Kit's POV

I really should change my cell phone number. Melanie still has it and she had left a voicemail greeting me an advanced happy birthday and asking me what I had planned for that day.

My birthday was going to fall on a Saturday next week so it was a good six days away. Since it would be a Saturday, I did not have to worry about going to work on that day.

I was planning to celebrate my birthday without her but I did not have any ideas about how to go about celebrating it yet.

I had something in the back of my mind but I was too nervous to even visualize how I could make it happen.

I poured my whole attention on my work during the whole work week, continuously ignoring Melanie's calls. First she had left sweet messages which turned into sulky messages and eventually into angry, threatening messages which got me worried a little. If she was still the same Melanie I knew, I wouldn't put it past her to do something drastic like crashing her way into my birthday party and making some scandalous announcements to my guests.

I decided to spend my birthday at my parents' house instead. She wouldn't dare show her face to my father after what she had done to me at the wedding altar.

On Wednesday afternoon, as soon as my office hours ended, I gave my dad a call.

"Hi, dad, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing alright, son, but your mother has been complaining that she hasn't heard from you for so long. She wants to know what your plans are for this coming Saturday."

"Why, what's happening this Saturday?"  I pretended not to know.

"Well, if you don't know what's happening this Saturday, that frees me up from having to give you a present."

"No, Dad! I want my present! I want my birthday present!"

I knew I was acting like a spoilt little boy but it pleases my dad no end to see or hear me acting like a little boy because for some reason it makes him feel younger, like the years have been rolled back for him.

"Well, son, I will give it to you if you will celebrate it here in my house. Shall I tell your mother that you have agreed to hold your birthday party here?"

"Yes, Dad, I was actually going to ask you if I could do that."

I did not tell my dad that the reason I did not want to hold my birthday party at my house was because I was worried that if I invited Ming to my party, Melanie's presence would totally ruin the occasion.

With a combination of nervousness and excitement, I tapped on Ming's number. If he did not pick up I was not going to leave any message.

But on the first ring ...

"Hi, Kit, what's up?" Ming's pleasant manly voice sent hundreds of little butterflies fluttering all around my stomach.

"Well, I was just wondering if I could invite you to my birthday party this coming Saturday," I said, keeping my fingers crossed that he would be free on that day.

"Whaaat? Your birthday is already happening this coming Saturday and you're telling me only now? I'm all tied up this Saturday! Kris Perawat wants me to spend the whole Saturday with him!"

My heart sank. I was rendered totally speechless.

At the same time I remembered his promise that he would ditch Kris Perawat any time for me. Well, so much for impassioned promises. They almost always turned out to be false.

After a few second's pause, Ming started to speak again.

"Kit, I was pulling your leg. I'm totally free this Saturday."

"I have a good mind to smash a banana walnut cake all over your face," I said.

"You will never let me hear the end of it, won't you?" he remarked.

"No, Ming, I will always bring that up every chance I get," I said, feeling no remorse.

"I didn't know that you had a cruel streak in you, Kit."

"That's not true, MIng, I'm the kindest, most loving and most lovable person in the world."

I wanted to add, "if you would give me a chance" but I bit my tongue before I could blurt it out.