His hands gently traced over the images of gem stones and metal under the glass as he took a mental note of which would look better on her slender finger.
"Would you like me to bring any up for you to take a closer look?" The girl behind the counter forced a wide smile at him. He could tell she was growing impatient with his just staring. He put a finger to his mouth and slowly shook his head no.
"You can help someone else. I don't want to hold you." His Australian accent made the girl give a genuine smile and her face turned a light shade of pink.
"Thank you sir, I'll be back in a moment to check on you." She walked over to the next eager costumer wanting to buy something for the fast approaching holiday. Chase watched as the man next to him described what he wanted for his wife, hoping to catch a tip or two. Then he felt a tug at his leg, he almost forgot he brought him. He looked down to his three year old son holding a few red Lego blocks in his hand. What a Christmas it would have been if he lost his son.
"Hey buddy, what do you have there?" Chase knelt down to his son's eye level. The boy held up the Lego's and started making a banging noise.
"I shot you and now you're dead." He laughed as Chase pretended to be hurt.
"Oh no, I can't be dead, what will you tell mommy?" Chase smirked as he grabbed his son.
"I'll just tell mommy I shot you and now you're dead." The boy was blunt and Chase let out a loud belly laugh that grabbed a few annoyed glares in the crowded jewelry store.
"Ok Brady, can I ask you a favor?" Chase lowered his voice as he took the red Lego's' out of his son's small hands. The little boy rolled his blue eyes and smiled.
"What is it daddy?" His little boy lisp made the tiniest of words sound adorable.
"I need you to help me pick out a present for mommy, for Christmas." Chase pointed to the glass counter in front of them. The little boy put his hands on the glass and pressed his face to it studying each glistening ring intently. He looked back to his father and then back to the rings.
"Why can't Santa pick it out?" Brady groaned which caused Chase to grin.
"Brady it's because it's from me and you, we're mommy's two favorite boys." Brady turned his head and gave his dad a suspicious eye.
"You're not a boy silly."
"Oh I guess you're right, so what do you say want to help me out?" Chase was pleading with his three year old son. The boy nodded his head and lifted his arms up to be held. Chase picked himself up then his son.
"Are you ready?" The girl that was helping them earlier came over with a cheerful smile.
"Almost, he says he's going to help me out with this." Chase smiled as he adjusted Brady on his hip.
"He's adorable, how old is he?" The girl smiled at the small child as she waved to him.
"I'm three!" He shoved three of his tiny fingers into her face which sent the worker into a fit of giggles.
"Wow, what a big boy! What's your name?"
"My name's Brady Chase, what's yours?"
"My name is Macy, and are you helping daddy out today." Brady nodded his head as Chase quickly adjusted him to a more comfortable position.
"Ok, do you have any ideas I could get for my wife?" Chase gave her a pleading smile. How could she refuse that accent?
"How about a birthstone?"
"Good, I like it, should I do her birthstone or maybe Brady's?"
"Well either would be fine, do you have any more children?"
"No just Brady here."
"Alright, and what is Brady's birthstone?" Chase looked stumped.
"Uh he was born in July. I'm not sure what that one is."
"It's a ruby, and a very lovely stone I might add." She pulled out a tray of ruby rings from the glass case and brought them up for the two boys to look at. Chase and Brady both stared at them with smiles, admiring the brilliant red sparkle.
"Which one do you like Brady?" Brady studied them closely. Brady pulled out the one in the center of the case.
"I like this one!" He held it out to his father.
"So do I."
"Excellent choice" Macy added from behind the counter.
"Do you wrap?" Chase smiled as he dug into his back pocket for his wallet with one hand.
"Yes we do, was it a last minute Christmas gift?"
"I had been planning on coming to a jewelry store all month but wouldn't you know the only chance I get to come is on Christmas Eve with my son." Chase laughed as he thought about the past month filled with surgeries and not enough time. Macy smiled and quickly wrapped the ring before hitting Chase with a $500 dent in his bank account.
"Have a great holiday and it was wonderful meeting you Brady!" Macy called after them as they left the store holding the perfectly wrapped box. Brady waved goodbye from over Chase's shoulder. As they walked to the car Chase looked at Brady.
"Now Brady it's important that you don't tell mommy about her present, alright?" Chase said sternly
"Alright" He rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. Chase smirked, where did this boy find this attitude? Chase buckled him in tight and put the box next to him.
"Do you remember what I said?" Chase said before closing the door, his finger pointing at his son in a firm manner.
"Don't tell mommy we bought her a present."
"Good boy" Chase closed the door and hopped in on the other side then started to drive home. They pulled up to their house thirty minutes later and walked in checking to see if mommy was home.
"Ally" Chase called out to his wife.
"I'm in the living room." They walked through the hallway into the kitchen and living room. There in the living room she was finishing the hanging of the last few ornaments on the tree.
"Hey guys, where have you been?" Cameron walked toward them as Brady jumped into her arms.
"We went out." Chase smiled at his wife, holding the box behind his back.
"Yea and we bought you a ring!" Brady said excitedly, Cameron's mouth opened slightly as it formed a smile.
"Brady you weren't supposed to say anything!" Chase walked over to the little blond boy that had a smile on his cute face.
"What I didn't say we bought her a present!" He shrugged his small shoulders as Chase grinned and rustled the boy's hair as Cameron smiled and placed a kiss on his chubby cheek.