We did it.

We managed to buy all the food and decorations for Mom and Dad's date night without them really noticing. I just finished my homework when my sister, Rodia pulls the marinated chicken out of the fridge. My brother Paul is busy getting the braai (barbecue fire) ready for the meat and sliced peppers.

My cake is still soft in the oven, but the smell of vanilla and lemon swirls through the air. My parents love vanilla lemon cake. They buy it for Valentine's Day and their wedding anniversary every year.

I polish the dining table, getting ready to set it up because my parents will be home in an hour. I pull out the red table runner, the candles plates and the champagne glasses, and check how it looks from the kitchen counter.

'Sam, I think it looks fine,' Rodia says as she walks in from the balcony, checking the sparkling grape juice sitting inside the ice. 'Just make sure that the red carpet reaches the door.'

I roll the carpet out and it's just short of the door.

Rodia thinks for a bit before saying, 'make it start from the middle of the carpet.'

That works and won't stop the front door from opening, which won't ruin the surprise. 

Once things look better, I go to the patio to watch Paul grill the chicken, but his eyes are on his phone.

'How will you know if they're properly done?' my sister asks him as she attempts to snatch his phone.

'I'll check!' he laughs as he dodges her, and they ultimately go into the house.

I pick up another fork and turn one of the chicken breasts over as they end up back outside, the problem unsolved as usual. That's because our brother runs like a mouse.

I give him the spare fork and go into the house to get the cake out of the oven. Rodia takes the icing sugar with lemon juice and carefully heats it up for me. She reminds me to only pour it once the cake cools down. She starts chopping up the veggies to put in the rice.

"The 'rents are around the corner," Paul announces. Rodia heats up a kettle of water to cook rice while I grab the store-bought cheese rolls to put on the braai. I check the carpet and table as I walk to the patio, asking Paul to quickly warm them up on some tin foil.

The roar of Dad's engine catches us all off guard. Sister heads to the door while brother and I look at the food. 

Paul's mouse ears hear their footsteps and he drags us to stand in front of the dining table just as they walk in.

'Surprise!' we shout. 

I step away from the table to show the set-up.

Mom is speechless. Dad has an impressed face on. 'That's why the street smells so good! Can we get some rest before you spoil us?'

'No problem,' Rodia says as they walk past us to the master bedroom.

'Guys, how far is the chicken? And the rolls?'

'Let me check,' brother goes out to the patio. 

I go get the cake ready, popping it out of the mould. I set it on the plate and grab the beaker with warm lemon icing, drizzling it and sprinkling the lemon zest on top.

Mom and Dad look amazing as they head to the table. How did they get ready so quickly?

'We wanted to go out for dinner, but this is so much better,' Mom says as Dad pulls out her chair and checks on her comfort before he takes a seat. Her bob is freshly pressed, her makeup flawless with her red lipstick matching her dress. Dad is wearing his favourite black suit with a lipstick-matching red bowtie.

'So, what's on the menu?'

Rodia walks in with the bottles of sparkling grape juice. 'We have cheese rolls and garlic butter for a starter. Mixed veg and white rice with a Greek salad and spicy braai chicken for the mains and your favourite vanilla lemon cake for dessert.'

'Wow,' Mom says before she guzzles the drink. 'We're starving, bring it please!'

Paul walks in like a fancy waiter, bringing in the cheese rolls covered in garlic butter for each of them. They take a generous bite and make comments about the food as sister starts plating the main course. I help her serve the salad after dressing and seasoning it, putting them next to the rice on the plate. Paul finally brings the chicken and puts the plate on the counter. Rodia inspects the best pieces and finalises the food to take to our parents.

They waste no time, digging and humming in approval.

'You did a great job,' I whisper to my sister as we watch them enjoy dinner and chat about their workday. 

We also served some of the food for ourselves and ate it, chatting about school and what we did for Valentine's Day. 

Dessert rolled around and they were almost full, but they tried a little bit for my sake. I was also impressed when I took a bite of the cake. 

We were finally called to stand together. They thanked us for the wonderful food and the set-up, and Dad went off... somewhere, bringing us gifts. It was a heartfelt note and chocolates.

They even helped us clean everything up.

Mom and Dad's date night was a huge success.

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