Special Birthday Celebration: A Couple’s Unforgettable Dinner Evening

A Special Birthday Celebration: The Couples Memorable Dinner

Sophie was heading back with her husband from the restaurant where theyd celebrated his birthday. It had been a lovely evening. So many people had turned uprelatives, work colleagues. It was the first time Sophie had met many of them, but if James had decided to invite them, it mustve been important.

Sophie wasnt the type to question her husbands decisions. She hated drama and arguments. For her, it was easier to just go along with James than to prove she was right.

“Sophie, have you got the flat keys handy? Can you grab them?”

She rummaged through her handbag and winced as a sharp pain shot through her finger. She yanked her hand back, dropping the bag.

“Whyd you scream?”

“Something stung me!”

“With all the junk in that bag, Im not surprised.”

Sophie didnt argue. She picked up the bag, carefully fished out the keys, and they went inside. By then, shed already forgotten about it. Her legs ached from exhaustionall she wanted was a hot shower and bed. But the next morning, her hand throbbed. Her finger was red and swollen. Thats when she remembered last night and emptied her bag to see what was inside. Buried at the bottom was a large, rusted needle.

“What on earth?”

She had no idea how it got there. She tossed it in the bin, then dug out the first-aid kit to clean the sting. After bandaging her finger, she headed to work. But by lunch, she was burning up with fever.

She called James.

“James, I dont know whats wrong! I think Ive caught something. Fever, headache, my whole body hurts. And get thisI found a rusty needle in my bag. Thats what stung me last night.”

“You should see a doctor. What if its tetanus or something serious?”

“Dont be dramatic. I cleaned it. Itll be fine.”

But as the day wore on, Sophie got worse. She barely lasted until the end of her shift before calling a taxi home. No way she could handle the Tube. The second she walked in, she collapsed on the sofa and fell asleep.

She dreamed of her grandmother, Margaret, whod passed away when Sophie was little. She didnt know how, but she *knew* it was her. Though Margarets appearance mightve scared some, Sophie felt only comfortlike she was there to help.

Margaret led her through a field, pointing out herbs she needed to gather. She explained Sophie had to brew a tea to cleanse her body. Someone wished her harm. To fight it, she had to survive. Time was running out.

Sophie woke in a cold sweat. She felt like shed slept for hours, but the clock said only minutes had passed. The front door clicked openJames was home. She stumbled into the hallway, and his face fell.

“Whats happened to you? Look in the mirror!”

She did. Yesterday, shed been a glowing, smiling woman. Now? Dishevelled hair, dark circles, pale skinshe barely recognised herself.

“Whats going on?”

Then she remembered the dream.

“I saw Nana Margaret. She told me what to do”

“Sophie, get dressed. Were going to hospital.”

“No. She said doctors wont help.”

A proper row broke out. James called her mad, scoffing at her delirious dream about some old woman. For the first time, they fought bitterly. He even tried dragging her out.

“If you wont go nicely, Ill make you.”

Sophie resisted, lost her balance, and fell hard. Furious, James snatched her bag, slammed the door, and left. All she could do was text her boss, saying shed caught a bug and needed a few days off.

James came back near midnight, full of apologies. Sophie just said,

“Take me to the village where Nana lived.”

By morning, Sophie looked more like a walking corpse than a healthy woman. James begged,

“Sophie, dont be daft. Lets go to hospital. I cant lose you.”

But they went. Sophie only remembered the villages nameshe hadnt been since her parents sold Margarets cottage. She slept the whole drive. Nearing the village, she stirred and pointed.

“That way.”

Weakly, she stepped out and crumpled onto the grass. But she knewthis was the place from her dream. She found the herbs Margaret had shown her, and they drove home. James brewed the tea as instructed. Each sip made her feel a fraction better.

Later, in the bathroom, she saw her urine was black. But instead of panicking, she whispered Nanas words:

“The poisons leaving”

That night, she dreamed of Margaret againsmiling this time.

“They cursed you through that rusty needle. The tea will help, but not for long. We must find who did this and return their evil. I dont know whoI cant see. But its tied to James. If you hadnt thrown the needle away, I couldve told more. But heres what well do.”

“Buy a pack of needles. Hold the largest and say: *Spirits of night, once alive! Hear me, ghosts of darkness, reveal the truth. Surround me! Show me, aid me, find my foe* Then slip it into Jamess bag. Whoever cursed you will prick themselves, and well know their name.”

With that, Margaret vanished like mist.

Sophie woke still weak but hopeful. James stayed home to care for her, baffled when she insisted on going to the shops alone.

“Sophie, you can barely stand!”

“Just make me some soup. Im starving after this bug.”

She did as Margaret said. That night, the enchanted needle was in Jamess bag.

Before bed, he asked, “Sure youre alright? Maybe I should stay longer.”

“Ill manage.”

Though improving, Sophie felt the curse lingeringa shadow in her veins. But the tea fought it.

When James came home, she waited by the door.

“How was your day?”

“Fine. Why?”

Sophie thought nothing had happeneduntil he added,

“Odd thingSarah from the next department tried helping me grab my keys from my bag. My hands were full with files. She pricked herself on a needle. No idea how it got there. Gave me a death glare after.”

“Anything between you and Sarah?”

“Sophie, come on. I love *you*. Its nothing.”

“Was she at your birthday dinner?”

“Yeah, just as a colleague.”

The pieces clicked. Now Sophie knew how the needle got into her bag.

James headed to the kitchen where dinner waited. Sophie slept and dreamed of Margaret, who explained how to return Sarahs curse.

“Its clear now. Sarah used magic to rid herself of you. She wont stop.”

Sophie followed every instruction. Soon, James mentioned Sarah was on medical leave”Doctors are baffled,” he said.

That weekend, Sophie asked James to take her to Margarets village. She bought flowers and gloves to tidy the grave she hadnt visited since the funeral.

When she found the headstone, she cleaned it, arranged the flowers, and sat on the bench.

“Nana, Im sorry I didnt come sooner. I thought Mum and Dads yearly visits were enough. I was wrong. Ill come now. If it werent for you, I might not be here.”

Then, like a touch, she felt hands on her shoulders. She turnedno one. Just a soft breeze.