This is love

TWENTY-NINE

“Happy birthday to you.” A soft, gentle tone murmurs into my ear and pulls me from my well rested slumber. “Happy birthday to you.” The voice continued as I smiled against the comfort of my soft pillow as a sweet kiss lay on my shoulder. “Happy birthday my sweetest wifey.” I hum a giggle. “Happy birthday to you.” 

I finally turn onto my back, peaking my eyes open at the gorgeous ray of sunshine hovering above me. He was like one of those photoshopped models, sculpted by hours of digital work done by professional editors for Vogue. His dreamy caramel eyes were so perfectly turned to liquid gold by the light that was filling the room with glorious warmth though that wasn’t the only thing heating my skin. 

“Thank you.” I rasp, reaching and touching his chin. “Do I smell pancakes?” 

His eyebrows quirk. “Very impressive, Ms Hayes.” He sweeps in for a quick peck. “Now - breakfast in bed?” 

I shake my head. I wasn’t fond of eating in bed, the idea of crumbs on the sheets itched my skin. I wiggle from my haven and twist my hair up high on my head causing Jason to groan from behind me. 

“You know, you’re possibly the only man ever to get turned on by a messy bun.” I tease with him, sliding my feet into my slippers. He sneaks behind me, capsulating me within his strong and bare arms. 

“Because you’re possibly the only woman ever to make them look so sexy.” He mumbles into my neck. He keeps his position and it causes us to waddle down the hallway and downstairs where he was quick to put his hands over my eyes before we reached the living room. “Ready, birthday girl?” 

“I’m twenty-six, Jason.” I laugh. “Not five. You don’t need to cover my eyes.” 

His chest vibrates on my back. “Says the one who still sulks when I win at air hockey.” 

“Because you cheat.” 

“Because you’re a sore loser.” 

I jut my elbow backwards and clip his ribs causing another slip of laughter to spill from his lips. He drops his hands and an involuntary gasp escape. Our living room was transformed into a glorious, florist heaven from massive bouquets bigger than my arms width to small little hat boxes stuffed with ponies and daisies. 

“Jason - this is so beautiful.” I mutter. Then my eyes fell to the coffee table with polka dot wrap presents and the most hilarious plastic crown with tacky fake diamonds and pink fluff with birthday princess written in big bold letters. “Hannah?” 

“Who else?” He grinned. “Breakfast or presents first?” 

I grin at him. “Do you need to ask?” 

He laughs as I dart to the sofa, eyes wide like a child. I was curious when I saw the gift bags with tissue paper poking from the top and I flipped the tags to read who they were from. Dad and Teresa, Flo and Paul, Hannah and Tommy, even Rachel and Colin. 

“Everyone’s gifts are here?” I ask him. 

He sits on the arm of the couch. “Yeah, they just wanted you to open them when you woke up.” 

I didn’t question it, but dug deep in the bags while Jason reached for the princess tiara and set it on my head. I jut my tongue out to him. I rummage through my gifts, doting over the beautiful necklace from dad and Teresa, cuddling my cheek against the blanket from Rachel and Colin, inhaling the sweet perfume from Hannah and Tommy and becoming watery eyed at the beautiful portrait of Jason and I on our wedding day from Flo and Paul. 

"I already feel too spoilt." I mutter, taking a gift off the table and flipping over the label. 

My wonderful wife. Happy birthday baby. 

"Stop being modest and open them." He mumbles with a soft smile. So I do, feeling so completely overwhelmed from the stunning new crystal encrusted watch to the sentimental photo album with details in it I was sure he'd forgotten. From the receipt of our first Dave and Buster’s outing to a pressed flower from my wedding bouquet. The memories filling the pages made my stomach flop with happiness. Then I reached the last page of the thick page book. 

26th Birthday. Sprawled at the top, written in thick sharpie and in his classic handwriting that I was forever envious of.

"Smile." He said, rattling the Polaroid camera he had also bought and so delicately wrapped and snapping a photo of the cheesiest grin I could possibly muster. "Here, you've one left." 

I furrowed my brows as he passed me a small, square box no bigger than the palm of my hand. It was definitely not jewelry, or an item of clothing. Curiously, I shook off the bow and lifted the lid. 

Twenty six euros lay inside. 

"Euros?" 

He grins. "Go get dressed." 

"For what?" 

"Your final present." He said, pulling me from the couch. "Make it fast. We need to leave in thirty minutes." 

"This is foreign currency." I mumble, allowing him to push me down the hallway and leave the sea of gift wrap behind. "Jason if we're going somewhere I need to pack!" 

"It's done." 

"It's done? How is it done? Who did it?" I exclaim with a shriek as he swats my bum and charges the stairs behind me. "It better not have been Hannah!" 

I could only envision the tiny pieces of material she would have lumbered me with. Enough that would get me smack on the cover of some sleazy tabloids with the words Gold Digger or Attention Seeker stabled above me. 

"No, actually. I did it." He proudly announces. "Now hurry up and change!" 

"Jason -" 

He holds up a finger and peaks back into the closet where he abandons me. The twinkle in his eye gets my heart soaring. 

"Happy birthday, wife."

It was exactly thirty minutes later when Jason was rushing me outside and into Graham’s car with still no inkling of where we were jetting off too - that’s if we were jetting off. 

“What about Knox?” 

“We were never babysitting.” 

I gasped. “You used our godson to lie!” 

“Not entirely a lie. Just a cover story.” He grins cheekily, entangling our hands and holding them on top of my thigh. “I couldn’t exactly tell you that I was planning a trip, could I? That ruins the element of surprise.” 

“I was looking forward to pizza and a movie.” 

“Who said we still can’t do that?” He asks. “This trip is for us to relax. Think of it as our honeymoon.” 

“We already had it.” 

“An extended one then.” 

“I still can’t believe you. You’ve been full of surprises lately.” I murmur with a shy smile, running my thumb across his knuckles. 

“Want to hear an even bigger surprise?” He whispers. He leans forward, our noses touches and the strong peppermint scent brushes my lips. “It’s just us. For a full week. No phones, no computers, nothing. Just me and you.” 

× × ×
I'm not even going to lie. I definitely made this chapter short because the final chapter is next and it's a biggie!!!
To celebrate I'm doing a DOUBLE UPDATE - 30th, and final chapter will be posted in a few hours.
I love you all!!!