Ginelle's pov
It was a wonderful morning.
Soft chirps of birds flew over Grey and I as we sat at the back of his house enjoying the warmth the sun brought.
We were seated on a rattan swing chair, Grey's hand tugging my waist so that I lay my head on his chest as he rested his head on the soft cushions.
I smiled into the soft breeze that blew by, my hair flying onto Grey's face and I laughed as I lifted my head to clear his face.
His lips curved up in a smile and I giggled, kissing his left jaw. There were times when I woke up so excited, I guess this was one of those days.
"Mornings are so beautiful with you my tulip," Grey cupped my left cheek as I continued to look at him, his words making me smile even further.
"I'm getting used to seeing you first thing in the morning," he smiled at my blushing face, his thumb stroking over my cheeks.
I too could say that the days were getting better each time we spent them together. It was now only five days since Grey got discharged but his wound was healing super fast.
We had just finished our breakfast that I'd woken up to prepare. I had planned to prepare everything on my own but Grey seemed to have a sixth sense that showed him what my next move was.
Five minutes weren't even over after I'd gotten into the kitchen before he walked in. He hugged me from behind, whispering good morning baby into my ear.
It took me a minute before I replied, his morning voice so deep especially when he repeatedly pecked my jaw saying that he loved me.
We had prepared pancakes together as he told me that Reece's mom, Rosie, had taught him when he was in military school.
I got to learn that he knew how to cook most foods though he was still learning to bake with me amongst a few other things he insisted on knowing.
I want to do everything for you, so teach me sweetheart. He had practically begged me to show him how to curl my hair after he'd seen me do so the day before.
It was so endearing to see him go to the depths of doing all this for me. I looked up at him and softly whispered, I love you.
He said the words back with a smile of his own and I just admired how handsome he was. His smile was like a treasure I wanted to keep with me all the time.
"Did you want to shave this?" I stroked over his overgrown stubble, my eyes briefly meeting his as I felt the hairs tickle my hand.
I loved his sideburns.
He didn't reply and when I looked up, he shook his head in protest. I furrowed my eyes at him though he smoothened the skin between my eyes.
"Why?" I wondered, my hands dropping from his face for a second but he placed them back so that I'd continue stroking his cheeks.
"You said I looked more handsome with the facial hair," my eyes widened, a blush forming as I tried to avoid his eyes.
"When did I say that?" I squinted my eyes at him when I didn't recall saying that and I watched his smile grow as he replied.
"The day we left the hospital, when you fell asleep after giving me my medicine." I blinked severally trying to recall what happened that day.
"You said it in your sleep," he gently tapped my nose when I began to protest, denying all his words and he chuckled at me.
I hid my face from him, his chest vibrating as he continued to laugh and I just listened to the sound of it.
There was no denying that I found him more attractive that way but I knew it was perhaps not comfortable with him.
"Let's just trim, okay?" I suggested after some seconds to which he quickly gave in. Not even a minute later he was up on his feet, my body in his arms.
He carried me back into the house insisting that he wanted the cut done now. I let him manoeuvre us into his room till the bathroom where he sat me beside the sink.
He shuffled through the drawers and took out a shaving razor and cream, placing them before me. I stared at the items then back at him not knowing what to do with them.
He slowly parted my thighs before moving to stand in between them, his eyes expectantly looking up at me.
His hands rested on both sides of me as he leaned closer so that we'd be at eye level. I stared at his face, his lips briefly touching mine in a peck.
I first dabbed a wet cloth over his face before applying some of the cream. I urged him to shut his eyes so that I'd focus and not hurt him but he opened them again halfway.
I let him be even as he wrapped his hands around my waist. He just couldn't stay for long without touching me, not that I was complaining.
After I was finally done, I let him wash his face and I expectantly looked through the mirror, waiting for his opinion about his new look.
He looked at my image when he was done, his eyes twinkling in satisfaction which was odd because he hadn't even looked at himself.
