Birthday Surprises | Juliet

"What would be a bad idea, babe?" Juliet inquired, not quite sure what he was talking about. He looked distant, like a thought had caught his attention and wouldn't let him go. Standing up, she wrapped her arms around him and craned her neck so that she was looking up at him. "Are you okay? You look a little distracted." Riley's mother was a subject they hadn't broached just yet. Her heart sank as she thought about all the reasons why Riley might have reacted that way. Had something happened to the older woman? Juliet would be devastated if that was the case. She was so sweet and kind.

Looking down as Juliet wrapped her arms around him he smiled. "Nothing bad, per say, I was thinking how I want my mother here and how great it would be. I then realized she would be giving me an earful for the last two years." Pulling her closer he sighed. He knew there was nothing he could really do to change that though, and anyway he would have deserved it.

Leaning down he kissed her lips softly, "It would be deserved, even though I'm her son you won her heart the instant she met you. I knew then more than I knew already you were the one for me." Maybe the two years were needed to make sure they knew nothing could keep their hearts from each other.

"If anyone would understand, it is your mother." Juliet started, grabbing his hand as she did. Pulling him back over to where she had been sitting at the table, Juliet sat down but continued to look him in they eye. The fact that this mess had created distance between them and his mother pained her greatly, much more than she thought it would. "Maybe we could call her later, together? Maybe that would help keep her from being as mad. I know she knows about the breakup, because I told her right after. Everything else...if you haven't told her she doesn't know." No, she had been too much of a coward to face her in the aftermath of the breakup. Jules' heart was racing at the thought of calling, but if it would help Riley patch things up with his mother...then she would do it in a heartbeat. Shaking the negative thoughts out of her head, she leaned forward to kiss Riley on the cheek before smiling at him brightly.

Jules smile was on of the main things he had missed it always made him smile in return and brighten his day. Maybe calling his mother would be a good thing, then she would know that he wasn't still the ass, as if on cue his phone began to ring and he laughed. Pulling his phone out he saw his mothers picture on the display and he handed the phone to Jules, "You are the one who suggested to the fates that we talk to my mother and they answered you." He pressed the answer button and handed the phone to Jules. Smiling brightly at the thought of the two most important women in his life talking after two hard years.

Elizabeth Irene Bennett, the woman who had taken care of him, raised him as a single parent until the asshole entered their life. He was thrilled that Anthony was incarcerated but knew time was against them, soon he would have to see if he would ever be able to bring his mother to the island so that when he was out she wouldn't ever have to see him again. He shook his head and had a sip of his own mimosa and smiled hearing Jules laugh, and knowing that his mother was probably doing the same. He heard his name uttered and called out, "I was an ass I get it but don't start talking about me behind my back ladies." He chuckled taking another sip of the breakfast drink.

"All good things babe, all good things." Juliet called back with another laugh, his mother reciprocating on the other end. Elizabeth had been confused and surprised, but happy when she answered the phone. Of course there had been some explaining, and a few small tears in the beginning, but at least she was right. Ms. Bennett understood everything with perfect clarity, even if Riley had been worried otherwise. The woman was definitely something else.

Their talk lasted about thirty minutes before they both remembered that the call had been for Riley, ame it was only then that they reluctantly said goodbye with the promise of another call very soon. Standing from her place at the table, Juliet walked out of the room to find Riley. "Yes ma'am. I promise I'll get back to you very soon. Yes ma'am. Love you too. Here he is." She said through a light laugh, handing the phone to Riley and kissing him on the cheek before stepping out of the room to give him some privacy.

Smiling he took the phone from Jules and smiled as he heard his mother's voice lighter than it had been in years, "Thanks Mom, I know you do. Yes I know I was a fool you have told me this already. I know maybe sometime soon you will get your much wanted Grand Babies but not yet. There are things we need to work on...I know I am not going to do it again, Mom I... Yes Mom...I know Mom." He walked into the kitchen and saw Jules and smiled looking at her as he continued to agree with his mother as she told him everything he would have to do to keep Juliet happy.

He mouthed to Jules, Didn't I tell you. His smile was big though knowing he was right both his mother and Juliet were so close that when one hurt both did and he was usually the cause. "We will Mom, love you too. Talk to you in a few days. Bye." After he hung up the phone he smiled again, "See she loves you, though I think that was the best birthday gift so far I got to see the two of you talking."

"Me too. Though I'm glad you got the grandbabies lecture instead of me, I have to admit." That could've been tragic, as she wouldn't have been able to avoid telling her, especially when she deserved the truth. However, she found herself smiling when she realized the thought of children didn't hurt as much as it used to. Maybe they were making more progress than she thought. "Your right though. It will happen eventually, just not right now. Soon. I promise." But how soon was that? Could she still have a child with him without being married first? Part of her felt like she needed to find a way to bind him to her tangibly, but she knew that it was just the doubts talking again. Riley wouldn't leave, she just had to keep reminding herself of that.

"Nothing makes me happier than being with you. Mini Juliet's can wait till you are comfortable and we are in the right place. Though if that phone call in any indication... the fates might toy with us." He knelt down in front of her and smiled as he held her had, "I promise though I will never leave if I can help it. I will fight to stay with you. Though I say lets eat, drink and be merry on our shared birthday." Standing he captured her lips in a soft kiss before he loaded his plate up with food and dug in. His smile never leaving his face knowing that they were simply together, the next steps would come together later and what ever she wanted he would give her, as best he could.

