Seven's the Charm

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

~ misterTyler

“Oh, for the love of...Wyatt, just hurry up and pick something, would you?” Rolling my eyes with a grin at Poppy beside me I let my eyes wander over the case of bracelets; it didn't take long for the smile to slip from my face and a scowl to take its place. Poppy and I had been trailing around town for the past three hours looking for a present for Bella's birthday tomorrow, so far to no avail.

“I don't want to just pick a random piece of jewellery, Poppy. It has to actually mean something.” I caught the sly look on her face and turned my head, cocking an eyebrow in question. “Spit it out?”

Poppy schooled her expression into an innocent one, rubbing her small baby bump just to add to the look. “Oh, big brother, I love you sometimes.”

“Only sometimes?” I grumbled lightly; she obviously wasn't going to cave, that I could tell just by looking at her face. After twenty eight years of practice I like to think I'm something of an expert at reading my younger sister. My eye caught a sparkly bracelet in the case to my right, so I took a step to the side and peered in.

“Can I help you, Sir?” A short, balding man with over-eager eyes and a fake smile was suddenly standing beside me, his keys jangling from the hand he held aloft.

“Um, yes.” Sitting up straight in the stupid chair I was still stuck with I offered a small smile, gesturing at the bracelet behind the glass. “Please could you open this one? I'd like a closer look.” Before the words were completely out of my mouth he was unlocking the sliding door and handing me the blue velvet box.

“Ooh, sparkly.” I grinned at Poppy, her hand resting on my shoulder as she too admired the fine piece of jewellery in my hands. My fingers trailed reverently over the smooth metal links, finishing on the small crystal pendant. “Too much?” My sister murmured.

“I don't think so. She's done a lot for us, you know? I feel like I owe her atleast this.”

At Poppy's soft laughter I tipped my head back and eyed her. “Ty, that woman would beat your ass if she heard you say that. She loves having you guys messing up her house, eating all her food and being general pain-in-the-asses. Well, except Emma, Aaron and Kyle.” With a wink and a shrug, she added, “who knows why?”

After a short pause, “so you like this one? Do you think Bella will like it?”

“Nope.” Poppy said, popping the 'p', ironically. “She'll love it.” Upon hearing my sharp sigh of relief the shop owner proved his eagerness by asking if I was buying the bracelet. Half an hour later I left the shop with the bracelet in my jacket pocket and the second part of my present in one of the shopping bags over the handles of the chair. Poppy pushed me along, chattering about baby stuff. It made me smile because I knew how long Pops and my brother-in-law Gavin had been trying for a baby. According to them she was sixteen weeks gone already and they were keeping the sex secret until the first Wyatt-Roberts baby arrived sometime between December and January. When they'd announced it at dinner over the weekend our get-together had turned into a celebration for them, the kids overjoyed when they were allowed to play on the bounce house despite the darkness creeping in. A smile played on my lips as I remembered Dad and James under Bella's guidance as they stood on step-ladders and hung pink star-shaped lights up around the garden so the kids could see each other and we could see them from inside or out on the patio.

“Ooh, d'you mind if we stop in here for a sec? I wanna get something for Gav to wear tomorrow night.” I chuckle at my sister's infallible enthusiasm and wave my hand in acceptance. She leans down to kiss my cheek, parks me outside the store and runs off inside, promising to be 'just two secs!'. Thinking about it, both of my sisters are the same when it comes to shopping. And you know what they say, the apple never falls far from the tree; Mum is even worse. It makes me wince knowing that my credit card is already taking dents inflicted by my seven year old daughter, no doubt learning all she knows in the art of spending other people's money from her Grandma. She'll most likely be even worse when she's a teenager too.