#1 – A bouquet
''No, no, no!'' Anna shrieked, when yet another car drove through a big puddle of water, soaking her even more she already was. ''Idiot!'' she yelled after the car, while clutching her wet suitcase and continuing to walk along the side of the road. Her train from London to Ripon had been late, which meant that she had missed the last bus to Downton. She should have listened to John and let him meet her at the station. But no - she'd had to be stubborn and had insisted on taking the bus home.
''Ohhh, come on!'' she wailed in exasperation, looking up at the sky, when the rain started falling even harder. Her phone had run out of battery, and considering that the train station was some distance from the village and that she had been the only passenger getting off at Ripon, there hadn't been a single person who could had driven her home. She could have waited for the rain to stop, but she hadn't considered that idea for more than a moment. It had been late already and today was their son's first birthday, so she was determined to get home before John put him to bed - even if that meant walking a whole mile in the late autumn rain.
In the next ten minutes, two more cars drove past her, but neither of them stopped and offered her a lift; all they did was honk or wave back at her. She was soaking wet, tired, and frustrated. Why had she been so stubborn?
It was already dark when she finally reached their little cottage. She was soaking wet, her jeans were covered in mud, and her suitcase was missing one of its little wheels, which had fallen off during her walk home. She looked like a mess and felt even worse when she saw that all the lights were off. She shouldn't have listened to Mary, when she had asked Anna to attend her baby shower in London just before Jack's first birthday.
''For god's sake, Anna!'' she scolded herself as she unlocked the door, struggling to hold back tears. Opening the door and stepping into the dark hall, she could feel the warmth of their home hitting her cold, wet face. She left her bag by the door, and tossing the keys onto a nearby shelf and removing her muddy shoes, she made her way down the hall toward the sitting room, where she could see a warm glow coming from under the door.
''John?'' she called her husband's name, but the only response she got was the sound of her son's happy gurgles from inside the room. Finally pushing the door open, she could see John snoring peacefully on the couch, with Jack sitting safely in the crook of his arm, playing with dozens of red rose petals which were scattered all over his father's chest. He hadn't yet heard her, so Anna took a second to stare at the two most important people in her life before letting her son know that she was there. He was growing so quickly, she thought to herself, watching as he tossed some petals in the air and giggled when some of them landed on his dad's sleeping face.
''Jack?'' she said softly, and smiled when she saw the little blond boy finally look up.
''Mama!'' A babble mixed with a squeak burst from him as he turned his head in her direction, his blue eyes filled with so much joy at seeing her after three long days apart.
''Hello, little one,'' she cooed and took a step toward him, as he started bouncing up and down, his little arms already up in the air, begging her to pick him up.
''Happy birthday!'' she said, and kissed his chubby cheeks, while he wiggled happily in her arms, making the most adorable sounds.
''What have you and Daddy been up to today, hmmm?'' she asked. The lights were out, but the glow from the fireplace gave her just enough light to see the table behind the couch all set, with a small cake in the middle.
When Anna ran her cold nose against his warm one, the boy clapped his hands in excitement. The sudden noise roused John, whose drowsy voice betrayed a hint of panic as he called out, "Jack!?"
''We're right here!'' she giggled, turning around, seeing her husband's worried face staring back at her.
''What happened to you?'' John asked, and immediately stood up when he took in her bedraggled appearance.
''I missed my bus,'' she answered, turning toward him with Jack in her arms. ''So I walked.''
''You walked all the way from Ripon in this weather?! Why didn't you ring me?''
''My phone died,'' she explained, before he leaned closer and placed a warm kiss on her cold lips.
''You're freezing.'' He furrowed his brow, feeling bad that he had fallen asleep on the couch while waiting for her to come home, and that she had ended up walking all the way from Ripon in the chilly rain. Before she could protest, he took Jack from her and said, ''Come on...I can't let you catch a cold...or worse.'' He gently placed his hand on the small of her back and led her toward the bathroom.
''Take a hot bath and join us when you're done,'' he said, brushing her forehead with his lips before closing the door behind him.
20 minutes later, Anna emerged from the bathroom and after changing into some fresh, dry clothes, she joined her boys back in the sitting room. Jack was sitting on the floor, too busy playing with his toys to notice her coming in.
''Feeling any better?'' John stood up and walked over the moment he saw her.
''Yes, thank you,'' she smiled.
He looped one hand around her waist and, closing the gap between them, met her lips in a slow, gentle kiss, taking her breath away as he always did.
''Hello,'' he whispered, when they finally opened their eyes and stared at each other.
''Hello.'' She was so glad that she was finally home in his strong, warm embrace.
''Sorry I fell asleep. If I'd known you'd missed the bus, I'd have come for you.''
''It's all right - you didn't know. Plus it was only a mile, and I'm here now, and I haven't missed the last hours of our boy's first birthday. Let's just enjoy the evening!" Anna smoothed back the stray lock of hair that had fallen onto his forehead, then added with a smirk, "You can brood about it tomorrow.'' She knew him well - how hard he could be on himself sometimes - but she was here now, dry and warm in the arms of the man she loved more than life itself, and so happy that she had made it home in time to celebrate Jack's birthday.
John smiled. She was right - he would probably brood about it again in the days ahead - but he also knew that she felt bad for missing most of this special day, so he tried to change the subject. ''I let him nap a little longer this afternoon, so he would be awake for you tonight,'' John explained, looking at the boy, who was happily babbling to himself while playing.
''Thank you,'' Anna replied, and gave him another kiss before letting go of him in an attempt to sit next to Jack, but John didn't seem ready to let go just yet.
''What?'' she asked, looking at his smiling face as he tightened his hold on her.
''I have something for you...'' he began.
''Oh?'' She locked her hands around his neck, before he pulled his other hand in front of her, holding a bouquet he and Jack had bought in the village when they had picked up the cake from Mrs. Patmore's bakery that morning.
''What is this?'' She tried her best not to laugh. He was holding what had probably once been a large bouquet of red roses, but all that remained were two thornless stems with only three red petals left on each one.
''Roses?'' He smiled sheepishly.
''Oh, really?'' She could barely hold back her laughter.
''Well, it was supposed to be a whole bouquet but someone, who I'll not name, decided to play with them before his mummy arrived home. I'm very glad I chose the thornless ones.'' John chuckled at her expression.
''Well, thank you.'' She took the remains of the flowers, and looking at them up close, she could not help but burst into laughter. Once she started, she couldn't stop, burrowing her head in his chest, tears streaming down her cheeks in her mirth. ''They are…they look very…''
''...they look like shit,'' John finished, joining in her laughter.
''Yes, they do...they really do.'' They both continued laughing so hard that even Jack looked up curiously from his toys, wanting to know why his parents were making such a fuss.
Seeing what little remained of the roses, Anna finally understood why John's chest had been covered in petals when she had walked into the room earlier. Jack must have taken advantage of those few minutes while his father dozed and made a mess of them, she thought to herself.
''But I love them anyway...thank you!" she continued. "Between your lovely thought and Jack leaving his own mark on them, it's actually the sweetest bouquet I've ever received.'' She kissed him again, her cold, wet walk from the station now forgotten. They both sat down on the floor and spent the rest of the evening playing with their little boy, nibbling on birthday cake, and cuddling in front of the fireplace amid the scattered rose petals.
beta: the lovely annambates of course! :D THANK YOU! ****
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