"Agreed." Juliet said simply, shaking her head as she spoke. It made everything better to know that he wa willing to wait with her. Someday they would be fine, but that someday was not today. Finishing their dinner in relative silence, Juliet smiled over to Riley as soon as she was done. "That was great. Thank you." Grabbing his hand from across the table, Juliet squeezed it tightly. "What do you have in mind now?" Knowing Riley he had a plan, but so did she. His were generally much more romantic, but if she had her way they'd be on the couch soon watching a movie. All she needed in the world right now was him, but Riley generally went above and beyond the call of duty when it came to being a boyfriend.

Riley smiled and had a feeling that Jules wanted to curl up on the couch and watch a movie, though there were a few things he wanted her to see first, so he stood up and took hold of her hand and said, "Let me clean up here while you go get a little more comfortable. There are a few more surprises upstairs." He kissed the tip of her nose and watched as she went up stairs, which he had lined with rose petals as a path towards her surprises. First they would lead her to her master suite since he had been gone and a selection of first edition books she had wanted over the years.

Once he heard her turn in the direction of her room he quickly and quietly climbed the stairs and laid more rose petals leading her to their original master suite in white he had moved the crib to the spare room for now. They would have children with them in this room but right now they had to work on them. Finally he finished in their master suite where he began to draw a bubble path with her favorite scents and as the water filled the tub he laid out two sets of pj's one for comfort and a sexy number for later. He hoped she like it.

Juliet smiled quizzically when Riley mentioned more surprises. Of course there was more, there always was. "Whatever you say." She replied with a grin before heading up the stairs quickly. The faster she went up, the faster she would know what he had been up to. The rose petals were gorgeous, lining the floor to her now seldom used room. The books laying on the bed made her gasp quietly before she ran her fingers gently over the spines. The fact that he remembered astonished her more than it should have, especially given everything else he had done that night.

Noticing that a new color of petals had been laid outside the door while she had been preoccupied, she decided to follow them before going any farther. It turned out to be the best course of action, considering what she found in the next room. The scents of water lilies and lilac floated from the bathroom where running water could be heard and Riley seemed to have just finished laying out clothes on the bed when she entered. "Babe." She started, feeling tears prick her eyes as she walked over to him. "This is amazing. I just wish I could have done more for you." In the back of her mind, Juliet had always felt that the relationship was more than a little one sided. Riley always did so much for her that there was no possible way she could ever give him that much in return.

Walking out of the bathroom he smiled wrapping his arms around her he said, "You have don't the greatest thing for me, you gave me the chance to come back and though there was sadness two years ago we were planning a family. Though that is in the future for us you will be doing the hardest part of the work, and so anything I do now will never top that so I want you to feel like the queen you are in my eyes. You are my heart, you are my soul. With you I feel whole and this is the starting point to our new life, stronger for everything we have gone through. Happy Birthday my love." Bending down he captured her lips in a soft kiss that he deepened, smiling as he slipped a hand under the hem of her shirt he began to remove it as he broke the kiss, "You will not need this for the bath, the rest I will leave up to you. I will be back in a few minutes I just have to turn on the dishwasher. Don't worry, no funny business will happen."

Juliet rolled her eyes as Riley left the room. Of course their wouldn't be any funny business, they both knew that. Though she did have something in mind a little later that might make him happy. It wouldn't be the same, but it would be progress. Slipping in to the bathtub, she sighed as she waited for Riley to return, her thoughts wandering through the events of the past week or so. Everything felt different, but the same. He was still her Riley as much as she was his Juliet, and the progress had been significant. She only hoped that things could continue to improve as fast as they were now.

Riley quickly ran down stairs and finished cleaning up before he grabbed the popcorn maker and began making Jules favourite movie treat, as the air popper began to warm up he took out her three all-time favourite movies and set them on the table thankfully he got back in time to start turning the bowl so as not to have it over flow. Once that was done he dressed the popcorn the way she liked it and left it on the counter as Blake began to whine, "Sorry buddy not for you." He then opened a bottle of wine that Jules particularly liked and ran back up stairs and quickly changed into a nice set of lounge pants and a t-shirt before heading into the bathroom.

"One last thing to help you relax, here you are your favourite if I remembered correctly. I also thought you might like a bit of a shoulder rub?" he said handing her the glass of wine before he began to lightly massage her shoulders.

Juliet looked up at him with a smile as he rubbed her shoulders, taking a sip of the wine before standing up and wrapping a towel around herself. "I have a better idea than that." She replied, grabbing his hand and leading him in to the bedroom. Once she was there she slipped on the pajamas before turning back to Riley. from the bedroom she could already smell the popcorn downstairs, causing her to giggle before she leaned up and kissed him. "great minds must think alike." She mused before guiding him back down the stairs and towards the couch.

Grabbing a movie at random, she through it in to the DVD player before settling down on the couch beside Riley. Is she was going to go through with the small gesture she had in mind, the time would be now. Without looking up at her boyfriend, she snuggled in to his arms and turned to where she could see the TV. His arms were already wrapped around her shoulders rightly, making it easy for her to move one of his hands over to her stomach. This time, she did t flinch away. If anything, she pressed closer to Riley, his touch familiar and comforting as she waited for his response.