Hi since I haven't written from Phoebe's POV I would indulge a little in this chapter, just a little before going on to Ted's POV. Hope you enjoy. Maria Amore
The Exchange of Gifts
Phoebe's POV:
I open my door slightly and look to see if anyone is awake. It is a little early, and I am not allowed to leave my room until seven in the morning. I need to be careful. The house is really quite, and I think everyone is still asleep, even my dad. He usually gets up too early. However last night we had the rehearsal dinner here and everyone was still up when I had to go to bed, even though I got to go to bed late. I quietly walk past the guest room that Josh is sleeping in, to get to Ted's bedroom. Josh is one of Ted's best friends, and he is going to be his best man at the wedding. They went to school in New York together, and he came over with a lot of old friends for the wedding, however; only Joshua has stayed at our house. The rest of Teds friends from New York and college are staying at hotels, I think.
I creep into Ted's room, and double check that no one saw me before I close the door. Teddy is fast asleep and even though I shake him, he doesn't wake up. Ted is very strong and bigger than me so I can't shake him much.
"Teddy wake-up" I call out. He moves a little, but doesn't wake up. "Teddy wake up," I say louder into his ear. Slowly he opens his eyes but doesn't seem happy to see me. He usually is happy to see me.
"Fifi, go back to bed. It is still extremely early." Ted is really grumpy. He looks like daddy does, when I do something wrong. Ted should do that very look when his kids are naughty. They will behave then.
"I know, but I have to go to Bellevue tonight, and soon everyone is going to want your attention, especially tomorrow at the wedding. Plus I have something to give you" I tell him. I am spending the night at my grandparents' house as are Lily and her mothers, as the wedding is being hosted there.
"Okay Fifi, what is it?" Ted asks though still very sleepy.
"It's my wedding present to you and Lily," I tell him and pass him the present.
"A present?" Ted tilts his head to the side and sits up a little.
"Yes." I say nodding. "Open it"
"Are you sure? Lily isn't here" He tells me.
"It's okay. I want you to open it. It's really isn't for you and Lily anyway. "I explain. Mom and dad told me that I didn't need to give Ted and Lily a present as they would do that for us, so this was the next best thing.
"Alright," Ted says but looks at me a little confused. Ted starts to unwrap the present.
"I wrapped it all by myself" I tell him proudly.
"I can tell"
Teddy opens the present and smiles at me.
Ted's POV
I carefully pull out the luxurious pink colored baby blanket and study it. Lily and I bought it for Phoebe when she was a baby, and it had been one of her most treasured possessions. She use to carry it around as a toddler and wouldn't go to sleep without it. Even though she had outgrown the blanket, she would still ask for it when she wasn't well.
"Fifi are you sure you want to give this to me? I know that you love this blanket, a lot!" I ask. I don't want her to give me something that. She still wants to keep.
"Yes. The babies can have it now, but they will have to share it though. But if one of the babies is a girl, she should get it because it is pink. You will have to buy the baby boy one also or else he will be sad" Phoebe informs me.
"What if the babies are two girls?" I ask
"Then they have to share it. But if it's too boys, then you may have to them and tell them that pink is a good color. Pink is my favourite color" Phoebe says and then yawns. It is obvious that she is still tired. She didn't go to bed until 10pm, and it isn't even 6am.
"Thank you Fifi. This is an extremely special gift. I know that you love this blanket." I put the blanket to the side and pull down my bed covers so she can get in. I wrap my arms around my little sister and cuddle her. She yawns again and slowly falls back asleep.
I haven't ever mentioned it to anyone, even to Lily, but I genuinely wish that my parents hadn't been separated whilst I was growing up, not just so I could have had them both in my life's, but also so maybe then Phoebe would have been born earlier and we could have grown up together. However, reality tells me that she wouldn't be the same little girl, as the sister, sleeping in my bed right now. Maybe this is how everything was supposed to be.
