Seventy-Eight

Liam

We left New York the day after the day we found the book and we arrived in Port Douglas less than a day after, we lodged in a hotel and it didn't take long after we made a few calls to find Tracy and Laura.

"Did you find them?" Isabella asked when she joined us for dinner.

"Yeah, they are just an hour's drive from here," Ethan said and she grinned.

I'm so happy I can't wait to see them," she said and I agreed silently.

"We can't go to them yet," I said and they both looked at me.

"And why is that?" Ethan asked and I sighed.

"I need to figure out what to tell Laura, how to apologize to her, I can't see her without figuring those things out,"

"Tell us, how long would it take to figure these things out it?" Ethan asked and I thought about it but I couldn't figure out how many days it would take.

"I don't know maybe a day, maybe two, maybe a week, maybe two," I said and they groaned.

"Hey you guys are still in contact with them, you both communicated with them today, I'm the one suffering the most here," I said and Isabella shrugged while Ethan put on a straight face.

We had dinner and went to our different rooms after chatting for a while, I lay on the bed trying to sleep but I couldn't, it had been like that since Laura left I found it difficult to sleep without having her in my arms.

I knew I wasn't going to sleep anytime soon so I went to my suitcase and I pulled out Laura's safety handbook, I laid back on the bed and I looked at the pink book over and over again.

I realized that apart from Blake's club the book made me and Laura come together, if Laura had not been telling me safety tips that were in the book, I would have left the room and nothing would have happened.

"I guess I should thank you and whoever gave you to her," I said to the pink book like it could hear me.

I opened the safety handbook and I read through, I read the safety tips first, then I started reading things Laura wrote.

Everything in there gave me more insight into Laura, I realized I didn't just marry a beautiful woman, I married a resourceful woman, a caring woman, a woman with a lot of amazing ideas, and a woman that would be a great mother.

"Indeed one-in-a-million," I said and I suddenly got an idea, it felt a little cringe to me but I was willing to do anything for Laura.

I made calls and did research till I felt tired and sleepy, I told Ethan and Isabella about my plan the next morning during breakfast and they were in support of it, in fact, they were excited about it,

"I didn't realize you have a romantic bone in you till today," Ethan said smirking.

"Romantic gestures, only a few people can resist that," Isabella said with a dreamlike look on her face.

"So when do you plan to start?" Ethan asked and I smiled.

"I've started already, there is going to be a bake sale today and Laura entered the competition with Tracy,"

"Bake sale? Competition?" Isabella asked looking confused.

"It's some kind of sale and competition," I explained and she nodded.

"What do your romantic gestures have to do with the bake sale?" Ethan asked playing with the glass of water before him.

"Nothing much, I'm having the first gift delivered to her during the bake sale,"

"What is the first gift?

"A thousand red roses," I said and Isabella squealed in delight.

"My goodness that is so romantic, I'm proud of you bro," Isabella said and I made a disgusted face.

"Ew!"

"Forget it, I'm not proud of you, I take it back," Isabella said and I laughed.

The rest of the day passed slowly with me anticipating feedback from those I told to deliver the roses, at some point I wanted to call them for an update but Ethan and Isabella made me wait.

They eventually gave me feedback while we were eating dinner, it was nothing much but it put a big smile on my face.

"I don't think he's fine," I heard Isabella say and I moved my phone lower so I could see her.

"I don't think so too," Ethan said and I frowned.

"I can hear you guys," I told them but they ignored me.

"What was he looking at?" Isabella asked not taking her eyes off me.

"I don't know, maybe we should ask him," Ethan replied and she nodded.

"What were you looking at that made you smile like that? Your cheek must be hurting," Ethan said and I tried to frown but I couldn't because I was still smiling.

"They sent me feedback," I said putting my phone on the table

"Oh!" They exclaimed like that explained everything.

"What was her reaction?"

"She was surprised, I can't wait to send her the rest of the gifts I'm preparing," I said picking up my phone to read the feedback again.

For five consecutive days after that day, I sent gifts to Laura and I got feedback that made me feel very happy about everything.

I sent chocolate a day after I sent her roses then I sent a compilation of love poems on the third day, I sent her a big teddy bear on the fourth day, I bought her varieties of fruit and on the fifth day, I sent her a gold chain.

"Looking at the way you are smiling, I'm guessing they sent you feedback," Isabella said sipping her orange juice.

"Yeah and..."

"And you're going to read it at least 10 more times before you are satisfied," Ethan said cutting me short.

"Actually, it is at least 15 more times, not like you don't read Tracy's messages over and over again," I said and he shrugged.

"Don't you think we should go and see them now?" Isabella asked and I put my phone down.

"I don't know,"

"You are stalling Liam and I feel like you're doing it on purpose," she said and I groaned.

"I'm scared," I said closing my eyes.

"I'm scared she won't want me anymore, I'm scared," I confessed and I opened my eyes to see them looking at me with pity in their eyes.

"Don't pity me, I think I deserve this," I said and Isabella held my hand.

"Don't worry, we are here for you," she said and I nodded.

"She's right, we are here for you l, I can't tell you to stop being scared but I can assure you that we are here for you," Ethan added and I nodded.

"Thanks, I really appreciate you guys, I guess I'll be taking the next gift to her myself," I said still feeling scared but determined.