Guarded

Chapter 21

I stretched up to the top shelf of my closet reaching my hand out and patting the surface feeling for the flat rectangular object. I couldn't see what was up there because I was too short but I knew what I was looking for. I had put it up there three months ago in preparation for today.

I had wrapped the present in shiny paper and stuck a bow on it. I loved shopping for other people's birthday presents and watching then open it. Of course I didn't know what everyone else was getting Fonso but I knew he'd love this.

It was the same cook book his grandmother used when she taught him. It was surprisingly easy to find a copy on the Internet. I had written To Afonso in my neatest handwriting on the label.

I went down the staircase in my pyjamas holding the present tight to my hip.

"Happy birthday Fonso!" I shouted once I got into the kitchen.

"Thank you darling!" He said walking from behind the counter and giving me a tight hug then began grabbing ingredients out of the fridge. He had eggs, bacon, cheese and mushrooms cradled in his arms. My stomach groaned.

"Where's your balloons? Where is your badge? Where's all the glitter and feathers?" I said and he laughed at my melodramatics.

"Don't worry Julia has all that stuff in the Maison" he said lighting a fire under a pan.

"Then let's go! It's your birthday we should be celebrating" I bounced excitedly.

"Your mother is still in the house Tori. She would freak out if she called for you and you were in the Maison" he said zipping around the kitchen.

"Dammit! I hoped she'd have followed dad out this morning" I said.

"Don't worry. Julia plans to fuss over me all night" he smiled at me as he grabbed his knife.

"Good" I said, mouth watering as I watched him chop the tomatoes.

"She's organising a 'shindig'. That's what she's calling it but it'll just be all the workers and alcohol and cake"

"Ooh sounds fun! What should I wear" I asked.

"Tori" he said.

"What?"

"You know you can't come. You're not allowed to parties and you're forbidden from even entering the Maison. You want me to help you break both of those rules?" He asked me as if I was crazy.

"Oh come on! please? I'll sneak in real ninja like"

"No" I heard from behind me and I turned to see Julia and Luca standing at the door "You won't be missing anything" she said walking in.

"What's that you've got under your arm Tori?" Fonso said pointing his spatula at the gift.

"I bet you'd love to know" I said teasingly holding it out in front of him.

"No presents till tonight" Julia said taking the present from my hands and walking off with a giggle.

We continued to talk about Fonso as the smell of bacon and eggs filled the room.

~~~~

EZRA MILLER!! Ugh my gawwd. He owns me wow I can't even handle. I just wanted to share that with you guys :)) I did not edit this chapter so who knows what shenanigans is going on here