# # # #
I wake up, when I hear some commotion outside. Phoebe is still asleep next to me and is oblivious to the noise. I am surprised when I notice that it is almost 9am. I get out of bed, careful not to wake up Phoebe and walk to the balustrade of the staircase. There are a few people running around and looking extremely concerned.
"TED"I hear my name being called out, and my parents are running towards me.
"What's the emergency?" I ask. As they come closer to me, I realise just how scared they look. "Oh my gosh, what's happened?" Please don't let tell me that someone has been hurt or worse. Not now.
"We can't find Phoebe. Taylor is checking the security cameras. We not think she has left the property, but we can't locate her" My father informs me rather panicked. My mother looks so worried, that she is unable to talk.
"Phoebe is fine. She is asleep in my room" I tell them quickly to reassure them. My mother quickly enters my room and my dad relaxes. I swear I have never seen them like that before. We both stand in silence until my mother returns.
"Sorry dad and mom. Phoebe came into my room, really early this morning, to give me her pink blanket for the babies. She was still tired and fell asleep. Then I did too. I only woke up when I heard everyone." I explain.
"Thank gosh. We freaked out when we couldn't find her" My mother says.
"What's happening?" Phoebe says now walking out of my room. She walks over to me, and I pick her up. She rests her head on my shoulder as she is still tired
"Mom and Dad couldn't find you, and they were worried." I explain to her.
"But I was here," Phoebe comments unaware of why our parents would be worried.
"It okay Fifi, you will soon learn that our parents, well mainly our dad, worries constantly. Just wait to you start dating and all the boys are chasing you. I am going to have to program my cell phone number into quick dial on your cell phone. You are going to need someone to talk to!" I say humorously. Phoebe and my mother laugh a little, but my father doesn't find the humour in the comment.
"Very funny Ted, and Phoebe no dating for a very, very, very long time." My father is stern. He isn't kidding in the slightest.
"Okay, let's end this. Phoebe you need to go, and get dressed as do you Ted. If you wake up Josh, we can all have breakfast. Ms Jones is going to make a rather special breakfast." My mother explains.
I wake up Josh and then head to my bathroom to have a shower. As I pull my shirt over my head, I notice the jewellery box on the dresser. I intend to, somehow, get it to Lily today prior to our wedding date tomorrow. I stretch and look in the mirror. I am so glad that we had the rehearsal dinner last night rather than tonight.
When I arrive downstairs, everyone has started to eat breakfast. My parents are sitting on one side and reading the paper whilst talking. Joshua is sitting next to Phoebe and making her laugh.
"Can I join the party?" I request as I sit on the opposite side of Phoebe.
"Teddy, Josh is funny. He is like the funniest person in the world" Phoebe says. Josh grins and gives me his arrogant smile. If he wasn't my oldest and loyal friend, and sitting next to my sister, I would try to wipe that look off his face.
"Yeah I should give up law school and become a comedian" Josh contemplates in a joking manner.
"I don't think your parents would be too happy about that one." My mother scolds. She is still friends with Joshua's mother, often talking on the phone.
"Oh well, I guess I will have to save my sense of humour for the opposite gender" Joshua comments.
"Do you mean girls?" Phoebes asks.
"Yes he does Fifi, but he doesn't have much luck with them, even with his sense of humour, I am afraid" I mock.
"You don't have a girlfriend?" Phoebe asks Josh.
"No, no I don't." Josh shakes his head.
"Oh" Phoebe looks up at his curiously.
"Yes Phoebe, I don't understand it either. How old are you?" Josh queries. My father has suddenly put his paper down, and he has narrowed his eyes.
"I am five, but I am going to be six in November" Phoebe responds.
"Hhhhmmm... Why can't you be fifteen years older?" Josh asks Phoebe.
"I don't know," Phoebe says shrugging her shoulders.
