Lucky Me Part Three

What I forgot to say is that there was a time limit on the bath. I was told that they would tell me when it was over. I was so comfortable and the water was still hot when Brendan knocked on the door to tell me that it was time to get out. A minute later he came back to say, "But don't open the door yourself. Just tell me when you are out and ready." A minute later he was back with his last instruction, "Uh, Mom, go ahead and get dressed." ......As if I would ruin the day by exposing this saggy 60 year old body to them!

So, being the obedient mom, I made myself get out of the lovely tub, got dressed and yelled down to them that I was ready. Brendan opened the door and escorted me downstairs. I was steered right to the front window where they were all looking out. "What are we looking at?" I queried. "You'll see" was the answer. Then I realized that their car was gone and so was Sean. Norah handed Avery to me and I made the mistake of putting my arm across his tummy. He had just been fed and  promptly vomited all down my track pants. I went to go upstairs to change into another pair of pants but I was rebuffed. "No, Mom you don't have time for that. You're going on a little pre dinner adventure and it's going to happen soon".

And then the car was there, but now it was festooned with balloons and streamers. Later I read the streamers said "60th party in progress".

There were lots of laughs as the driver/chauffeur emerged; it was Sean wearing a red sports jackets and a top hat. He put some plastic flowers on me, pinned a flashing 60 button on, we posed for some photos and then off I went in the car with Pat, Norah and Brendan. I protested that I should change my pants, find other shoes to wear, not my sandals or at least put on a jacket but no.."just go as you are Mom...it's just a little pre dinner drive."

So Pat, Norah, Brendan and I piled into the car. Once  seated, I was blindfolded and instructed not to even think about peeking or it would ruin the surprise. If I thought sitting in the tub and not knowing what would happen next was a strange feeling..... this was even more so. To sit there in the front seat, blindfolded and not have a clue where we were driving...that was weird to say the least. As we went along, with Beatles music playing, I was guessing..."I think we're on the Don Valley, this must be the Gardiner "etc. but then I got disoriented and had no clue.

Now my idea of a short pre dinner drive, might have been 10 or 15 minutes but this was longer than that. At one point we were stuck in traffic and I was assured that was not part of the plan. I expressed concern about Brendan getting to the the bus station on time and Norah said that she was honestly concered about getting Brendan to his destination on time.

I realized were driving west and at one point guessed that we were going to Brampton. "Mom what are we going to do there....stand there and stare at our old house?" (all three kids were born when we lived in that Brampton house for 9 years) I have a cousin and a friend who live in Oakville. Were we going there?

Finally, after perhaps 30 minutes, the car came to a stop and I was instructed to remove my blindfold.

"Where in hell?" I exclaimed.
"Where do you think we are Mom? "
"Are we at Pearson?"
"Yes, we are Mom," they laughed.
"Well who are we going to meet?"
" We're not meeting anyone.....you're going somewhere?
"I am?!"
"Yes, get out of the car Mom."
Now I couldn't move. I couldn't take it all in. "We're at the airport and I'm flying somewhere? Now? Dressed like this?"
"That's right Mom, now get out of the car."
" But I've got vomit all over my pants."
"Doesn't matter Mom, you're going. Dad you'd better tell her..."

We all got out of the car. It was still chilly and windy. I stood there in my thin shirt, no jacket, purse or cell phone and turned to Pat, "Where are we going?" I demanded.
He smiled and sang, "Leaving....."
"Las Vegas?" I guessed.
" Yes, we're going to Las Vegas!"
" You're going to see the Cirque de Soleil Love show Mom!"
" It's going to be 38 degrees there!"

I'm going where? Dressed like this?

I was....totally dumbfounded. I simply couldn't believe it. I had believed that we were on a little drive, that we would go somewhere, then drive Brendan to the bus station, then go back to Norah and Sean's place for pizza. The following day we would probably go to a bed and breakfast somewhere in southern Ontario. But this? Las Vegas? Right now?

The reason Norah had been concerned about the traffic jam was that Brendan was not taking the bus. He had a flight to catch, back to Ottawa, before we got ours to Vegas. So we said good bye to him and then to Norah and walked into the airport...me in a daze. Very slowly it all started to make sense. No wonder they couldn't have let me find my other shoes or change my pants. While I had been lying in the bathtub, they had sorted through my suitcase, decided on what was going and not going, then put my suitcase into the car.

So, that was my big surprise. For Mother's Day and my birthday, Pat had planned this trip to Las Vegas. Aaron, Norah and Brendan gave us tickets to the Love show on Monday night. Ever since I had heard about this show, in 2006, I have wanted to see it. I have enjoyed several Cirque shows but always wanted to see this one which is set to Beatles music.The only place it is performed is at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas.

Of course the main reason most people go to Vegas is to get lucky, to strike it rich, to come back a winner etc. However, I went there with the opposite feeling. I sat there in Pearson airport feeling like I was already the luckiest person ever. To have a husband and children who would remember that I wanted to see this show, who would organize it all and and take so much enjoyment from planning the surprise for me...Well there is certainly no amount of money that could ever come close to matching what I already have.