"How is it?" It suited him perfectly according to me so I hoped he would also like how it came out as.
"Perfect," he looked at himself for just a second before lifting me up and taking us out of the bathroom.
He settled me at the edge of the bed while he took out some sort of oil that he asked me to apply on him, I guess it was to minimize itchiness.
"You'll help me next time too, right?" He gestured at his face and I nodded once, his smile showing and it was then I thought of his words.
Next time? So we'll be permanently living together then? Like a couple? My mind flashed with all sorts of imaginations.
Over the past few days we'd been living like a married couple but I tried not to think ahead of myself as I helped Grey recover.
My phone rang soon afterwards cutting short my trail of thoughts as my mama's smiling face lit up the screen.
Grey stood up from his squat in front of me and sat beside me as he let me reveive the call.
"Good morning mama," I greeted enthusiastically, my legs bouncing as I swang them over the edge of the bed.
"Good morning Ellie, how are you?" She asked back with the same enthusiasm and I told her that I was doing well.
"Did you have breakfast already?" She continued to ask and I turned to Grey as I replied.
"Yes, I had pancakes and mango juice." She hummed from the other end and I heard shuffling beside her, perhaps papa joining her.
"My daughter," I smiled at my earlier guess when his voice came through not more than five seconds later. "How is everything?"
"It's fine, there's nothing to worry about." Grey took my hand and pecked over the back of it as he rested his head over my shoulder.
"Is Grey alright?" Papa asked next surprising all of us. I assured him that he was healing just fine but mama insisted on talking to him.
"Give him the phone," I didn't even think much of how she already knew that I was with him.
Grey took the phone from me, his hands nervous but I softly pecked his lips, making him look at me in a more relaxed manner.
"Hello ma'am," he cleared his throat once before greeting and I took his free hand so that he'd stop bouncing it over his leg.
"Yes sir, it's better now." I heard him reply followed by a series of another yeses and alrights.
My parents had left a day or two after visiting Grey at the hospital due to issues about work. They had called severally to ask how I was doing but I knew they really wanted to know how Grey was fairing.
"Yes, it's a good time." I heard Grey reply again and I looked up because I didn't know what they were saying.
"Thank you ma'am," he answered again looking at me before he nodded again and replied, "See you soon, Olive."
That was mama's first name!
Grey handed my phone back and mama shared with me that we would go visit them a week later on Friday.
The call ended soon afterwards and I turned to ask Grey if he was fine with the arrangement. I didn't want to push him but from the look of it, he appeared excited.
I guess it was safe to give in to this if he was now addressing mama by her first name.
The door bell startled me shortly afterwards as I placed my phone on the bed. Grey looked at me as we listened to the voices that filled the floor below us.
And of course it wasn't hard to miss the familiar voices of Reece, Nana and Mayella. They were silent for a minute before Reece drawled out.
"Come down man, is this really the time to be sleeping?" I held back a giggle when Grey scowled and I took his hand to lead us to where the rest were.
From the stairs, Nana shushed Reece by whacking the back of his head and pulling him to sit. Mayella was calmly watching them in a smile.
"Hello everyone," I made our presence known, Grey choosing to clear his throat instead. Nana quickly stood to greet us.
"Elle, Grey, how are you? Is there any issue?" She cupped my face before pulling me in a tight embrace and patting my back affectionately.
"We're good Nana," she smiled with more ease after my assurance, her warm hands wrapping over mine.
"Grey's not being hard on you, is he?" I shook my head and noticed Grey pretend to pout as he gave Nana a see? look.
She moved to embrace him, her head only reaching to his stomach. Despite her small side, she scolded him over a few things making him go silent.
"Don't you get tired babysitting?" Reece greeted me next in a joking manner and I peeked over my shoulder to check if Grey was listening.
"That's not good Reecie, Masha is not a baby." Mayella argued next as I hugged her. She didn't seem to care that her brother looked offended by her betrayal.
