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“Happy Birthday my darling.” Anne wakes up to her husbands soft voice close to her ear and his arms around Her body. “Thank you for always being by my side and being the best wife,mother,grandmother,daughter,woman,princess and friend to so many people on this planet.” He leans forward and gives her a big kiss full of love. His wife slowly opens her eyes and he can see a few tears in them. “What a wonderful way to start the day. But if you don’t shut up know I’m going to cry like a baby.” She smiles and gives him a big hug followed by a passionate kiss. “So, what is the birthday girl planing on doing today?” “Sadly the work doesn’t stop just for ones birthday and I need to do some stuff around the farm plus spend a few hours in my office.” “Do you have something planned for this evening?” “Depends on what you have planned…I originally planed to spend the evening with Zara. A girls night as she put it to celebrate my birthday. She told me to dress up because she wants to take me out as a gift for being such a good mom.” Tim doesn’t miss the tone in which she said those words. “Anne, you are a good mom and you deserve to be celebrated! But sadly I wont be seeing you then. I need to leave at about 3, but can I convince you to eat lunch with the man who loves you the most on this whole earth?” “I thought my father is dead?” They looked at each other and burst out laughing, it took some time for Tim to get used to Annes way with grief and how to react to her jokes. But by now he is used to them. After a few minutes they have calmed down and lay there cuddling. “I’m sorry my dear but if you want to eat lunch with me I really need to get up.” Unwillingly he lets go of his wife and the two get ready and go on with what they have planned for the morning.
At lunchtime Tim gently knocks on the door of his wife’s office. After being called in he enters and sees his wife at her desk her mind fully occupied with the work laying in front of her. “Are you hungry? I prepared something we could enjoy in the garden. The weather is perfect for my birthday girl.” She gets up and follows him outside where she finds a perfectly set table with a big bouquet of red roses. “Oh Tim, they are perfect. You are spoiling me rotten. Thank you!” She gives him a big kiss to thank him and the two lovebirds sit down to enjoy the meal cooked by Tim. “This was an amazing lunch. Until now it’s a perfect birthday. Sadly Peter and the girls are already on holiday at Balmoral and we can’t celebrate together. And Mike also left with the kids for Balmoral already, Zara is just staying here to celebrate. How I wish we could leave today and not in a few days.” Tim took her hand over the table to comfort her. “Yes, that would be wonderful. But you know we need to take care of the farm until the stressful time is over and everything is sorted enough to leave it in the hands of others. And at least Zara stayed to celebrate with you.” “Why don’t you come with Zara and me? I would love to celebrate with as many members of my family as possible.” “Anne, I’m really sorry but I don’t want to ruin you girls night. I know for a fact that Zara is looking really forward to spending time with her mother alone. The two of you deserve it.” “Alright, alright. At least we had this morning and lunch and I can celebrate with the others when we leave for Balmoral in a few days.” They get up and clear up the table before they continue with their plans.
Anne is sunken in her work when she hears a knock at the door. The door opens and her husband enters. “It’s nearly three. I need to leave and run all the errands I pushed back the last few days and weeks since I was busy on the farm.” He comes to her and gives her a kiss goodbye. “I don’t think I will be back before you leave with Zara. Have fun and enjoy it. I love you and I will see you when we are both back at home.” “Thank you. I love you too. Have fun my love.” She notices his mischievous smile but can’t explain it so she lets it slide. “Oh, I will.” With those words he leaves his confused wife. She shakes her head and continues working so she has enough time to get ready later.
At around six she is done with the necessary work and goes upstairs to take a shower,do her hair and put on make up. Once she is ready she stands in front of her closet wondering what she should wear. Zara told her to dress up. But how much and what for? So not the jeans and t shirt she has been wearing today and all the similar stuff she wore the past days. She hates to not know what awaits her. “What about your dark blue dress you usually wear for dates with Tim?” Anne whips her head around at the sudden voice behind her. “Zara, I swear if you do anything like that again I will die from a heart attack! I thought I raised you better than to enter bedrooms of other people without knocking or even worse an other house!” “Hello to you too Mom. Happy Birthday! I love you and thank you for raising me in a good way so I know not to enter other bedrooms…especially this one when Tim and you are both in it.” “You are lucky I love you too. So you think I should wear that dress? Well you know where we are going and I trust you. I’m going to get ready give me a minute.” Anne goes into the bathroom and gets changed. First she puts on the matching and sexy set of lingerie she always wears with this dress hoping Tim will still be awake when she comes home to surprise him. Then the blue dress Tim loves so much which does wonders for her body. She leaves the bathroom and grasps her pair of simple black heals and a purse. “I’m ready. What do you think?” “I think we are running late to our plan since it’s already 7:30 pm and we need to be there in half an hour with a way of at least 25 Minutes and I think you look beautiful. If Tim could see you he would fall in love all over again. Just like all the other times you wear this outfit. Let’s go, let’s go! We don’t have time mom!” The two woman hurry to the car and Zara starts to drive. “So, where are you taking me?” “That will stay a surprise until we are there. For now you need to be patient.” Anne gives in and for the next few minutes the two woman talk about each others lives. Suddenly Anne notices something. “Wait, are we going back home? Or did you just take a wrong turn?” “I have no idea what you are talking about mom. You need to be confused about where we are…” “Zara Anne Elisabeth Tindall! Are you saying I don’t know how the streets look around my own home? So what have you planned? First you stress me because we are late and now we drive back home?” “I’m not going to answer anything but you will get your answers when we are there. Promised. Trust me mom it’s all okay.”
