“I haven’t even been inside yet and I love it.” I cried putting my hands on either side of my face in shock.
“Brave of you to buy a house I haven’t seen though.”
He agreed. “I brought Max to view it. We saw loads but we both said this one was you, it had you written all over it.”
I flew across the car to hug him.
“Thank you. Can we go and see inside now?”
He laughed and pulled off again driving towards the white stone pillars that held up the roofed open entrance porch way, like something from a royal palace. The windows were tall sash windows running almost the full length of the walls. Above the open porch entrance was a balcony which I assumed led from the master bedroom. I felt like I was visiting a stately home, I couldn’t get my head around the fact that this was ours.
We held hands and walked into the entrance, if I thought it was going to be a stuffy stately home on the inside, what I saw from the outset killed that idea. The entrance was beige marble floors, white walls and ceilings with spot lights and an enormous sparkling chandelier hanging from the middle of the entrance with a side sweeping staircase spiralling around it. Beautiful contemporary art hung on the walls, understated and elegant, not a hint of garishness, and illuminated with steel picture lights. Spot lights lit up each step to the next floor, and Joe pulled my hand to direct me upstairs.
“You’re right this is so me.” I grinned a ridiculous grin and he squeezed my hand.
“I’ll show you the rest of the house after but I need to show you the second gift.”
“Isn’t the house my second gift?”
“No, not quite.”
We walked along the landing with the huge sash windows casting natural light along the corridor, I loved how bright and airy everything felt in this house. Then we came to a solid oak door with silver door handles and a silver star placed at head height in the middle of the door.
“I decorated this room myself, if you don’t like it please tell me. It’s the only room I’ve touched, the rest I’ll leave to you. I hope you don’t mind me doing this one but I loved every minute of doing it.”
“Stop worrying I’ll love it whatever.” I kissed him and pushed the door open expecting to see a high tech gym or a boxing ring, something distinctly Joe. What I saw totally floored me.
Luxurious soft grey carpet that made my feet sink into it was laid upon the floor. The ceiling was dotted with what looked like a hundred dainty spot lights, all haphazardly set to give the impression of a night sky, and the walls were a delicate shade of dove grey and white. On one side of the room in grey glitter the word baby was written, perhaps painted, I couldn’t tell. It was the most stunning nursery I’d ever seen. I couldn’t speak.
I walked over the carpet to the huge white sleigh style crib with grey and silver bedding all set up ready for a little one to lie in, and a cot mobile hanging above with elephants and stars. Against another wall there was a changing station and a rocking nursing chair with foot stool all in keeping with the silver, grey and white theme. A giant grey teddy bear as big as me sat in another corner, and the huge bay window sill was covered in velvet cushions. There was a toy box, wardrobes, drawers, a white wooden train set and everything imaginable that a modern nursery would need. He had certainly done his homework, this room was my favourite room ever.
“You’re very quiet, please say something I’m starting to worry.” He whispered.
“Joe. I don’t know what to say. This room, it’s the best present ever. I can’t believe you did all this. Where did you find the time?”
“I came here instead of going to work. I did all the painting and everything myself. I wanted to, that’s what a Dad does for his child. I wanted to make it perfect, for our baby.”
I started crying, I couldn’t stop. “It’s more than perfect. I’m speechless. I could live in here myself I love it that much.”
He looked proud at that moment. “I’m glad you like it.”
I jumped up and wound my arms and legs around him, burying my face into his neck.
“We love it, me and belly bean.” We’d t
aken to calling the baby belly bean. Don’t ask why it just kinda happened, I said it one day and it stuck. We both thought it was kinda cute too.
“If you want to change anything you can I won’t mind.”
“I don’t want to change a thing ace, you did all this and it’s perfect. Belly bean will have this bedroom until they’re eighteen and begging for black walls and grunge posters.”
“One last gift, are you ready?”
“I think I have enough gifts I don’t need anymore.”
“Well for this one I need you to keep an open mind. It isn’t what you think when you first see it, just remember I said that okay?”
He was being very cryptic and acting strange now so I agreed and he led me out of the nursery and along the corridor, back down the sweeping staircase and into a type of study. There were cream floor tiles, a beige rug in front of a huge marble fireplace and a large mahogany desk set in front of the sash windows. A man I didn’t recognise sat behind the desk and as I looked to the side of us Max appeared, standing with hands in his jeans pockets and looking apprehensively over to Joe then down to me.