Bad Decisions - Alex Turner

41. La Neige Avec Les Lafontaines

  After all that had happened in London over New Years, it was a great breather to be able to take things easy back in Sheffield before we left for Quebec a week later. The quietness of the inland city was much more comforting to the both of us compared to the buzzing crowds that filled London up to its brim.

  I was still a little shaken up but managed to push it all away and focus on what I had before me. And that was Alex.

  For his birthday, Penny and I baked him a cake whilst David distracted him with a trip to a pub around the corner. We also went through all of Alex's baby photos and photos from when he was a teenager and honestly, with no bias, he was the cutest child and all of his highschool photos made me laugh because in each one he'd pull the same 'cool guy' face that Penny liked to tease him for.

  When he saw the cake we made later that night when we all went out for dinner he was beaming like the little boy I'd seen in the photos, hugging us tight as his eyes twinkled in reflection of the twenty-nine flickering candles that I insisted we put all of them on as Alex had once told me he liked trying to blow them all out in one breath.

  I made sure I spoiled him as much as I could to make even for everything he'd done for me. I just loved seeing the smile on his face when he opened up all the gifts and when he read the card. The way he would look at me after passed over my head at the time as just 'grateful', but it was the look of love. I just never thought I'd be worthy of something like that.

  "I hope it's not emasculating," I said nervously as his eyes settled on one of the gifts I got him.

  "Are ya kidding?" Alex smiled, "I fucking love it." He grinned and gently lifted the silver chain out of its baby blue box.

  "Is it for me neck? No wait, it's too small," Alex said, inspecting the piece in his hands as carefully as he could.

  I shook my head and moved over to him as we sat on our bed in his parent's house that morning. "It's a bracelet," I said to him, "a men's one, I promise."

  "I love it," Alex smiled and held his wrist out as I took the polished chain from him and fastened it around his wrist.

  "If it's a bit much you can take it back," I said, knowing it wasn't a typical present he'd expect. However, Miles, Jackson and the employees at Tiffany's assured me it was a good gift. "I know it's a bit of a stretch to ask you to wear it."

  "What are you on about?" Alex smiled, admiring the chain around his wrist. It was a simple, chunky silver chain with one small rectangular plate that had engraved in it: À toi, pour toujours.

"I fucking love it. Really. You know me too well O," he grinned and looked up at me, "it's not summat I'd ever think to buy for meself but holy shit it looks fucking good. You've taste. It looks so good."

  "You like it?" I asked unsurely. I'd underwhelmed Christian enough times with gifts when we were together that I wanted to ensure I never let Alex down.

  "I'm in love with it," Alex said, "come 'ere," he grinned and pulled me on top of him, lying down and hugging me tight as he admired the silver around his wrist.

  "I've still got more for you to open," I laughed, resting my head on his chest.

  "Yer spoiling me," Alex said and kissed my temple. "Yer all I need."

  I smiled and looked up at him, "Happy birthday, Al." He only ever took the bracelet off when it would get wet and showed it off to all his friends.

  When our time in Sheffield eventually came to an end it was the hardest goodbye to say to Alex's parents and honestly, the UK in general. It was the first time I'd ever been and it had been one of the most enjoyable trips of my life, despite the scare on New Years, and the second we were flying out I missed it and all the memories we'd made there already.