After 10 more minutes in the car and not another word said the two arrive on the other side of the farm as where they just started their journey 20 minutes ago. “Are you finally going to tell me what’s going on?” But Zara is not saying a single word and just takes a scarf out of her purse. “You are going to kill me for this but I need to blindfold you to not take away the surprise. But it’s either you killing me ore someone else.” Anne now officially gives up and lets her daughter cover her eyes. “Okay, I will take your arm and lead you to our destination.” After walking around a corner and then taking a few more steps Zara stops for a moment and pushes something out of the way. Then they continue their way for just a few more meters. Zara takes off her mothers blindfold. “Surprise!!!!” Is heard from Annes whole little family and friends standing in a decorated big party tent. Everyone is there. Tim,Peter,Mike,the kids, a few riding friends, some people from the village they life in, some people who work on the farm and even Sophie and Edward with James and Louise. Anne has tears in her eyes when she turns towards her daughter. “Who planned this?” “You can guess twice. Who loves you so much they would organize all this and make us all participate?” Anne looks at her husband and takes a few steps toward him before giving him a big big hug. “Happy birthday Annie! You didn’t get to celebrate your 70.birthday 4 years ago because of covid and then we never managed to celebrate it. Ether because of covid or last year we where on the boat. And a few weeks ago you seemed so sad because all the others where going to be at Balmoral and we couldn’t celebrate. So I started planing this.” Against her usual behavior Anne gives him a kiss. And not just a peck on the lips, no, a real kiss full of love and gratitude. The guest all start cheering and then they continue celebrating Anne. Peter,Zara,Mike and the children togheter with the Wales family who couldn’t be here today put together a video with the best moments of Annes live and the workers of the farm bought her a wonderful present. After about two hours and some delicious food Tim takes the word. “If you could all be quiet for a moment I would like to say a few words. Anne, my darling, the most perfect person on this world. I know you don’t like people making speeches about or for you but I just couldn’t help myself so you need to life trough it. I will do my best to make it short. Thank you for being such an amazing wife to me, thank you for giving me this family. Even when we are not always on the same page I always feel how much you love me and that is such an amazing feeling. You are such a strong and hardworking person who always tries to help all the others. The place you love the most is in the middle of your family…or your horses.” Laughter is heard. “I am such a privileged man to have you as my wife and to have been able to grow old with you and to enjoy the best years of our lives together. Thank you for all the memories,laughs and moments we shared and all the things I learned from you. I love you Anne Elisabeth Alice Louise Laurence!” Anne has tears in her eyes and gives him a big hug. Music start again and Anne immediately recognizes it as the song they danced to at their wedding. “Can I have this dance?” Anne takes his hand and together they dance like they did all those years ago. The party continues for a few more hours before most people need to leave since they got work in the morning or are just tired. At about one the last guests leave the tent and Anne and Tim are alone. “Thank you Tim! That was a perfect birthday. Would have been perfect just with you but it was soooo fantastic to be able to celebrate with all the others.” She gives him a passionate kiss and after a while they need to separate for air. “Let’s go inside. I want to check if my assumption is right.” “What assumption Tim?” “Well usually when you are wearing this dress there is something really sexy underneath and I have been thinking about that the whole time. It was a hard day for me to not be able to do the things I usually do to you on your birthday.” His voice is full of lust and so close to her ear that her knees go a little weak. “For me the day wasn’t any easier. I was afraid you would be asleep when I get back and I would not be able to do what I wanted to do this morning if we would have had more time. But let’s go inside. I think you wont be disappointed with your assumptions my darling…” And with that she leaves the tent toward their home. Without any hesitation he quickly follows his wife.
They are laying in bed cuddling naked with some sheets around them. “I know you will hate me but I still have a present for you Anne.” “What? The party, the roses and lunch, that was more than enough. I’m spoiled rotten!” “I was out shopping a few days ago and just couldn’t walk away. It fits perfectly with your other pieces.” He takes out a jewel case in dark blue. “Open it.” Inside Anne finds a golden necklace with a blue pearl. “It fits perfectly with your ring and I couldn’t help myself to ad another piece to your collection of things that fit with it.” “It’s perfect Tim. Thank you so so much.” She puts it aside and gives him a passionate kiss that leads them to another round of passionate lovemaking. Anne will forever remember this birthday as one of the best she ever celebrated.