Dear Diary,

As hard as it may seem to everyone, I went home by myself that night.  I know that no one would believe that but it is true.  Part of me wanted to stay with him that night but I knew that I needed to think about what would happen first.  I walked up to my apartment thinking that this had been the best birthday.  Even though very few people knew about it the important people remembered.  The nice thing was that my birthday wasn't even over yet…

 

I got home just in time to hear my phone ringing.  I thought that it was AJ again but I was once again pleasantly surprised.

 

"Happy Birthday, Sarah," a familiar voice said.

 

"Uncle Matt!"

 

"I was wondering if you were ever going to get home.  Good to know you finally went out for your birthday," he said approvingly.  "So, Sarah, did you have a nice birthday?”

 

“Actually, this year I have to say yes.  The Robert’s took me to dinner and Harriet had a few surprises for me.”

 

“Like what?” he asked.

 

“First, the Admiral showed up just back from Italy and then Harm and Renee arrived for a visit from California,” I said happily.

 

“And you had no idea that they were coming for a visit?”

 

“None at all,” I smiled.  “And of course, Harm was a sweetheart and gave me a gift.  It was a book titled Houseplants for Dummies.”

 

“Let me guess.  You took care of his plants and killed them?”

 

“No.  Harm's are fine, but I did kill all of the Admiral's plants,” I admitted.

 

“All of them?” He laughed.  “You sound like my sister, Leslie.”

 

“Yeah but I'm sure that even she hasn't killed all the plants.”

 

“No, she only killed the plastic ones.”

 

“Uncle Matt, just how can anyone  'kill' plastic plants?” I asked

 

“Water them for three months and even plastic plants can go bad,” he said dryly.

“She watered a plastic plant for three months?”

 

“She says it looked very real,” he again said stoically.  I laughed not having heard that particular story about my aunt and the family curse.  I had to wonder though how true it was though, who could possibly kill a plastic plant?

 

“What else did you get?”

 

“Well, Little AJ gave me a picture that he drew.  And the Admiral gave me a CD,” I said this as I picked up the CD.

 

“So what did everyone say when you told the Admiral his plants were dead?” Uncle Matt asked.

 

“Oh, I just told him.  I knew that Harm would never let me forget it,” I said honestly.

 

“Sarah, why do you put up with that flyboy squid?” he asked in a mock-annoyed tone.

 

“Because he's my best friend.”  I knew that Uncle Matt wouldn't really understand, he was from the old school.  The school where men and women can't be such close friends without having sex in the way.  Granted that had been a problem for a while but that has been resolved and I don't feel that it is an issue any more.  He must have known that the subject was dropped so he changed it. 

 

“Sarah?”

 

“What?  I'm sorry.  Did you say something?” slightly embarrassed to be caught with my mind wandering.

 

“I have to get off the phone.  I just wanted to tell you again Happy Birthday.”

 

“Thank you Uncle Matt.  It was so good to hear from you.  I'll try to call you again in a few weeks, okay?”

 

“Alright, Sarah.”

 

“Good night.”