Cool Mom

6: Souvenirs

After spending an hour taking pictures and just enjoying the view from different levels of the Eiffel Tower, we descend down and pay one of the souvenir shops a visit.

The shop is packed with tourists. Daniel goes off to look at something while Hazel drags me towards the shirts rack. She points towards a shirt that says: I ❤ Paris.

"Hazel, that's not your size." I tell her.

She pouts. "But I want it!"

Sighing, I look around and thankfully there is a rack of the same shirts in her size. I point them out to Hazel and she runs over to it, bumping into a lady in the process.

"Sorry." I apologize on my daughter's behalf, hurrying after her.

She pulls a shirt from the rack and holds it up to her body.

"It's my size!" She screams in delight.

I laugh at her excitement and take the shirt from her, standing on my toes I try to locate Daniel in the crowd but after a few moments I give up and make us towards the counter, holding Hazel's hand while she trails behind me.

I join the que and wait for my turn.

"Can I get a teddy bear too?" She asks, pointing towards a few on a shelf nearby.

"But you already have so many." I say.

"These are soooo cute!" She squeals at the word cute.

"Okay but we'll have to leave our place." I look back at the line which has grown by now.

"I'll take her." Daniel says, appearing next to me.

"Okay. Meet me here." I tell him as they go off to get Hazel a teddy bear.

After a few more minutes of waiting, it's my turn. I put the shirt on the counter and at the same time a tiny pair of hands put a brown teddy bear next to it.

"That's all?" The lady asks, smiling at Hazel over the edge of the till.

"Yes." I reply.

She scans the barcodes and tells me the total amount which I pay and take the bag from her.

"You guys go ahead. I'll join you in a minute." Daniel says over the noise.

"Okay." I kiss his cheek and lead Hazel out of the shop.

I sit down on a bench across the road while Hazel reaches into the bag and pulls out her shirt.

"Mommy, I want to wear it!" She pleads, jumping on the sidewalk.

"Fine but you'll have to wear it over the shirt you're wearing." I tell her.

"Yaay!" She smiles, excited all over again.

I pull the shirt over her head and help her put her arms through it. I tug it down to straighten it. Hazel hugs her teddy bear to her chest and their shirts are identical!

"Hazel! Your bear is wearing the same shirt as you!" I point out.

She gasps, looking from the bear to her own shirt and then kisses the bear. I pull out my phone and take their picture, smiling at my daughter.

I see Daniel leave the shop and wave at him. He sees me and crosses the road over to us.

"Hazel! You and the teddy bear have matching shirts!" He exclaims.

"I know, daddy!" She squeals, beginning to walk ahead of us while we stroll behind her.

"We should get something to eat." I say.

"How about that café?" He asks, pointing towards one a few steps away.

We choose a table on the sidewalk and a waiter takes our orders. We let Hazel have cake and juice while Daniel and I have coffees and sandwiches. While we wait for our order, Hazel plays with her teddy bear and I'm watching her when Daniel takes my hand, drawing my attention to him.

Just above my Montblanc watch, one of my wedding gifts from him, he places a woven bracelet on my wrist and closes the clasp. The Eiffel tower is printed in one corner and the rest of it says 'je t'aime'

"Daniel." I gasp, looking up at him. "Thank you."

He leans around the table, slipping a hand behind my neck and kisses me. My hand clutches his collar as he takes my other hand. I pull away and kiss his cheek, a broad smile on my face.

"I love you too." I whisper, turning to check on Hazel who's staring at us with her mouth slightly open.

"What?" Daniel asks her as I feel my face warm up.

She looks down at her bear and then back at us.

"You two are cute."

'je t'aime' is French for I love you.

-T