I wrote this story sometime last year around this time. Since yesterday was Bobby's birthday, I thought "what the heck, I should just post it already". It's not out front 'romantic' but... you'll see.

And of course, these amazing characters do not belong to me.

Silent Love

On the eve of August 20th, he was reading a letter from Molly (on her behalf and the rest of the family) wishing him a happy birthday. This made Bobby smile; he was accepted. He seldom got that throughout his life... It was 10 P.M., so he decided to drop himself into bed and immerse in his thoughts (a habit of his) until he falls asleep. He had the next day off.

An early riser that he was, at 5 A.M. he was already up with a cup of coffee in his hands. He looked through some old family pictures, thought of his deceased mom and brother then went for a reading binge.

Around 10, the door bell rang. There she was, all smiles, in front of his door with a cake under a plastic cover. In her other hand, she had a gift bag. "Oh… Come in" Bobby stated with an uneasy tone in his voice. "Thank you" he added with a shy smile while taking the cake from her.

"Happy Birthday… I know you weren't expecting me" Eames said, "I got the paper work done last night"

"But I thought, it'd take uh… a while to get them done… you're alright?"

"I'm fine. Why'd you ask?"

"Well, you look ex-exhausted"

"Don't mind me… Come on, lets get the cake to the table"

In the gift bag, Eames had some plastic cups, plates and forks and knives. Seeing all these arrangements, Goren gave a smile full of gratitude underneath. He really did love and appreciate her. However it's everything but easy for him to let her know how grateful he is to have her by his side. Maybe he'll tell her some other time… For now, he just wanted to enjoy his birthday with her.

After eating some cake and talking mostly about work (well, it was 'safer' that way), time had come to open the present. Eames silently put the gift next to Bobby's fidgety hands. He smiled again and began to open it. It was a sweater, a beautiful gray sweater which in its own way reflected love, an unspoken love between two people who are forever close and bonded together.

Eames was impatiently looking at her partner for an answer on whether he liked the gift or not. Goren just looked at her for a bit, a glance mix with awe and gratefulness. Then, he kissed her on the cheek. With awkwardness in the air, they both chuckled and moved on to other things…

Bobby and Eames spent the rest of that special day chilling out just watching TV while sitting next to each other in silence. With all those years together coupled by their silent connection, words weren't really necessary.

Alex finally dosed off on his shoulder. She wore herself out last night to be with him on his birthday. And he knew it. That plus his partner resting on him gave Bobby this warm feeling which he wished could last forever… Yet another Birthday in the company of this woman he loves so deeply.

The End