"Oh well, maybe I can find someone at the wedding. Who is the maid of honour?" Josh probes
"That would be my cousin Ava. She and Lily went to the same school and have become close." I explain.
"She doesn't have a boyfriend. She had one at college, and he did something really bad and then my uncle said he was a cocksu…" Phoebe recites not understanding the offensive nature of the word she had started to say. Luckily though she isn't able to finish the offending word as my mother interjects.
"Stop Phoebe" Phoebe is immediately interrupted by my mother.
"What?" She questions unwittingly.
"Phoebe you are to stop listening to Uncle Elliot right now" My father says angrily. I decide that I need to change the topic.
"Mom and Dad, do you both have much planned this morning?" I am actually asking if they need me for any reason.
"No. We just need to be home this afternoon, as Phoebe is being picked up by your grandparents, to go Bellevue in preparation for the wedding tomorrow. We would like to have dinner with you, and Josh of course, but if you boys feel the need to go out right now, before the day tomorrow, you both are more than free. " My mother offers.
I smile and look at Josh. He gives me a conspiratory nod.
"Great. I will just go and get my keys"
In my room, I grab the keys and the Cartier jewellery box. I start to exit my room, but stop, once I see my father at the doorway.
"Dad?" I say startled to see him.
"Yes I am your Dad." He sneers. He knows he has caught me. "What is in the box?" For some reason, I get a little shy.
"Its ... It is a…" I struggle to talk.
"Spit it out, Ted" My father states a little annoyed.
"It is my wedding gift to Lily. She is already at Bellevue with Ava, and I was intending on sneaking and giving it to her. I had hoped she would wear it tomorrow when we get married tomorrow" I explain.
"May I?" He asks to examine the contents of the box. I pass him the box, and he exposes the exquisite diamond necklace.
"It is beautiful, but you know what would go well with this necklace?" Dad asks"
Now what? "No. What?" I wonder what I have forgotten. My father passes the jewellery box to me and pulls out a smaller box but with the same Cartier logo.
"This." He says as he puts it in my hand.
I slowly open it and look at the drop diamond earring that match the necklace perfectly.
"Dad it's gorgeous… how did you know that I had bought the necklace?" I ask. Security was outside the building, and I lied about my purchase there. I even paid using my private credit card. My father doesn't see those bills. Does he?
"I have my ways. The earrings are a gift to Lily from your mother and me. We are happy to have her in our family, she makes you immensely happy, which you deserve" My father's words make me a little emotional.
"Thank you dad. This means a lot." I tell him sincerely.
"I will see you later. Also don't let Gwen or Ros see you. They might be the most untraditional couple, but they do believe that you and Lily shouldn't see each other today." My father warns.
"Okay I promise. I am going to take Josh, he will help"
"Taylor will follow you." My father instructs.
"Of course" I roll my eyes. As if I could go anywhere without security.
After both Josh and I promise to spend some time with Phoebe when we return, we jump into my Audi and head off to Bellevue. I decide that the easiest way to see Lily, is to call her and have me meet her somewhere on my grandparent's property.
"Josh, I need to put this call on loudspeaker," I inform him.
"Should I block my ears? I wouldn't want to be corrupted by your sex talk with Lily" Josh sniggers.
"One, Lily is with her mothers and her grandparents, at my grandparents' house, so sex talk isn't an option, and two; you were already corrupted, long ago. How many girls did you date in college?" I question.
"Too many and not enough" Josh and I laugh.
Lily's phones rings several times before she finally answers it. Though her voice is quiet.
Lily: Ted, you can't ring me. We're not supposed to see or talk to each other. My moms are extremely serious about this.
Ted: Where are you? You sound strange.
Lily: Of course I do. I am in a closet, so no one knows I am talking to you.
Josh and I laugh out loud.
Lily: Hi Josh. Man I can recognise your laugh anywhere.
Josh: Hey there Lily. Just keeping Ted honest before you tie him down tomorrow.
Lily: Good to know.
