Thanks For Coming Back

Chapter 7

*At the Birthday Party*

“Excuse me, can you move that table to a little left? ... Yes, thank you.” Annie had been busy all morning arranging for the party. She only had an hour left for party to begin and it looked like she wouldn’t be able to complete her preparation in time. She worried if guests would start coming soon before everything was ready. She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to make the party perfect as she had promised her daughter. Sera was excited for her fifth birthday party as she had been anticipating it for long time now. And Annie didn’t want to upset her daughter. She was about to go to kitchen to see if food was prepared when she felt a hand over her shoulder. She didn’t need to turn around to see to whom it belonged to because she was now well acquainted to the hand and the owner. Yet she turned around to see if her husband needed any help. She looked at him with questioning eyes and he replied her unasked question.

“My Wife, I think you should start getting ready.”

She was about to protest when her husband spoke again, "Don’t worry, I’ll take care of food and stuffs.”

She smiled at him, thanking him which he welcomed by placing a small peck on her cheek. “I love you.” he whispered loud enough for her to hear.

“I know.” she smiled coyly in reply, as always, before heading to their bedroom.

He watched at her retreating back until she disappeared in their room. He smiled to himself for how much he loved her. And he knew she loved her too despite the fact that she never pronounced those words to him.

After 54 minutes, Annie found herself ready for the party. She was wearing a maroon sleeveless, knee-length dress. She had left her hairs to fall freely over her shoulders after blowing them dry. She looked at mirror and tucked a strand of hair behind her right ear. She was wearing a silver necklace with a heart shaped diamond placed in middle of it. It was her last anniversary’s gift. She smiled at the thought. She had put on the matching small diamond studs in the ears. She had kept her face neutral with no make up but a stroke of mascara in both sets of her lashes and pink lip gloss. She realized she had a lash fallen in her left cheek, she picked it up and made a quick wish. As she dropped her hand to her side, her birthday gift, the bracelet in the hand made jingling sound which she had always loved to hear. She put on her black stiletto and was about to leave the room when the door to the room opened revealing her husband in black tuxedo, with cream colored shirt and no tie. She smiled realizing he was wearing the shirt she had gifted her on their anniversary. She lifted her eyes to her husband’s beautiful face only to find him smiling at her already. He walked up to her and held her at arm’s length. He took a moment to check her out before pulling her into a hug. She hugged her back with a big smile on her lips. He kissed her hairs before pulling away.

“My Wife, did anyone mention that you’re looking very, very, like very beautiful?” he asked with a grin pasted in his face.

“Umm…” She put her index finger at her chin, pretending to think “no, you’re the first.” she replied after her supposed thinking, with the similar grin.

“Ah, I see… lucky me, eh?” he asked pulling her closer.

She shook her head up and down with playful smile.

“You’re not looking less handsome though.” she cocked her head to a side smiling at him.

“Sorry my wife, but you’re a bit late to be first to compliment me” he said looking away, playfulness gone now.

“Oh” she said looking little upset” who was the first one?” she asked looking away.

“Other beautiful female of my life” he said with a smile.

And this got her attention back to her husband’s face. She felt something odd she had not felt for years. She knew that feeling as she had felt it many times before, but with someone else around. It was the first time she felt it for her husband. The feeling she had never liked much, Jealousy.

“Who?” she asked, looking away again.

“Our beautiful daughter” he sang the sentence, breaking his face into a huge satisfied grin.

She stared at her husband for a second at awe before laughing at herself for her stupid feeling. Soon her husband joined her and the room was soon filled with laughter.

“Um, where is Sera?”She asked remembering the female she was jealous of.

“She is downstairs in the party entertaining the guests.”

“Oh, are they already here?” she asked with panic once she remembered there was party going on down there.

“Hmmm, her friends are here and few of our friends” he said nonchalantly.

She froze as she thought of someone who would come today.

“What’s wrong?” she came out of her train of thoughts on hearing her husband’s voice. She looked at him. He became concerned for her as he saw the frown in her face which had a beautiful smile moment ago.

She gave him a weak smile to convey that she was okay but he didn’t buy that because he knew better. Knowing that he had not believed her yet, she kissed him reassuringly on the corner of his lips and gave him a full smile. “Let’s go” she murmured.

Fully satisfied with her response, he gave her a wide grin showing his pearly whites.
“As much as I want us to stay here, we do need to go down, eh?” she nodded at him smiling. “Let’s go then?” he said showing her a slight disappointment, at which she laughed.

“I love you” he whispered before leaving the room with her.

“I know” she smiled coyly, as always.