When Maria planned a surprise party for her husbandโs 40th birthday, she didnโt expect to find strangers walking through the door instead of him. The shocking mix-up, involving an unexpected Airbnb booking, turned into an unforgettable night filled with laughter and unexpected guests.
My husbandโs 40th birthday was coming up, and I wanted to throw him a surprise party. To prepare for it, I told him I would be out of town on his birthday. We agreed to celebrate on another day instead.
On the evening before the big day, I pretended to pack my bags and leave for the airport. In reality, I stayed overnight at my friend Karenโs house.
โAre you sure this will work?โ Karen asked, raising an eyebrow as I stuffed clothes into my suitcase.
โAbsolutely,โ I replied. โTom thinks Iโm going to visit my sister.โ
Karen chuckled. โYouโre a sneaky one, Maria.โ
The next day, I got up early to make sure everything was perfect. Tom always came home from work around 6 pm, so I invited all of his friends and family over at 5. That way, weโd have time to decorate before he arrived.
By 4:45, people started arriving. His brother, Jim, was first.
โHey, Maria! Need any help?โ Jim asked, carrying a box of decorations.
โSure, Jim. Can you start hanging these streamers?โ I handed him a bundle of blue and gold streamers.
Next came Tomโs best friend, Dave, with his wife, Lisa.
โWow, youโve really outdone yourself, Maria,โ Lisa said, admiring the decorations.
โThanks, Lisa! Can you guys help with the balloons?โ I handed them a bag of balloons.
Everyone pitched in. By 5:30, the living room looked amazing. Blue and gold streamers hung from the ceiling, and balloons were everywhere. A big banner that read โHappy 40th, Tom!โ stretched across the wall.
At 5:45 p.m., I gathered everyone in the kitchen.
โOkay, everyone, Tom will be here soon. Letโs turn off the lights and hide,โ I said, feeling the excitement build.
We all found spots behind the kitchen counter and other hiding places. My heart was racing as we waited in the dark. I held my breath when I heard the key turn in the lock.
The door opened, and I heard footsteps. But then I heard a womanโs voice.
โDo you think heโll like it?โ the voice said.
My heart dropped. Who was she? For a moment, I thought Tom was cheating on me.
The lights flicked on, and the whole room gasped.
Standing in the doorway was a young couple, looking just as shocked as we were. The woman had a suitcase in her hand, and the man was holding a set of keys.
โWho are you?โ I blurted out, stepping forward.
The womanโs eyes widened. โWho are we? Who are you?โ she exclaimed.
Jim stepped out from behind the counter. โWeโre here for a surprise party. Who are you guys?โ
The man looked around, bewildered. โWe rented this house on Airbnb. We were supposed to stay here for a few days.โ
I felt the color drain from my face. โAirbnb? This is our house!โ
Dave scratched his head. โTom must have listed it after Maria said she was going out of town.โ
The woman looked at me sympathetically. โOh my gosh, we had no idea. Weโre so sorry. Weโll leave right away.โ
โNo, no, itโs okay,โ I said quickly, trying to keep the situation calm. โLetโs just figure this out.โ
The young couple, still looking confused, stepped inside and closed the door. Everyone was murmuring, trying to piece together what was happening.
Karen came over to me. โMaria, whatโs going on?โ
โI have no idea,โ I whispered back. โTom must have put the house on Airbnb when I told him Iโd be out of town.โ
Tomโs sister, Susan, walked up to the couple. โHey, why donโt we all sit down and talk this through?โ
We all moved to the living room, the decorations and party supplies now feeling strangely out of place. The young couple introduced themselves as Jake and Emily.
โWeโre really sorry about this,โ Jake said. โWe thought the house was empty.โ
Emily nodded. โYeah, we didnโt mean to crash your party.โ
I forced a smile. โItโs not your fault. This is just a big misunderstanding.โ
I pulled out my phone and called Tom. He answered on the second ring.
