Love’n’Lust

“Are you okay?” Jenna asked her when she noticed she was acting somewhat different.

“Yeah, it’s just…” Belle stopped and sighed. “Can I tell you something?”

“Yes girl, I’m all ears.”

“Well, you see…” Belle sighed once more after sitting next to her on the sofa in the living room.”I thought and thought but couldn’t get Ben a good gift. He got me those cars outside and all I could get him was tickets to go see a movie with me. I realized that I couldn’t even go out to see a movie with him because he’s him, you know. I feel bad but I’m trying not to because he was so excited gifting me the cars.”

“You got him tickets?” Jenna laughed after listening to her say all she had.

“Yeah?”

“Three of his houses in city S have private cinemas in them.” Jenna couldn’t stop laughing.

“Awwww, that makes me feel worse.” Belle almost sobbed.

“I’m sorry. It’s just funny but don’t stress about it. I used to feel that way years back but then I realized he really didn’t care what it was I bought, he only cares about the thought I put into it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Was that really why you had a long face?” Jenna started to laugh again.

“Don’t laugh,” Belle couldn’t help herself but join her in laughing.

“It’s funny.”

“Yeah, it is.” Belle finally agreed.

“Guess what I got him this year,” Jenna leaned in closer.

“What?”

“A watch.”

“Oh.”

“I got him a watch last year too, and the last two years and the year before.” Belle laughed when she got what Jenna was trying to say.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

“You know, I used to feel so bad back then like I actually felt bad the first time I repeated gifts for him but now I do it to trouble him because that’s what I do.” Jenna laughed.”You should trouble him once in a while. Do something unusual to trouble him. Trust me, you will love the reaction you will get. It’s funny when he tries to act like he isn’t bothered but you know he is.” They both laughed this time.

****

Randy stopped the car right in front of the house entrance before coming down to open the door for his boss. After that, he hurried over to Belle’s side to open her door too.

Ben waited for her to join him at the entrance so they could walk in together. Belle was still wondering why the lighting was dim when they walked when all of a sudden, they got a loud cheer.

“Surprise!” The lights came on and Ben ran his hands through his hair. He had forgotten about what Jenna informed him of earlier in the day. He laughed. It was one of the few times when his mother’s surprise party actually surprised him because he didn’t expect that the surprise could be here. She usually tried to her him to return to the Larkson mansion and then gather family members to come around and celebrate the surprise.

Belle’s eyes ran through the little crowd. Ben’s mother was there; Jenna was there; she was surprised but Brie and Cherry were present too and she could see Cherry’s excited face from where she stood. She inhaled deeply when she saw Alex. She still wasn’t comfortable with her presence but wondered what happened to her to have a bandage around her neck area. She sighted those she knew and then there were a few others she couldn’t recognize.

“Sorry about this, I had no idea…” Ben was whispering to Belle when his mother came to them.

“Tell me you’re surprised this time,” she showed all her teeth when she grinned happily.

“I am,” he admitted with a smile.”Thank you, Mum.”

“Come cut your cake,” she stole him away from Belle and took him to the center of the living room where there was a high table and a cake on it.

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you…” Everyone started to chorus in harmony.

“Make a wish,” his mother whispered to him after everyone was done singing the birthday song. He looked at Belle, she was smiling at him.

“I wish I could forever maintain that beautiful smile on her face.” He said inaudibly and blew out the candle on his cake. Everyone started to clap and music came on.

He wanted to go back to Belle when Alex came in front of him and almost caused him to bump into her.

“Happy birthday,” she smiled.

“Thank you,” he replied plainly and wanted to walk past her but she blocked him again.

“It’s your birthday, I’m assuming you’re in a good mood?”

“What do you want?”

“Richie…” She trailed off at first, expecting him to be angry at the mention of his name but he wasn’t so she decided to continue with her request.”Do something about his case, please? You could get him some time off prison with just a phone call, please forgive him?”

“He tried to assault you, are you sure you want that?” Ben couldn’t believe her. He saw her nod to his question but he couldn’t just work with that.”Think about it more and give me a call later.” He told her and left her standing amid the others.

Belle saw when he was talking to her but decided not to overthink it. When he left Alex and came to her, she tried hard not to ask but still did.

“What did she say? What did you too talk about?”

“She wished me a happy birthday. I’m so glad I didn’t set my surprise for you here, else my mother would have ruined it by trying to give me a surprise too.” He laughed.

“Hold on, a surprise for me?” She smiled, happy to know that.

“Let’s go upstairs.” He took her hand in his and headed upstairs, successfully sneaking past his mother who wanted him to greet most of the family members he hadn’t met in a while.

They got to the room they shared and he turned the lights on. There was a question on the bed written with both pink and white roses. She covered her mouth with her left hand while looking at the proposal question.

“Will you say yes to me for the second time?” She turned her eyes away from the bed to see him on one knee. She giggled before nodding with delight. Ben got up and put the ring on her finger and kissed it after.

“I love you, Belle.” He pulled her in for a hug.”I fucking love you, and I’m glad I do.”

“Ben,” she laughed with tears in her eyes.”It’s your birthday and you’ve surprised me twice today.”

“I usually gift myself something every year on this day and this year, guess what I decided to gift myself with?”

“What?”

“Your happiness. I plan to keep you happy throughout today Your every smile today is my gift, Belle.”

“Today and the rest of our years,” he told himself in his thoughts.

-The end-