Learning to Fly (UK Crush #3)

Chapter Two

A/N: Because I'm chopping up a traditionally written book into Wattpad length chapters, some chapters will be long (the last one) and some will be short (this one). Some might be just right, also, like the porridge in The Three Bears 😉

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Teddy had to wake me up when we got home.

We changed into our pjs and climbed into bed, spooned up all cozy, and I was almost asleep when I heard Teddy say, "Shit," in my ear.

"Am I dreaming?" I murmured, turning over, "Or did you just swear into my ear as I was drifting off after one of the most exhausting, albeit wonderful days of my life?"

"I'm so sorry, cupcake, really," he said, and I could tell he was smiling. "It's just that I forgot something, so, so important, and it was a Christmas present for you, and now Christmas is over, and so it's ruined, and I'm so angry with myself."

"Well, I suppose technically Christmas isn't over until we've fallen asleep, although I can't believe you got me something else," I said softly. "What on earth were you thinking? No one needs this much shit.

"Not that anything you got me was shit," I added with a smile.

He stretched to snap on the lamp on my side of the bed. "I'm sorry, I know you're tired, but this will be quick, I promise." He brushed a kiss on my forehead as he got out of bed. "It's in my jacket pocket, back in a tick."

He was as good as his word, and was back as I sat up. I was wearing a white flannel nightgown, chosen for warmth and nothing else. He sat next to me and placed a robin's egg blue box in my hands. Tiffany's.

"Oh, Teddy." I was taken back to Narita airport, when he last did something similar, and my hand went to the hummingbird pendant at my throat.

"No, don't cry, it's not romantic or anything," he assured me.

"You're so stupid, sometimes," I said, smiling at him. "The box, all by itself, is romantic to me, don't you see?" I hugged him, holding the box in my hand. He hugged me back, enthusiastically.

"Oh, well, great, then, I'll just keep a supply on hand," he said into my neck, kissing me. "Come on, open it."

I opened the cardboard box, and lifted out the velvet jewel case, placing it in my lap for a moment. I looked at him, at his smiling face, at his lovely eyes. I leaned forward and kissed him. "Thank you, Theodore Shelley," I said softly.

"I love you, Birdie Foster," he said, putting his hand on my cheek for a moment before releasing me.

I opened the box. Flashes of white, fuschia and blue fire sparkled in the lamplight. I lifted it out. It was really heavy, a circle made of diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. The rubies were very dark, not the pigeon's blood red commonly associated with rubies, but more magenta in color, and the sapphires were very bright. I slipped it over my hand, onto my wrist. The rubies and sapphires were interspersed randomly between lovely, shimmering diamonds that glittered and twinkled.

"Is it a bracelet?" I questioned softly. "It's gorgeous. We'll probably have to have a few links removed, though, it's a little big—"

"No, no," he laughed. "I know it's hard for you to wear bracelets with how often you play the piano.

"It's an anklet. For your lovely ankle." He got off the bed and sat cross legged on the floor in front of me, lifting my nightgown up to my knees. He took it from me.

"Did you notice the colors?" he asked me with a smile, running his hand up and down my calf.

I nodded, smiling back. "Seems like we both had the same idea, hmm?" I stroked his hair, as he closed his eyes and moved his head under my hand.

"I just wanted you to know that you were important to me, that day was important to me, and it changed my life, you know?" He looked up at me, continuing to stroke my calf. "I wanted you to know I would never forget about you, no matter what." He lifted my leg and kissed my foot before clipping the anklet around my ankle. It fit perfectly.

"Look at how perfect and gorgeous that is," he murmured.

"Too bad no one will see it for months and months," I said. He looked up at me inquiringly. "It's the middle of fucking winter," I explained. "I won't be showing my ankles anywhere for a long time."

"Well, wear it anyway," he said, rubbing my calf. "I'll know it's there. It's very sexy."

I laughed, rubbing his head. "I could put a rubber band around my ankle and you would think it's sexy," I said. "You're so weird."

He laughed, too. "That's probably true," he agreed. "But this is much prettier on you, I think."

I held my foot out, turning it this way and that. "It must have cost a mint," I commented. "Those diamonds are so clear that they're blinding. I don't suppose you told them that they could use lower quality stones, or set it in silver, or anything? Because it would be around my ankle and no one would see it?" I looked at him.

He smiled at me, shaking his head. "The best quality stones only, set in platinum," he said.

"So how much did it cost?" I asked him, not expecting an answer.

"Fifty thousand pounds," he said complacently, rubbing my calf.

I stopped turning my foot, yanking it out of his hands.

He looked up at me. "Oh, fuck, did I say that out loud?" he said, trying to laugh it off.

"Jesus fucking Christ, that's sixty thousand dollars. Are you out of your motherfucking mind?" I asked in wonder.

He sat down next to me with a bounce, giving me a pleading look.

"Please don't get in a strop, please don't say you won't wear it," he begged. "The money is nothing, I bet my stockbroker's already earned it back. It's not important to me. Fuck, we have this same fucking conversation every fucking time--"

I put my hand over his mouth.

"You're right, you're right," I said softly. "And I'm sorry. This is my New Year's resolution, which I'm starting a bit early." I sat up, like a child reciting in school. "I'm not going to make a fucking fuss about how you spend your money on me anymore. You can spend as much or as little on me as you like, and I'm not going to say word one. At least I'll try not to. I promise." And I kissed him.

He kissed me back, smiling. "Best news I've heard in a long time."

"But that doesn't mean you should go batshit crazy, okay? Maybe I want to spend your money, ever think of that? Hmm?" I gave him a little shake. "So leave it in the bank. Or at the stockbroker's. Or wherever the hell it is. So it will be there when I want it, okay?" I smiled at him.

"Okay," he responded, turning the lamp off.

"God, I'm exhausted," I murmured as I turned into his arms. "I don't know if I could work up the energy to get out of bed even if the house caught on fire, so if that happens, just chop my foot off and save the anklet, okay?"

"Yes, okay," he said softly, already half asleep himself. He put one leg over me, one of our favorite sleeping positions. Within minutes we were dead to the world.