Worth the wait

Chapter Eleven.

True to his word, Ben knocked the door at nine. He helped prep all the food and then went out the back to open the gate for the bouncy castle to be brought in and set up. Once that was all done and there was only a little tidying up to do, Ben excused himself and said hed be back shortly. A commotion in the garden caught Charlottes attention. Carefully and quietly she made her way to the back door to see Ben crouched and running around the garden.

"Come here, you fury little shit!" He hissed as he dove to grab at something.

"What are you doing?" Charlotte shouted down to him as he dove head first towards the rose bush.

"Got ya!" He jumped up and ran to the patio not answering her.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing! Go back in, please...don't spoil the surprise."He replied.

"What the hell have you gotten her?"

"You'll have to wait and see." He grinned at her.

"Mum! Im home!" Came a shout from inside the house.

"Go get her, while I cover this." He beamed.

Rather than question him further she headed in the house and was greeted by a big hug from her little girl followed by her mum and dad.

"Hey sweetie..." She looked up at her mum with her big beautiful blue eyes, "Ben is in the garden with your present..."

Rosie squealed and ran towards the back door.

"What did he get her?" Mary asked as the three of them followed Rosie.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Charlotte replied rolling her eyes.

"Bear!" She shouted as she ran out through the back door.

"Here she is!" Ben exclaimed as he scooped Rosie up. "Now I know its not your birthday until tomorrow but I thought you might like to have this early. So..." He said as he put her back down. "Go on, go lift the sheet."

Cautiously she walked towards the sheet covered object. She turned to look at her mum who nodded at her to carry on. "Go on." She smiled.

Then at Ben who smiled at her. She turned back around and took the last few steps, gently taking hold of the end of the sheet, she pulled it away and gasped. She bent down to get a better look but then jumped back up. Turning around with tears in her eyes she ran full speed straight towards him. He crouched down and outstretched his arms. Rosie ran straight in to them and hugged him as tight as she could.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She said to him and started to sob.

"Its ok sweetheart." He whispered soothingly as he felt her little tears land on his neck, while he watched Charlotte walk to the now apparent hutch and saw her hand shoot to her mouth.

"Rosie? What did he get for you?" Peter called out to his Granddaughter.

"Grandad! Nana! Come and look! Its Mr Biggles and Buttons! He got them back! He promised he would!" She took their hands and dragged them over to see her rabbits before they went looking at all the things that had been put up for her party.

Charlotte took Bens hand and walked with him in to the kitchen. She let go and turned to face him, thinking to herself that for the first time in her life the man in front of her was looking shy.

"How?" Was all she could say without the risk of crying.

"A couple of weeks ago, she was sat with me in the office, playing on candy crush waiting for you to finish on the phone. She seemed, I dont know, anxious?.. I asked if she was ok. She said she was missing Mr Biggles and Buttons. At first I thought it was because she'd had a tough day at school and wanted to be back to Nana and Grandads to see them but then she told me they got left behind when you moved back down here from Manchester."