When Nikki walked into the bedroom when she got home from work, she couldn't help but smile. Helen was wearing her comfy joggers and her university hoodie, the bedroom was strewn with clothes, bags and shoes, and Helen was lying on her front in the middle of it all talking to herself while searching on her laptop. "How's the packing going Sweetie?" asked Nikki, almost mockingly. Helen jumped, she hadn't heard her girlfriend come in. She rolled over to face Nikki and gave her a sheepish grin.
"I'm just so so so excited!" Helen said, her eyes sparkling. Nikki laughed and went to join her on the bed. The screen of the laptop was displaying pictures of a romantic, 5 star, Parisian hotel.
"Sweetie, we are going to be there tomorrow, and for three days after that. You can see it in real life, you don't need to look at pictures online." said Nikki with a smile, stroking Helen's back. She was so happy that Helen was so incredibly excited about this holiday, but Nikki was actually quite nervous. She really wanted the trip to be perfect, she had been planning it for such a long time and she wanted it to be unforgettable. "Come on, turn the computer off, it looks like you need some help with your packing." said Nikki with a giggle.
"We shouldn't have put in that extra pair of shoes." laughed Nikki as she bounced up and down on top of Helen's suitcase while Helen tried with all her might to get the zip to close. "
Come on, come on, come on." Helen chanted until the zip finally reached the end and they both collapsed onto each other in peals of laughter. "Ok we need to pack yours now." said Helen.
"I'm not like you, my packing will only take 15 minutes. Why don't you go down and start cooking us some dinner while I pack my suitcase." said Nikki, kissing Helen on the top of her head.
"Oh you're such as lesbian" Helen teased, giving Nikki a short but passionate kiss before heading downstairs. Nikki picked out an assortment of shirts, trousers and jackets. She found her bikini and then chose all her sexiest lingerie as well as several pairs of shoes. She folded them neatly then packed them into her suitcase which was almost half the size of Helen's. Then she crawled under the bed and pulled out a green shoebox. Inside the box were several old photos of her family and her childhood; a small, tatty, yellow teddy bear that she had had since she was born; a silver heart pendant that her grandmother had given her on her sixth birthday, and a small shiny black box which she took out of the shoebox, wrapped it up in a deep blue silk scarf, and tucked it into the side of her suitcase. She then had to stop for a minute to take some deep breaths and let her heart rate settle before she closed the suitcase and went to join her girlfriend in the kitchen.
The next morning, at some stupidly early hour, Nikki loaded the two cases into the back of the taxi while Helen fidgeted with excitement like a child. They held hands in magical silence all the way to the airport and when they arrived they had very little trouble checking in or getting through security and so they had an hour to spend in the shops between security and the gate. They browsed through several clothes shops and Nikki bought a new pair of sunglasses then they sat down in a cafe with a cup of coffee each. Nikki was talking about all the things that they could do on their holiday but it seemed like Helen wasn't listening, she was just staring absently into space. "Sweetie, what's the matter?" Nikki asked, putting her hand on top of Helen's.
Helen took a deep breath and shook her head slightly, "I just really dislike aeroplanes." Helen said.
Nikki looked a little shocked and she reached over and put her arm around her, "You should have said," she kissed Helen the cheek, "we could have taken the eurostar."
"No, its ok. I'll manage. I can do this." said Helen, still breathing deeply. Nikki was momentarily confused, but then it dawned on her. Helen knew that St Pancras International Station was the last place the Nikki had ever seen her parents; she had bumped into them when she was passing through the station to visit a friend. It had happened years ago, well before her time in Larkhall, but she had told Helen about it soon after their visit to see David in the hospital. Helen was trying to protect Nikki from that memory, she didn't want Nikki to hurt. So Helen had booked flights for their holiday and was doing something that she found truly terrifying just to protect the woman she loved. It almost moved Nikki to tears.
"Oh darling," she said, resting her head on Helen's shoulder, "I love you. And it will be fine. I promise."
Nikki held Helen's hand all the way to the gate and for the whole flight. The flight was just over an hour long and Nikki managed to keep Helen preoccupied by telling her stories. Some she made up, and they were about cuddly animals and happily ever afters, like the bedtime stories one would tell a child; others were about some of the funny things that her and her friends had got up to at Larkhall, like the cat called Tinker that Nikki and the Julies had kept in the shed. By the time that the Captain announced that they were approaching landing, Helen had pretty much forgotten that she was on a aeroplane, but when she heard the announcement she tensed up and started breathing really quickly. "It's ok Sweetie, it's ok. Everything is going to be fine." said Nikki to try and reassure her girlfriend. She squeezed her hand. "Look me in the eyes," she said, "it is going to be just fine."
Less than 45 minutes later the taxi dropped them off at the beautiful, classically luxurious hotel. A young man in uniform took their bags for them and showed them to their room. They were both completely taken aback at the grandeur of the room. It was huge, and exquisitely decorated in cream and gold. As well as a huge four-poster bed, there was an extravagant sofa, a huge vanity chest, and a large balcony with a small white table and two matching chairs. In the bathroom, the bath was enormous and everything was made of a stone that was the purest white possible. The two women collapsed onto the bed in awe. "Wow." breathed Helen, "This is actually a million times better than the pictures on the website. I love it!" she leaned over and kissed Nikki. "I love you."
Nikki kissed her back, "I love you too," she said, "Now let's unpack." Helen rolled her eye but then they each opened their suitcases and started transferring clothes to the spacious walk in wardrobe. Nikki carefully and surreptitiously slipped the blue scarf and the box that it contained into the inside pocket of her handbag. "Shall we go and get some lunch my beautiful?" asked Nikki, picking up her handbag and offering an arm to Helen who was sitting on the bed again.
Nikki had planned it all out perfectly. She knew the exact route to take to get to the small, traditional café that she had chosen. It wasn't the shortest route but it was the most scenic. They walked hand in hand, admiring the stunning parisian surroundings. The café was incredibly sweet and romantic, they enjoyed trying the wonderful, traditional french food so much that they spent nearly two hours there and they ate until they thought that they would burst. Before they left and while Helen was in the toilet, Nikki slipped the little black box out of her handbag, unwrapped it from the scarf and into her pocket. Then, when Helen returned, Nikki suggested that they went for a walk (but in fact she had already planned it) and Nikki guided Helen to a beautiful secluded garden. This rich, green paradise had quiet, secret walkways decorated with beautiful stone statues and water features. There was virtually no one else around but the sun was shining and the birds were singing. Helen turned to peer into the crystal stream, searching for fish, like she always did near any body of water, but when she turned back around she gasped.
When Helen turned around, it was all she could do to not scream. Nikki was down on one knee and was presenting a shining silver ring set with a glistening green emerald and several dazzling white diamonds. "Helen Isobel Stewart. I love you with all my heart, all my soul and all my mind. I will love you for all time, for eternity and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Please will you do me the honour of becoming my wife."
Helen was utterly speechless for a few moments. "Of course I will." she replied when she finally composed herself, and Nikki stood up, took her new fiancé in her arms and swung her around, kissing her passionately. They both had tears of joy running down their cheeks when Nikki put Helen down and then gently slid the ring onto her finger.
I hope you enjoyed this part. There is probably going to be at least one more chapter set in Paris.
Please R+R
P.S. this is the ring I was imagining . www ernestjones co uk/webstore/d/5592526/18ct+white+gold+emerald+and+diamond+ring/