Tucking in to the cake Kate swooned. It was perfect. The cake was soft and moist which could be really hard to achieve in chocolate cakes. The ice cream was equally good the perfect chocolate ice cream not too bitter and not too sweet. There were also chocolate chips mixed in which added a extra depth of texture.
"this is amazing" Kate looked up smiling at mike
"I thought you would like it" he smiled back. "anyway, present time" he said lifting a classic white pandora bag over the table handing it to her
"Mike" she gasped taking it from him. She loved pandora charms but she had never actually ever brought any because she would hardly be allowed to wear them. They weren't exactly classed as regulation with her navy uniform, especially at sea she would lose it before too long.
Carefully she undid the little ribbon that sealed the bag and moved the pink tissue paper to one side before pulling out a square pink box. Moving the bag to one side she placed the box in front of her. Undoing a second ribbon that was tied up around the box, this one was ivory. Carefully pulling the ribbon to one side she lifted the lid. Inside was a layer of ivory white tissue, lifting that she saw a bracelet. The bracelet its self was a blue leather cord and had 7 charms arraigned around.
Lifting it out she looked at each of the charms they were all exquisite and beautiful.
"here let me" Mike said softly taking it from her undoing the seashell clasp. Placing it around her wrist he carefully did it up
"Mike, its beautiful" she said, carefully looking at one of the charms; a rope heart with an anchor which she had already decided was her favourite. There also was a glass turtle, a simple sea blue glass bead, a silver bead made with sea shells and hearts, a sail boat, a cute little narwhal, a sail boat and her second favourite a beautiful dream catcher with seashells instead of feathers.
"it really is beautiful. Thank you" she leaned over the table kissing him. "now for mine" she smiled pulling away slightly. Lifting her frame up she handed it over the table it had arrived just in the nick of time. She had wrapped it in bright blue and silver wrapping paper as that was all she had in the house. "happy Anniversary" she smiled.
Mike carefully opened the wrapping paper to reveal her gift. Reading the words, he smiled looking up at her
"Is this..." he began
"yeah. All the important places for us" she smiled softly.
"it's beautiful. I can put it in my office" he smiled leaning over to kiss her. "i do actually have another little gift for you" he grinned.
"Mike?" she said confused. He had already gotten her so much already.
"so did you know traditionally 14th wedding anniversaries are Ivory?" he asked
"i did" she smiled
"and you know how I always get you a traditional gift"
"yes" she said nervously. She loved his little traditional gifts as they were sweet and usually had a lot of thought put in to them. But ivory was so controversial, even if was antique which was all you could really buy it was still a horrific trade and she still hated it.
"this is for you" he smiled handing her a A4 envelope.
Looking puzzled it was not what she was expecting an envelope was a little small and you couldn't exactly hide any ivory in there. Carefully opening it she pulled out a sheet of card. Turning over she could see it was a certificate.
'The WWF would like to thank Kate Flynn for adopting Malkia the African Elephant 'Kate read the words to herself.
Looking up she could feel the tears forming in her eyes. "Thank you" she whispered brushing the tears away.
"what is it mummy" Grace asked wondering why her mum was crying over a bit of paper.
"daddy has adopted a elephant for me" she said turning the certificate around showing the children. Kate looked over at the clock on the microwave and could see It was getting towards 10pm. It was way past all of their bedtimes and she was almost ready to hit the hay herself.
"right bedtime I think" she said looking up at the children.
"But mum" grace wailed.
"go on please. We will be up in a minuet." Mike said softly.
Begrudgingly all three children headed up the stairs. Gathering the plates Kate carried them over in to the kitchen putting them in to the dishwasher.
"Leave it, I can sort that in a bit" he smiled heading to the stairs
"i was only going to put it on then we can hit the rack" she grinned following him up. "I'll sort Chris
Nicole was lay in bed reading her book standing at the door mike smiled.
"lights out now please Nicole" Mike said
"fine" Nicole sighed putting her bookmark back in to place putting the book on the side.
"night-night pumpkin" Mike smiled as she rolled over pulling the blankets tight.
Walking past Chirs's room he saw Kate sat next to their son on the bed singing softly to him. He was putting up a good fight in trying to keep his eyes open. walking along he finally went in to Graces room. She was digging through a pile of her teddies that were in the corner of the room.
"come on Gracie in to bed please"
"but I am looking for someone" she said
"come on please bed. Its way past your bed time" Mike said pulling the covers back as Grace climbed in wiggling right under."
Sitting on the edge of the bed mike pulled the covers up around her. "night-night sweet" he smiled
Yawning slightly Grace looked up at Mike. "Daddy, when is mummy's Heffalump arriving?" she asked.
"what do you mean pumpkin?"
"well you adopted the heffalump so when will it come live with us"
Trying not to laugh at how cute it was
"no sweet. We have no room here and elephants don't really live in Australia do they.?"
"but i thought she was ours like midnight when we adopted her from the cat home"
"no poppet , this sort of adoption means we give some money to the charity to help look after the elephant to stop people hurt her. But they will send us pictures of her and letters so we know how she is doing" Mike smiled
"but... I... wanted...her...to... live... here" Grace began to cry. "and she could have stayed in my room"
"Grace Elephants get really big. You would get squished. we can get some pictures of her in the morning okay."
"okay" Grace sniffed hugging her teddy"
"night-night" Mike smiled kissing the top of her head before heading out.
Heading in to the main bedroom he smiled seeing Kate already lay in bed reading her book.
"Grace asleep" she asked looking up
"almost. she was very upset your elephant wasn't going to come and live with us"
Covering her mouth Kate tried not to laugh. It was rather sweet really.
"bless. Mind you, aren't I supposed to get a cuddly toy with my adoption pack?" Kate grinned as mike slid in to the sheets next to her
"i left it here so the Kids wouldn't try and take it" Mike said pulling the little elephant toy from under his pillow.
"thank you" Kate leaned over Kissing him "I love it and my bracelet." she smiled putting the elephant under her lamp.
Lying down pulled the sheet right round her slowly drifting off to sleep. The elephant adoption had been by far her favourite gift and a traditional gift in a non-traditional form. It was romantic and sweet and she would be helping protect these magnificent beasts from the horrors that faced them in the wild.
hope you like this. I have never brought a charm from Pandora so have no idea how they are gift wrapped. The name of the elephant Mike adopted (Malkia) translates from Swahili in to English as Queen. I got Graces outburst actually from my cousion who when she was about 5 got upset because we were raising money at church to buy goats for families in Africa and she got upset as she wasnt going to get a goat. really hope you like this and let me know what you think xx