Page 52 of Stephan

The zipper slipped up and I leaned back intohim as his fingers lingered on my bare shoulders. The dress was aperfect fit. He leaned down under the bed, brought out a shoebox,and opened it, showing me the black strappy high heels. Stephanknelt putting the shoes on and doing up the straps. His hands ranup and down my legs stopping at my upper thigh before he moaned andstood up.

“Presents now.” He sat on the bed and gentlyplaced me on his lap. He reached across and handed me the biggestpresent. “Open it.”

“I looked at the package searching for acard. “Who is it from? I can’t see a tag.” I glanced at the otherpresents and couldn’t see tags on any of them. “None have a card ora tag.”

“They’re all from me.”

“What. I didn’t need this many presents. Ididn’t expect anything from you.”

“Why wouldn’t you expect anything from me?It’s your birthday. Of course I would get you something. I wantedto spoil you.”

Closing my eyes to stop the tears, I chokedout, “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome. Now open them.”

I did. The first was a pink snuggle blanket.It was so soft and was covered with the words: warm, snuggle, andlove. The next was a box filled with eight different designer bags.Another held three different purses. Opening my next present Inibbled on my lip, surely he wouldn’t get me…it was a laptop bagand the next was a laptop lap pad. “Stephan, you didn’t.”

He just grinned and handed me a heavyrectangle box.

I was nervous to open it. I didn’t have alaptop. I could never afford one. I’d been using the librarycomputers. Taking a deep breath I opened the heavy present, insideit was a brand new 13-inch MacBook Pro. “Stephan, I can’t acceptthis.”

“Of course you can. It’s a birthday present.You have to keep everything I get you today.”

“What do you mean everything you get me? Thisis all you’re giving me for my birthday. You’ve already given meway too much. Usually the only person who gets me presents are myfriends. They haven’t ever gotten me anything like what you have. Idon’t expect them to.”

“I wanted to get you more, but other peopleneed a chance to get you things.”

By the time I got to the last present Icouldn’t stop the tears from flowing. No one had ever done anythinglike Stephan had. I’d never gotten so many presents in my wholelife. I would never be able to pay Stephan back for all his giftsand not just for what he bought me, but for the memory he’d givenme this morning.

The last was a smaller box and inside was avelvet jeweler’s box. I didn’t own any expensive jewelry.Everything I had I’d bought from the cheap shop. Holding my breathI opened it and inside was a gold charm bracelet. “It’sbeautiful.”

“It has everything about us on it. Theraindrop from the first time I met you when it was pouring downrain. The jumper because it’s what I made you wear. The rugby ball,from when I saw you again at practice. The bikini because it waswhen I realized you were going to drive me crazy. The bullet isbecause you’re a survivor and lastly the heart, because you holdmine.”

“Stephan.” Pulling his head down I kissedhim. How could I not fall head over heels for him. I was trying toslowly ease back in with him. I knew after this morning that therewas no going back.

*****

Stephan

When I walked into the kitchen with Jade, Iknew I was grinning like a loon. I seemed to be finally getting mymessage through to Jade that I loved her and would do anything forher. I could see her slowly warming to me again. I had decided Ineeded to up my game and not give her a chance to retreat. So Itouched her every time she was close and this morning I showeredwith her, washing her hair and her amazing body. I knew I’d have apermanent boner if I kept this up but I didn’t care. Jade was worthit.

My family was eagerly waiting to wish Jade ahappy birthday. The chef we hired during the week was in thekitchen cooking a special breakfast for Jade. My mum jumped up fromthe table and pulled Jade into a hug.

“Happy Birthday.” Mum kissed her cheek.“Come. Sit.”

Jade sat and I took the seat next to her.

“Happy birthday, Sis.” Derick winked atJade.

“Happy birthday, sweetheart,” my dad added.“I say we eat and then do presents.”

“Presents. You didn’t need to get meanything. I didn’t expect a thing.”

“We wanted to. You’re a part of our family.”My mum smiled and patted Jade’s arm.

I couldn’t help wincing when I saw Jadeflinch at my mum words and back away from her touch. Mum had hurtJade too, I know they’d become close before the school shooting,but since then Jade stayed cleared of Mum. I knew Jade didn’tbelieve Mum, because it had been said before she was a part of thefamily and then I’d convinced them all to leave her. That it wasbest for her safety we didn’t have anything to do with her. Mumhadn’t liked it and even tried talking me out of what I did, but inthe end she took my side and left Jade be. Now Jade was not onlyfinding it hard to trust me again and let me back into her heartbut the rest of my family too.

“Er, thanks.”

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