Posted by Captain Kelly Bordeaux (Commanding Officer) in Two Weddings and a Honeymoon

Posted by Captain Kelly Bordeaux (Commanding Officer) in Two Weddings and a Honeymoon
SNIP

FLORAL CREATIONS

Chris and Lexi arrived at the flower shop one hour after she had gotten the call. The trip here was not a laughter-filled but everyone was quiet after being at the zoo all day.

Lexi promised they would only be a minute as she left Chris with Ruth and disappeared with a clerk. While Lexi was busy paying and arranging delivery, Chris walked around the store with a sleeping baby on his shoulder. The smell of the shop had a strong scent of dirt and mulch. It felt refreshing as you inhaled it. So much of the city was glass, crystal, metal, and stone. The organic nature of the shop made one feel like they were lost in a jungle or deep in a forest as they meandered among the pots and containers teeming with various shades of green.

The shop looked like any typical flower seller in San Francisco except that this one had an outdoor area where they stored trees, bushes, and outdoor flowers. Bored standing in one spot, Chris and Sleeping Ruth began to roam. It wasn’t long though before he was approached by a woman wearing a graphic apron stating Gardeners Do It All four Seasons. “Let me guess you are with Lexi,” she asked bringing a pot of flowers into Chris’ view. “Tada, ” she said happily. “I went with a rainbow display of the pansies so the Golden Wattle contrasted sharply. I assume you are the one from Australia,” she asked arranging the national flower of Chris’ birth country with her fingertips making micro-adjustments.

“Yes… she picked this out?” Chris said in a soft tone as to not wake Ruth as he couldn’t help but smile at the bouquet.

“It took a bit of work but I got her bouquet to match her dress. Did she show you the bouquet,” the woman let out a laugh. “I am not saying she was a bridezilla but she was very specific with her criteria. She said she wanted the Himilayan poppy because it was the trip that changed her life, the Californian Poppy because California was where her life started, the Golden wattle because it reminded her of the man she loved, and the pansies because one night can change your life forever. Your wife is really into making up her own symbols,” she laughed happily. “I had my doubts about the combination. It took a while to get it all together but when I did, it was probably one of the most beautiful combinations I have ever seen much like this one,” she nodded to the jelly-like baby molded to Chris’ body. Ruth’s mouth hung open and every once in a while he would feel a small gently puff of air escape her lips and warm his neck. Every so often Ruth let out a small honking sound indicating she was dreaming and most likely laughing in the dream.

Lt. Lexi Garfield

Chris felt a stunned silence as he listened, everything she had put together seemed to all be about them. He didn’t understand why she would do this though, she was marrying Toby not him. Why pick stuff that highlighted their lives and not her future husbands. “She… she…” Chris seemed stunned as he stood there, the silence seem to grow as he looked over at Lexi.

“Don’t take it personally,” she waved a hand laughing at him. “You would not be the first groom showing up here the day before the wedding and seeing your flowers for the first time. It happens and yes after seven meetings I can assure you those long afternoons she was nowhere to be found, she was here…in my office picking out the perfect wattle. I have also been known to sneak a few other flowers in you like if you want.” Lowering her voice conspiratorily, she leaned closer to Chris. “It can be our secret.”

“No… no they are perfect. I’m sorry just a really long day. You can put them on my credit…” he said as he took out the chip and handed it to the lady. “She is something though…” he said softly as he kept looking over at Lexi. “Do me a favor though don’t tell her I paid… got have our secrets ya know?”

Christopher Robins

Taking the credit chip she paused for a second looking at the name. Maybe it was a long day for both of them. She swore it was not Garfield and Robbins listed as the wedding event but Garfield and something else. This was not something though you brought up. A simple name mistake on wedding details could create questions that never should have been asked. “Of course,” she said with a smile. Walking back to her office, she would check the details when she got there.

Walking over to Chris, Lexi pulled a lock of hair out of Ruth’s mouth as she spoke. “Thank you for coming today. Helping out with her…and getting baby slobber on your shirt,” she started digging around her purse for a soft baby towel. Gingerly Lexi tried to pick Ruth up off Chris’ shoulder to lay the towel down so his shirt was not messed up. The result was Ruth’s face scrunching up into an angry glare and half-asleep sobs erupting from her eyes along with a pathetic wail. “Hey hey it’s okay just let mommy fix you,” Lexi said in a soothing tone. Ruth was finished for the day and began to cry hysterically burring her face in Chris’ neck. Now his neck and shirt were getting soaked instead of just his shirt. Throwing her head back Ruth’s body followed almost pitching her from Chris’ grasp.

“Hey hey hey… I got this buttercup, don’t worry… she’s fine right here.” Chris said as he softly patted her as he rocked her gently back to sleep.

Ruth settled immediately realizing she was safe and where she wanted to be. Chris’ scent was so strong here just like when her mommy held her like this and she could smell Lexi’s perfume. Everything was new and exciting but also different and kinda scary. People were passing her off all the time the second she fell asleep or leaving her so that when she woke up she did not see the faces she was used to. They used words like ‘grammie Schmidt’ and ‘Auntie Liza’ but Ruth didn’t know them even if they acted like it. Chris wasn’t pushy with her. He let Ruth decide when he could feed her or hold her and this made her feel safe. Safer than she had in a long time. Ruth let out a little contented snore between the few hiccupping sobs that remained. The sound of his voice saying she was fine and the tightening grip around her body soothed her back to sleep instantly.

