ANGELINA JOLIE’S BIRTHDAY ENDS IN TEARS

It started out as a very special birthday for Angelina Jolie — a surprise celebration at her rented mansion on Long Island, N.Y., featuring all six of her children, fresh flowers from the garden, a homemade cake — and her partner, Brad Pitt, who had put aside his problems with her and flown in from Los Angeles just for the June 4 party. “Brad made an effort to be with Angie,” says a close friend of the couple’s. “He was really hoping they would get along and enjoy themselves.” But, while Brad did go to a lot of trouble for Angelina’s 34th — presenting her with a specially commissioned painting of their family, as well as lingerie from Angelina’s favorite store, Agent Provocateur — it wasn’t long before the troubled couple erupted in a fight over Brad’s ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston. “Things were going fine, and then Angie started accusing Brad of meeting Jen in LA,” says an associate. “It turned into a massive blowup, which left Brad more disillusioned than ever.”

According to another pal, Brad didn’t stick around to argue. “He told her straight out that he’s had enough and was out of there,” the pal reveals. Four days later, Brad was spotted visiting Angelina on the Washington, D.C., set of her film Salt. But the pal says they’re just going through the motions for appearance’s sake. “Angelina has cried a lot of tears over Brad.” Another confidante agrees: “This split has been simmering for months, and unless something drastic happens, it is going to boil over very soon. The only thing keeping Brad from officially walking out is their six kids.”