โHey, honey! I thought youโd be on your flight by now,โ he said cheerfully.
โTom,โ I said, trying to keep my voice steady, โdid you list our house on Airbnb?โ
There was a pause. โUh, yeah. I figured since you were going to be out of town, we could make a little extra money.โ
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. โTom, Iโm not out of town. I was planning a surprise party for you. And now weโve got a house full of guests and a couple who thought they rented our place.โ
Tomโs silence was palpable. โOh no, Maria, Iโm so sorry. I didnโt know.โ
I looked at Jake and Emily, who were sitting awkwardly on the couch. โWhat do we do now?โ
Tom sighed. โIโm on my way home. Weโll sort this out.โ
I hung up and turned to everyone. โTomโs coming home. Weโll figure this out when he gets here.โ
Jake stood up. โWe can find another place to stay. We donโt want to ruin your party.โ
Lisa shook her head. โNo, stay. Weโve got plenty of food and drinks. Join us.โ
Emily smiled hesitantly. โAre you sure?โ
โAbsolutely,โ I said. โThe more, the merrier.โ
Tom arrived about fifteen minutes later, looking sheepish. He walked in and immediately apologized to everyone.
โIโm really sorry about this,โ he said. โI was just trying to save up some money for a vacation for Maria and me.โ
Susan laughed. โWell, you certainly surprised us, Tom.โ
Jake and Emily ended up staying, and the party went on. They were great sports about the whole situation, and soon everyone was laughing and having a good time.
โCheers to unexpected guests and surprise parties,โ Dave toasted, raising his glass.
โCheers!โ we all echoed, clinking our glasses together.
As the night went on, I couldnโt help but smile. Despite the chaos, it turned out to be a night we would never forget. And as for the vacation, Tom and I would definitely be taking one, with a story to tell for years to come.
This $30 Cake Destroyed My Marriage โ My Husband Broke Down in the Middle of His Birthday Party
At Tomโs lively birthday celebration, a seemingly innocent cake delivery unexpectedly turned the atmosphere from festive to frosty. When the cake was unveiled, revealing a shocking secret, the room fell into stunned silence as Tomโs betrayal was bare for friends and family.
I was rushing around the house, making sure everything looked perfect for Tomโs birthday party. Balloons floated in corners, and streamers hung from the ceiling, adding pops of color everywhere.
The living room buzzed with laughter and chatter as early guests started to arrive, bringing with them the warm, comforting smell of home-cooked dishes and the sound of cheerful greetings.
While setting up the snack table, the doorbell rang. I wiped my hands on my apron and hurried to answer it. A delivery man stood there, holding a large box with a cheerful โHappy Birthday!โ sticker plastered on the side.
โFor you,โ he said, handing me the box that was surprisingly heavy.
โOh, I didnโt order this,โ I murmured, more to myself than to him, as I signed for the package. I assumed it was a surprise from one of Tomโs friends or family. Busy as I was, I thanked him quickly and placed the cake box on the kitchen counter to deal with later.
As the party filled up, Tom was the center of attention, laughing and clapping his friends on the back. He always had this easy charm that made everyone feel welcome. His parents, Jane and Michael, brought in a homemade pie, smiling broadly.
They hugged me, praising the decorations and the cozy atmosphere. My best friend Lisa was right behind them, her arms laden with gifts and her kids in tow, adding to the joyful chaos.
In the kitchen, I finally had a moment to slide the mysterious cake into the fridge. Curiosity got the better of me, and I lifted the lid just enough to sneak a peek. There was a picture on the cake, but it wasnโt the happy birthday message I expected. It looked like a screenshot of a text conversation, but I couldnโt make out the details.
โNeed any help in here?โ Lisaโs voice snapped me back to reality.
I quickly closed the cake box, plastering a smile on my face. โJust trying to make room for everything,โ I replied, pushing the box into the fridge.
