Chapter 448: Birthday_Part 2
Tears filled Belle’s eyes as she remembered today was indeed her birthday, making Angel confused and angry that his drawing had made his mama cry. He had almost torn it, but Belle grabbed him and crushed him into her arms, hugging and kissing him.
"Thank you, Angel."
"Mama, did my bathday drawing hurt you?" he asked, glaring at the drawing like he would burn it. Belle smiled through her tears and shook her head.
"No, people cry when they are happy, Angel. I cry because I am happy to have you as my precious son."
"Angel only cry when hurt. I don’t cry when I happy, Mama."
Belle chuckled and crushed Angel into her embrace. She hadn’t even finished recovering from the emotions his present had brought her when her husband walked into the room, still dressed in his nightwear, holding a red box. Right behind him were the few small servants they had in the castle, carrying wrapped boxes.
"Happy birthday to the loveliest wife in the world. May all the happiness you have given me return to you a thousand times. May this day and every day after be gentle to you, and may you never doubt how much I love you." His voice softened as he stepped closer, his figure blurring as tears filled her eyes and emotions choked her throat. "There is no gift in this life that compares to you. You are the warmth in every cold moment, and the reason I believe I can be a better man. Thank you for staying, thank you for choosing me, and thank you..."
He placed the box gently in her hands as he bent down, hugging her together with their son who was watching, one of his hands sliding to her bulging stomach.
"...for giving me this family." He kissed the top of her head. "My heart... is yours. Always."
That day was one of the memorable days of Belle’s life, to receive priceless gifts from both her husband and son.
Now Angel understood what she meant when she said they should prepare a birthday for his father. Rohan had once told her he didn’t remember the exact date and month he was born, and no one ever told him when his birthday was because it had never been celebrated since he was born.
It was time they picked a date and made it his birthday, celebrating it every year like hers.
"What can I gif to papa bathday?" Angel asked with a thoughtful look. "Wen Papa’s bathday, Mama? Is it four days too?"
Belle smiled, shaking her head. "Let’s give him a birthday surprise tomorrow. Your father has become stressed because of the coming baby. Let’s lighten his day tomorrow."
It was true, Rohan carried the worry of her pregnancy being found out, as it had begun to show and was in a stage no dress could hide. She also worried that someone would come unannounced and see she was pregnant. But it was unlikely to happen since everyone who wanted to meet Rohan knew he spent his days in the royal castle and wouldn’t be here.
Even when she wasn’t going out, she made sure to wear loose gowns and big fur coats to hide her bulging stomach, just in case someone came unexpected. But that wasn’t enough to ease her husband, who had planned to take her to the mountains to give birth, but because she needed to be here to take back souls, that plan was impossible.
Tomorrow might be a great day to give him a surprise birthday.
Angel, after hearing about the baby from his mother, climbed down from where he had been sitting and came around to stand in front of Belle. His eyes went straight to her bulging stomach, now visible because she had unbuttoned the large coat she usually wore to hide it. Without the coat, the pregnancy pushed clearly against her home dress.
"Mama, is baby moving in you again?" he asked, frowning down at her stomach.
Angel had not even known that she was carrying another life inside her until the day the baby’s movements became noticeable. He had been sitting next to her, eating and minding his business when he felt it. He had looked startled that day, then stared at her stomach with terrified eyes.
"Mama, something inside your belly!" His claws had grown out in preparation to attack what it was, but Belle had pulled him close and explained carefully that his brother or sister was in there.
When he finally understood that it was a baby, his eyes had grown big in surprise and he asked, "How’d it got inside the belly, Mama? How will it come out?"
That was not something she would explain to a one-year-old who looked four. She made up a story that the baby just came to be and would come out the way it went in. But she didn’t tell him how. The boy was too fascinated that another being was inside her to ask more. Since then, it had become his favorite thing to do, touch and feel the movement or ask her if it was moving inside her.
Now, at his question, she nodded her head and said, "Yes, baby is moving."
"Will baby come out and celebrate Papa’s bathday too?" He placed his small hand on her stomach, feeling the movement and grinning like he always did. Not even waiting for her answer, he continued, "I know baby and me will play when baby come. Angel will carry baby and fly and follow Papa. And I know wat I gif Papa on bathday." His eyes shone as he rubbed his mother’s stomach.
Belle threaded her fingers into the strands of his hair and asked, "What will you give your papa?"
Angel chuckled and removed his hand from her stomach, gesturing for her to come closer. Belle leaned down, and the boy whispered, "It’s surprise, Mama. I can not say it now, you will stop till when I gif."
Belle pinched his cheek playfully and corrected softly, "It’s wait, not stop, darling. But it’s not my birthday, and I shouldn’t be kept in suspense about your gift to your father, don’t you think?"
He shrugged. "I don’t tell what I gif. Papa say it good to surprise. Mama will sto—wait till I got my surprise ready for Papa." He smiled and then walked away, saying, "I done my writing finish. I will go real quick and told Uncle Wav about Papa’s bathday and Enny so they have surprise for papa too!"
He left the piano room before Belle could tell him to come back and finish his blood milk he left on the desk and to wear his shoes. She shook her head as she listened to his footsteps fade away.