Ted: So can you meet me somewhere at my grandparents' house. Go to my dad's old room. I will meet you there in twenty minutes.
Lily: I can't. My mother, Ros, is keeping an eye out, she suspects you are going to come and see me today. She even has your grandmother watching out that you don't get into the house.
Ted: I will get my grandfather to help me.
Lily: It won't work, your grandmother has spoken to him also. Look I will be here tomorrow, wearing a white dress, and then you have me for the rest of my life!
Ted: I can't wait till tomorrow.
I stress this point.
Lily: Oh Ted, you can handle one day of us not having sex. Sorry Josh.
Ted: I don't know about that, but I need to see you! It is important.
Lily: Ted ….
We then hear voices and then the distinct tone of Ros's voice
Ros: Theodore Raymond Grey. I specifically told you to leave Lily alone today at the office two days ago, and last night at the rehearsal dinner, did I not?
Great it is as if I am a child again and in trouble.
Ted: I know, but I have something for Lily that I honestly want to give to her today. In fact, it is imperative that I give it to her.
I seriously don't want to tell my future mother in law about the jewellery. I want it to be a complete surprise, and not risk Lily finding out.
Ros: I am sure you do. In fact, I am pretty sure you have given her that very thing. It is why she is pregnant with twins.
My mouth drops open, as does Josh's. Shit! Did Ros actually think that I wanted to come over to have sex? NO!
Ted: Ros NO, it's not that. I swear. I have a gift.
Ros: Ted, I will see you tomorrow. Do not be late or I will be pissed.
Ros then hangs up rather abruptly. I am so shaken that I pull over. Taylor pulls up behind us and gets out.
"Ted, is there a problem?" Taylor asks.
"I need to see Lily. I have a gift for her, but Ros has intervened. My attempts to see my fiancé has come to a sudden halt. Worst of all it seems that my grandparents are helping Ros" I debrief him. Taylor's expression is unreadable until he finally commences to talk.
"Am I right in believing that your need to see Lily would have something to do with your recent purchase at Cartier?" Taylor asks.
"Is anything I do private?" I query.
"Private to an extent. Is Ava with Lily yet?" He inquires
"Yes" I reply.
"Ring Ava and tell her that her grandfather will need to talk to her. I will ring your grandfather" Taylor orders.
"Okay but why Ava? I query as I start to ring my cousin.
"Trust me Ted, if there is one person who can sneak out, then it is your cousin Ava. I will organise with your grandfather, to distract the women around Lily." Taylor doesn't elaborate his statement on how Ava is supposedly so proficient at sneaking out, and to be honest at the moment, I couldn't care less. I just hope he is right.
I contact Ava, who agrees to help and she tells me that our grandfather was already approaching her.
"Okay Ted and Josh, we need to go through the back way, and you both will need to cross the lawn, and head to the boat house."
"Thanks Taylor." I don't know if he knows how much I appreciate his help right now.
"Man how do I hire him?" Josh is impressed.
"Taylor is an extraordinary man, and thankfully very faithful to my family." I reaffirm.
Josh and I park the car, and as directed we swiftly make our way across the lawn, and head straight to the boat house. Taylor indubitably knows what he is talking about. The boat house is out of the way and out of view from the house.
We wait until we see Lily and Ava running across the other side of the lawn. My eyes are drawn automatically to Lily. Her long hair is caught in the wind, and she is glowing. My heart beats faster and faster, and I know that she and our unborn children are now the reason I breathe.
"Ted" My name always sounds better when she says it. I warp my arms around my soon to be wife, and pull her into a tight embrace.
"You look beautiful" I tell her, making her giggle.
"I am in jeans and shirt, no makeup and my hair is wild" She describes herself.
"You would look fabulous in a hay bag" I tell her truthfully.
"You are not so bad yourself" Lily grins. I notice that Ava and Josh are standing a little uncomfortably, watching us.
