Prompt: hidden
She looked in the closet first. An unlikely hiding space all things considered, but worth a shot. There was no little box, but there was a note.
i Chloe, did you seriously think it would be in the closet? I thought better of you. Love you, Jack. /i
She growled and ripped it to pieces. He was definitely sleeping on the couch tonight.
&&&&&&
She tried his office next—very secure—lots of locked drawers. It had been fairly simple to lift the keys off him.
She saw the wrapped box in the second drawer and torn into it with glee.
Inside was a note.
i I'm the one that taught you how to steal things without being noticed. It doesn't work on me grasshopper…..Please don't make me sleep on the couch again. /i
&&&&&&
She hated surprises, obviously, and even more, she hated being blindfolded. Especially since she knew that Jack was flitting around her doing who knows what.
"Jack, it's been like an hour. What are you doing?"
"Chloe, it's been ten minutes. And I'm getting your present ready."'
"Ha! I knew it was in the apartment this whole time. What did you do—cut a whole in the floor?"
"No, I've had it stashed in Curtis' safety deposit box."
"Not his house?"
"No, because I was worried you would search his house."
She was silent and knew her face must be flushed.
"You searched his house? Well, I continue to underestimate you Mrs. Bauer."
"Yes you do. Now give me my gift."
"Okay, take it off."
She removes the blindfold and is looking at a completely re-done nursery. Jack not only used all the colors he wanted, he'd picked out the crib she'd secretly had her eye on, and she'd had her grandmother's chest re-done as a changing table.
"How did you do all this? And you did not keep this is a safety deposit box."
Jack laughs, "Of course that would be what you ask. I rented a storage room under Curtis' name. We worked on the furniture there. I painted it while you were at work today and Curtis brought the furniture over just before you got home. Do you like it?"
"I love it."
"Come here, this is the best part," he pulls her over and inside the crib is the softest teddy bear she's ever seen, "Baby's first teddy," he tells her.
"Jack," she breaks off a sniffles a little, she hates these hormones. "It's perfect. It's all perfect."
"Just like you and our baby. I love you, Chloe."
"I love you, too," she said, embracing him. She pulled back and he puts his hands on her ever growing stomach, "Hear that, baby Bauer, mommy and daddy love you so much."
Smiling down at him Chloe decided she liked surprises after all.