King of the Don's

eighteen

Vaughn

The day after Briar got her new hearing aid delivered, she was ecstatic. Although the hearing aid did not make her hear in her left ear again, it helped her in other ways. The doctor explained it as the hearing aid can magnify sound vibrations when entering the ear, so it makes her able to understand people better, especially in a loud room. 

And when I walked along the newly renovated, and much more safer dock, Briar could actually hear me approached her from behind as she was sitting out there and drinking her coffee. 

She was lounging on the newly padded bench I had added just for her, bundled up from head to toe while covered in a massive, sherpa blanket. It was just a little after 9 o'clock, and it was already pretty cold out, but I wasn't planning to stay out long, just enough to give her the news and drag her back inside with me.

When I was standing directly behind her, she tilted her head back to look up at me and I smiled down at her, "Happy birthday, and happy halloween baby." I greeted her, and a surprised smile took over her beautiful face, "You remembered!"

I wrapped my hand around her throat to keep her in place and leaned down to give her a kiss, "Of course I did," I assured her, "I wouldn't forget it for the world."

I briefly pulled back from her, and asked her something I already knew the answer to, "Do you want your present now, or later?"

She set her coffee down on the arm rest of her chair, "Now, of course!" She scoffed playfully, while giving me a small laugh, "You know I have literally zero patience." She said, and I reached into my back pocket, and walked around the bench to stand in front of her.

I bent down on my haunches, and explained the present to my girl, "Gia told me about your old earrings," I admitted, "She said that your grandmother gave them to you and that they were very sentimental to her, but your dad pawned them. So I went to a jeweler and described them the best I could, and had someone design these special for you."

I deliberately left out the part where I went to several different pawn shops in the local area, and described the earrings to many different store owners. But unfortunately, since I only had such a vague description and no date of sale or a time frame, I had no such luck. So I had them recreated to the best of my ability, and hoped that would be enough for her to recognize them.

She opened the small box, and sitting propped up was a pair of circular gold earrings, each with a dainty pearl in the middle, surrounded by an outline of small diamonds. She ran her finger over the earrings, and looked back up toward me, her green eyes lighting up, "Oh my gosh, these look so similar!"

"The pearls are actually heirloom's from my family, my mother's side." I corrected, as I scratched the back of my neck, feeling a bit embarrassed. I wasn't sure why, it wasn't like I was giving her a ring and proposing, but this felt just as intimate in a way.

I had never in my life given someone something so personal, but I was glad I saved this moment for her. She deserved it.

She placed her warm hand on my cold cheek, and ran her finger over the bottom edge of my scar, "This is the most beautiful, and thoughtful gift I've ever received. Seriously Vaughn, thank you for this, and for Penelope." She smiled, and I stood up from my position, and moved to sit right beside her on the bench.

She turned toward me to mirror my position, and I began the second part of the conversation I needed to have with her, "And I haven't said it officially, sweetheart, but I am still sorry."

She quirked an eyebrow, "Sorry for what, exactly?"

I let out a chuckle, and played along with her, "I'm sorry for being a what was it? A dick with a God complex?"