The morning began quietly, but I knew it wouldn't last long. Since Olivia had requested fireworks with her face as part of her epic birthday celebration, the issue had been lingering in my mind like an unresolved task. Lindsay had already promised Olivia that there would be fireworks, and now it was up to me to find a way to fulfill that promise without disappointing her. The problem was that, after several failed calls, I was running out of options.
I decided to start early, taking advantage of the fact that Olivia was still asleep. I sat at the desk in my room and dialed the number of a local company known for their pyrotechnic shows.
"Good morning, this is Sack Steele," I said when they answered. "I'm organizing a special event and need something unique for fireworks. Is it possible to design one featuring a person's face?"
The voice on the other end sounded confident.
"Good morning, Mr. Steele. Of course, we can work on custom designs. However, it requires time. For a detailed design like the one you mentioned, it would take us at least half a month to prepare."
I pressed a hand to my forehead, frustrated.
"I understand… but the event is in less than two weeks. Is there any way to speed up the process?"
There was a pause before they responded.
"I'm sorry, sir. Fireworks with specific designs involve creating special molds, and that can't be rushed without compromising quality. Perhaps another company can assist you better."
I thanked them politely and hung up, feeling the weight on my shoulders grow heavier. Half a month was too long, and we couldn't afford delays.
I dialed the next number on my list, this time trying to stay calm.
"Hello, I'm looking for a solution for customized fireworks. Could you advise me?"
The response was similar to the previous one.
"Of course, sir. We can do basic designs, like hearts or stars, but something as detailed as a human face requires extra time. At a minimum, three weeks."
I sighed deeply.
"What if we pay an additional fee? Could you prioritize it?"
The person on the other end seemed to consider it briefly.
"Even with extra payment, we can't guarantee satisfactory results in such a short time. I'm sorry, sir. It's a delicate technical process."
I hung up again, increasingly aware that this would be more complicated than I'd anticipated. I looked out the window, wondering what we'd do if we couldn't resolve this issue.
After a short break, I decided to try one more time. This time, I called an international company with a reputation for large and extravagant events.
"Good morning, this is Sack Steele. I'm organizing an important event and need fireworks with a very specific design: a person's face. Is it possible to do this in less than two weeks?"
The operator paused for a long moment before responding.
"Mr. Steele, I understand your urgency, but traditional fireworks don't work well for fine details like human faces. However, I have an alternative suggestion. Have you considered combining drones with fireworks?"
I frowned, intrigued.
"Drones… how exactly?"
"It's innovative technology. After the regular fireworks, drones can form pre-programmed images in the sky. We could create the face you want using a synchronized fleet of drones. It's faster and more flexible than manufacturing new fireworks."
I felt a flash of hope.
"That sounds interesting. How much time would you need to organize something like that?"
"With enough information and reference photos, we could have everything ready in less than a week. We just need to coordinate some technical details."
I nodded, though they obviously couldn't see me.
"Understood. Could you send a formal proposal by email? I want to review the costs and ensure it fits within our plan."
"Of course, sir. We'll be in touch soon."
When I ended the call, I felt immediate relief. Not only did we have a viable solution, but it was also creative and modern. Olivia would be impressed.
An hour later, I received an email with the technical proposal and associated costs. It was reasonable, even within the budget we'd set. I decided to confirm everything directly.
"Hello, I'm back," I said when they answered. "I've reviewed your proposal, and it seems perfect. Can we proceed with the combination of fireworks and drones?"
The voice on the other end sounded excited.
"Excellent choice, Mr. Steele! We'll take care of everything. We'll just need a high-resolution photo of the design you want to recreate and some additional specifications. We'll program the drones to form the desired image right after the initial fireworks show."
I smiled, finally feeling confident that this would work.
"Perfect. I'll send the photo today. Thank you for your help."
I ended the call with a sense of satisfaction. We'd found a creative solution that would exceed Olivia's expectations. Now all that was left was to inform Lindsay.
I left my room and found Lindsay in the kitchen, busy making coffee. When she saw me enter, she looked up.
"So? How did the calls go?" she asked, visibly concerned.
I sat across from her and told her everything I'd discovered.
"The first companies said they couldn't do it in time. Designing fireworks with such a detailed face would take at least half a month. But then I found an alternative solution."
Lindsay frowned, intrigued.
"Alternative? What do you mean?"
"Instead of trying to display Olivia's face directly on the fireworks, we'll use drones. After the initial show, the drones will form her face in the sky. It's faster, more flexible, and visually impactful."
Lindsay's eyes widened in surprise.
"That's amazing! I never thought of something like that. Are you sure it will work?"
I nodded confidently.
"Absolutely. The company will send us a formal proposal and coordinate all the technical details. I've already sent them the photo we took of Olivia during our last dinner together. It will be perfect."
Lindsay smiled widely, relieved.
"Thank goodness. I thought we'd have to give Olivia bad news. This will be much better than anything we'd imagined."
We fell silent for a few seconds, enjoying the moment of calm. The sun filtered softly through the window, illuminating Lindsay's face. She seemed relaxed, but I knew she still had a thousand things on her mind for Olivia's birthday. Without overthinking it, I reached out and gently stroked her hand.
She looked at me, surprised for a moment, but then her expression softened. Her eyes shone with that mix of sweetness and strength that had always captivated me.
"Thank you for handling this, Sack," she whispered, squeezing my hand lightly. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
I smiled, feeling warmth rise to my cheeks.
"You don't have to thank me. I'd do anything for you… and for Olivia, of course."
Lindsay let out a small laugh, leaning toward me. Her proximity was intoxicating. Carefully, I moved my face closer to hers and kissed her softly on the lips. It was a brief kiss but full of meaning, one that reflected everything I felt for her.
When we pulled apart, she looked at me with a shy but genuine smile.
"I love you, Sack," she murmured, stroking my cheek.
"I love you too, Lindsay," I replied, pulling her into a warm, comforting embrace.
I knew that, no matter what happened, we'd always face any challenge together.