Reece again mumbled, he's nowadays acting like one but this time Grey heard him. I could tell from their greeting as they clasped hands on each other's shoulders.
We weren't even settled before the doorbell rang again and I opted to check who was there with Mayella who was still on my side.
"Surprise?" Dalton smiled brightly as soon as the door opened, his grin widening when he noticed Mayella was with me.
"Lora, Dalton, come in." I let them in, Mayella wanting to get off my hip so that she'd join her companion and I let her.
The two walked hand in hand to where the rest were seated as I talked to Lora. I had missed work for almost a month now but she assured me to take my time in helping Grey.
"Is this your friend Dalton who you keep telling me about?" We walked in to Nana smiling at both kids as they told her about what classes they were in.
"Yes, he is my best friend." Mayella tugged his arm forward, her joy making me smile at how cute those two were.
Lora then greeted Reece and wished Grey a quick recovery before she came to Nana. The two had seen each other a bit at the hospital.
"Nana, this is Dalton's mother, Lora." I introduced her before turning to Lora, "This is Grey's grandma."
They exchanged a brief handshake then slowly began to talk about their origins and some of their hobbies.
Reece moved to the kitchen to prepare some tea for them while Grey, Dalton, Mayella and I went to the backyard.
The two children were excited to play after not seeing each other outside of school for the past month.
They chased each other round the house so we chose to sit at a place where we could still be able to watch over them.
We sat in silence just watching the two play, their laughter filling the entire compound. Grey stared at the space in front us, his thoughts seeming to be far away.
"What are you thinking of?" I nudged his side twice before he switched out from his trance. He looked at Dal and Maya one last time before smiling at me.
"Something I would want to have one day," he stroked my arm, looking ahead and before I could probe further, he said it was a secret for now.
We watched Reece join them in their little game and I almost when he tripped on the slippery grass due to the morning due.
The three played for quite sometime before they followed Reece in the house to get a bottle of water.
"I feel so lucky to have this many people concerned about me," Grey shifted beside me, his eyes staring at one spot on the ground.
"They are all your friends and family of course they care about you," I slowly tilted his jaw so that he'd look at me, "and I love you Grey."
"I'm here for you, we are here for you." He hugged me into his chest, his head resting on the crook of my neck as he nuzzled his nose.
"You brought this all to me," he leaned back to look at my face then softly pecked my lips. "I love you Ginelle, you're my baby."
I smiled into his chest at his confession before I heard opening and closing of doors then the movement of feet.
"Elle, I have a surprise for you!" Dalton ran towards us with his mother's phone and squeezed himself between Grey and I.
"Really? Can you show me?" I stroked his hair out of his face, his bright blue eyes shining up at me. He turned towards Grey for him to guess what it was he wanted to show us.
Grey too shook his head and then gave me a small smile when Dalton began to scroll down the phone.
"Look," he tugged my arm, pointing at the screen with his other hand. "I already know how to skate, this is me."
I lowered my head to get a clearer look of the video. There were children skating down the rink as their parents watched over them.
I smiled after spotting Dalton and Jace, his best friend, near the front. I lifted my hand to stroke his cheek, Grey mirroring my actions.
"That's awesome!" We said the words at the same time and locked eyes for a few seconds, making Dalton laugh as we both held his cheeks.
"You are copying each other," Dalton looked between us as he continued to laugh and I looked at Grey while shrugging.
"No, we're not." Dalton shook his head then turned to Grey and frowned after looking at him for a while.
"You're starting to sound like Elle," I looked at Grey over Dal's shoulders as he looked down to listen to what the boy had to say.
"Do you know why?" He asked again and Grey shook his head wanting to hear more though I kept thinking of one thing.
What secret was it he kept from me?
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Secrets, secrets, secrets! Try not to overthink like our girl here. An easy guess of what this is about?
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