"I need a few quiet moments with the soon-to-be Mrs Grey. Josh, act like a gentleman and entertain my cousin please" I take Lily's hand and escort her up the stairs to the top of the boat house, where we both sit on the couch.
"Okay Ted you have me here, but I don't have much time. If you need relief, then we better get moving" Lily tells me and starts to undo her jeans button.
"Oh Lily, you don't know how much, I would love to do that very thing, but I think we should wait till tomorrow evening." Lily who was pretending to be annoyed before, now looks dissatisfied.
"But... you had us run out here… your grandfather…" Lily is confused. "Why did you want me to see me then? What couldn't wait till tomorrow?"
"This" I say holding the box holding the necklace and then passing it to her. I want her to open it first. "Open it." I encourage. Lily's eyes widen as she looks at the necklace.
"Ted, it's gorgeous." She says astounded.
"Not as gorgeous as you." I tell her, making her blush.
"You shouldn't have. It is too much, I don't think I am worth it." Lily says looking down. With my index finger and thumb, I raise her chin so she is looking at me and our eyes are at the same level.
"Lily you are more than worth this necklace. There isn't a piece of jewellery out there that matches your worth. You are my world. You are gorgeous, intelligent and generous. You are the only person I want to wake up top and go to sleep with. I love you, and my family loves. You have given me your heart, and then if that wasn't enough, now you are giving me a family." I explicate. With my thumb, I wipe a couple of stray tears from Lily's face.
"I love you Ted Lily's lips then find mine. "Can I wear the necklace tomorrow? I think it will go well with my dress"
"I was hoping you would wear it tomorrow. Also, this is from my parents. They love you too" I tell her. Lily opens the box to the earrings.
"Oh Ted it's beautiful. Thank your parents from me until I can tomorrow. It will match the necklace brilliantly" Lily assesses.
"Absolutely. I better let you go, though I desperately don't want to. I am scared of what Ros will do to me if she finds me here" I kiss Lily one more time before I leave. I am extremely careful to make sure that this kiss counts. She allows my tongue to explore her mouth as hers does. My body starts to reacts. I have to stop, or else it will betray me, and I will never hear the end of it from Josh. I won't be able to hide it.
"Until tomorrow, Mr Grey"
"This is going to be the hardest..." I look at my watch and calculate the time. "….Twenty-six hours and thirty minutes in my life."
"For me too" She whispers into my ear.
We walk down the stairs of the boat house, hand in hand and look for Ava and Josh. We soon find them around the corner away from sight. Ava is leaning against the wall while Josh is facing her. He has his left stretched up and pressed against the wall, above him and Lily. We find we have arrived to witness them share an intimate exchange. I cough loudly, to get their attention.
"Ted," Ava is annoyed and mortified. The look on Josh's face matches that of Ava's voice.
"Josh, it is time we head back to the sound. Ava I will see you tomorrow. I am sure you will look spectacular, though not as phenomenal as my fiancé." I kiss Lily goodbye one more time and watch as she and Ava make their way back to my grandparent's colonial style home.
"So you like my cousin hey?" I ask Josh.
"Yeah she is hot! Where have you been hiding her?"
"Then I feel the need to issue you with a health warning. You know my father, and how protective he is of his family and Phoebe?" I question.
"Yeah" Josh cautiously states.
"Well he is equally protective of Ava, and her father, Elliot, is protective of Ava. Be careful, or they will have your balls on a platter" I warn.
"Point taken. I will be a gentleman tomorrow" Josh says sincerely.
"Good, now I have another favour, and it is one that you will be in your element."
"What is it?"
"I need your help in fulfilling a promise for me. One I made before I went to Africa" Josh agrees. I drive until we reach our destination and he is shocked where we have ended up.
"Here? This is the place we need to be?" Josh asks
"Definitely" I respond.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter. You will never guess where Ted has taken Josh. but then again you might. I mentioned it in a previous chapter. Review please.