Eternal Love

Chapter 17

     A Birthday to Remember

The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the garden as final preparations were being made. Jeff had spent weeks planning the perfect birthday surprise for Bible, and tonight was the night it all came together. He wanted everything to be flawless, not just for Bible, but for their daughter, Cherry, and both of their families who had become an integral part of their lives.

The garden was transformed into a magical setting, with twinkling fairy lights draped across the trees, and a long table set up with elegant place settings. Balloons in shades of blue and silver floated gently in the breeze, and a large banner that read "Happy Birthday, Bible" hung above the entrance.

Cherry was the most excited of all. She ran around the garden in her little party dress, her laughter echoing through the air as she played with her cousins. Jeff watched her with a smile, his heart swelling with love for the beautiful family they had built.

As the guests began to arrive, the garden filled with the warmth of family and friends. Bible’s parents were the first to arrive, greeting Jeff with hugs and kind words. Bible’s mother, especially, seemed to be in high spirits, her eyes shining as she took in the decorations and the effort Jeff had put into making the evening special.

When Bible finally arrived, led into the garden with a blindfold over his eyes, the crowd erupted into cheers. Jeff stood by with Cherry in his arms, her little hand clapping along with the others as they shouted, "Surprise!"

Bible removed the blindfold and looked around, his eyes widening in surprise and joy. He turned to Jeff, who was smiling brightly at him. "You did all this for me?"

Jeff nodded, stepping forward to kiss Bible on the cheek. "Happy birthday, Bib. I wanted to make this one unforgettable."

Bible’s eyes were filled with emotion as he looked around at the people who mattered most to him, all gathered in one place to celebrate his special day. "It’s perfect," he said softly, pulling Jeff into a hug. "Thank you."

The evening was filled with laughter, love, and the joy of being surrounded by family. Cherry was the life of the party, darting between the guests and showing off her new dance moves, much to everyone’s delight. Bible’s parents watched her with pride, their faces glowing with happiness.

As the night wore on and the cake was cut, Bible’s father pulled his wife aside, his eyes following Cherry as she twirled around the garden. "I hope Cherry doesn’t turn out like her mother," he murmured, his voice low.

Bible’s mother placed a hand on his arm, her expression calm but with a touch of steel behind her eyes. "She won’t. Jeff and Bible are raising her well. She’ll be nothing like Jane."

She paused, a small, twisted smile playing on her lips as she continued. "And it’s a good thing we got rid of her when we did. She was never right for our family."

Bible’s father nodded, his gaze shifting to Bible, who was laughing with Jeff and Cherry. "You’re right. Our son is happy now, and that’s all that matters."

As the party began to wind down and guests started to leave, the house grew quiet. Bible took Cherry upstairs, gently rocking her to sleep and tucking her into bed. He stood by her bedside for a moment, watching her peaceful face, before leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Goodnight, sweetheart," he whispered.

Downstairs, Jeff was cleaning up, packing away the leftover food and tidying up the kitchen. The evening had gone exactly as he had hoped, and the happiness on Bible’s face had made all the effort worth it.

Bible joined him in the kitchen, wrapping his arms around Jeff from behind. "Thank you for tonight," he murmured, resting his chin on Jeff’s shoulder.

Jeff leaned into his embrace, closing his eyes and savoring the warmth of Bible’s presence. "I’m glad you enjoyed it. You deserve it, Bib."

They stood there for a moment, just holding each other, before Jeff turned in Bible’s arms, looking up at him with a soft smile. "I love you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Bible cupped Jeff’s face in his hands, his eyes filled with love and gratitude. "I love you too," he replied, before leaning down to capture Jeff’s lips in a gentle, lingering kiss.

The kiss deepened, filled with all the emotions they had for each other—the love, the gratitude, and the unspoken promises of a future they would continue to build together. When they finally pulled away, their foreheads rested against each other’s, both of them breathing a little heavier.

"Let’s go to bed," Bible said softly, his thumb brushing against Jeff’s cheek.Jeff nodded, feeling a warmth spread through him that had nothing to do with the fire still crackling in the living room. "Yeah, let’s."

One more chapter to end this beautiful story