on, old man, the candles are gonna set off the fire alarm!"

He laughed, rolling his eyes. Old man. That, he was not. Thirty one. He could grow to love thirty one.

Thirty one.

No closer to forty than it is to twenty.

He could get used to that.