The house I grew up in had a redbud tree just outside my bedroom window. On February 13, 1993, I went to sleep in my bed for the last time as a fifteen year old. The next morning, I woke up at 6:00 am to my mom poking her head in my bedroom door and saying “Kelly, listen!”
While I couldn’t imagine what was so important for me to listen to so early in the morning, I sat up in bed and listened. Then my now sixteen year old heart skipped a beat. Maybe three or ten beats. I crawled down onto the floor next to the window and listened to the most beautiful sound in the whole entire world.
“...Oh, you are my only one
You are my only one.
Well I’m telling you now, now you’re my only one...”
I knew this song. It was the song sung in the play. The one I so desperately wanted sung to me. I knew exactly who was singing it outside my window. Still, I just sat on the floor and listened to most of the song before I peeked through the blinds and saw Joey standing under the moonlit shadows of the redbud tree, playing his guitar and serenading me for my sixteenth birthday.
Best. Birthday. Ever. And the sun wasn’t even up yet.
I directed Joey to go to the back door where I let him inside. The poor guy was frozen from head to toe. Who knew how long he had been out there singing in the cold. Luckily, he had informed my mom of his bold plans so she knew to listen for him and wake me up if I didn’t hear him.
I am positive I looked a frightful mess so early in the morning. My eyes always have an extra layer of puff around them when I first wake up. I hadn’t taken the time to comb my hair, brush my teeth or check my face before running out the back door to meet him. But Joey didn’t seem to mind my disheveled state. He handed me a single red rose and a heart keychain with the words below inscribed on it.
Kelly ~ My Only One
Love, Joey
2-14-93
I seriously thought I was living a dream. This kind of thing just doesn’t happen to every girl on her sixteenth birthday. I tried to take in the moment.
Then I panicked. Oh my! What if he tries to kiss me? This would go against everything we had already determined about “taking it slow.” But seriously, I totally would have let him kiss me at that point. He had me in the palm of his hand. I’d been swept off my feet. But for goodness sake, I wish I would have stopped to brush my teeth. Aaahh! I became absolutely paranoid about my possible morning breath.
We talked for a while before I confessed, “I think I might have morning breath.” He just laughed and hugged me. He didn’t try to kiss me. He knew it was still best to wait.
“It’s okay. I don’t notice any morning breath. Happy Birthday.” One more hug. “See you later.”
Then he was out the door again. He was stronger than me, for sure.
I can’t really remember anything else that happened that day. Something about my birthday. Taking my driver license test. I think it snowed. None of that mattered so much in light of that early morning sweet sixteen serenade.