“Are you sure,” Lexi rubbed Ruth’s back trying to quell the cascade of tears streaming from the half-unconscious little body. “Your arms have to be broken. She can sleep in the stroller I promise,” Lexi let her hand drift from Ruth’s back to Chris’ bicep where she rubbed the muscle gently with her thumb.

“No, I am fine trust me.” Chris insisted as he seemed to hold on a bit tighter. He didn’t want to give this up just yet, just one more minute hour day… it’s all he had left.

“So you both are all set and ready. I will have the flowers delivered the day after tomorrow by 8 am. I sent the invoice to the information on file. Good luck on your future,” she smiled.

Lexi felt a knot starting to form everywhere in her body. Her throat was closing up, her tummy felt like it was ready to vomit and her legs were weak. When Chris had arrived a few days back the future seemed endless. Now it felt like a death sentence. She was going to need to do a lot of thinking later, hard thinking that would change her life irrevocably one way or another. “I think I should get her back to the hotel before she becomes completely miserable and overtired. Thank you,” Lexi said n a tone so soft Chris would have to strain to hear it. “You will never know how much today meant to Ruth…and me.”

Lt. Lexi Garfield

“Anytime hon, lets get her back and you can finish.... finish making the plans for tomorrow.” was all Chris could choke out. He felt such a sickening longing as he held Ruth and spent the day with Lexi. Everything he wanted was right in front of him, yet it wasn’t his to have. She promised it to this Toby guy. All of his desire to be with her seemed to have waited far too long, and now his chance had vanished.

Christopher Robins

Sapphire Room

“Alexandra,” a sharp tone cut through the lobby turning heads the second she and Chris walked through the door.

“Oh crap,” Lexi muttered under her breath. She knew Toby was going to be mad but the reasons why no one ever would imagine. The easy speculation was that his fiancee had just arrived to their hotel with another man. The answer was far more complex. Chris and Toby had met yesterday at the food tasting. It had gone as well as was expected. This could be a very different scenario though.

A tall blonde, man strode towards them covering the space between them in a few steps. “Where were you all day? My mom said she would take,” Toby began hotly ignoring Chris like he wasn’t even in the vicinity.

“Shh she is sleeping,” Lexi spoke in a calm, measured tone.

Oh lord here we go… Chris thought to himself as he looked at the two. Why was all Chris could think of as he stood there. Why him, why only after she got pregnant from god knows who, why not tell Chris any of this. Chris had been feeling a lot of why’s lately and this just was added to the long list of them.

“And,” Toby looked at Lexi like she was crazy. “Maybe if you left her with my mother and spent the day at Golden Gate Park like I suggested this morning she would have gotten a decent rest and not be miserable tomorrow. No one really likes a screaming baby Alexandra.” Toby looked at her like Lexi was not understanding where the problems had risen from. He loved Alex Garfield but some times she just needed to remember what was important.

Her name is Ruth. Her name is Ruth, Lexi said to herself giving a moment to calm down before she replied. “Yes and I told you we had to check up on the flowers, had a dress fitting, needed to meet with the harpist,” Lexi threw out a million things on any wedding list but only one of which she and Chris actually did. This was because it was made up except for the florist. Toby wouldn’t know though. He hadn’t done anything but make sure he had enough spaces for the guests he wanted to show.

“Isn’t that what you have bridesmaids for,” Toby rolled his eyes. “Do you know how stupid I looked,” his tone rose enough again that Ruth began to stir on Chris’ shoulder. “Aubrey has enough opinions for ten people. She will make sure it is exactly like whatever it is you want.”

Chris, Ruth let out a small whimper on Chris’ shoulder before nuzzling her head into the crook of his neck again. Whatever was happening was enough to start to rouse her yet the scents and arms around her made Ruth feel safe enough for now not to open her eyes.

Chris moved to the side as he began to pat Ruth as he tried to console and keep her at ease. She had a long day and she needed every shut eye she could get.

“Toby again please lower your voice,” she said in a hot whisper giving a small head jerk in Ruth and Chri’s direction. Whether Toby didn’t see it or didn’t care, was irrelevant as he continued.

“Everyone else was there. Margo, Priscilla, Andrea, Sabrina,” he rattled off the significant others of his friends. “I had to spend the entire day making excuses for you and then we had to postpone the ride to Catalina until 8 because I had to come to find you. Now go drop her off somewhere so we can spend at least a little bit of time together this week.” Toby took Lexi’s hand in his. His smile was very flirtatious. Anyone not hearing the first part of the conversation would only see a guy that looked like he was crazy about the woman standing before him.

“One second… please.” Chris said as he stepped in between the two, he hadn’t said anything up to this point as he turned his back to Toby looking at Lexi. Giving her a wink he gently took Ruth off his shoulder, her small whimpers he tried to ease as he patted her back as he let her get settled on Lexi as he kissed the top of her head before turning around to face Toby.

“Her name… is Ruth you giant dick weed.” Chris uttered in a low angry growl as he planted his back leg as he hit the second person in under 24 hours as he went right through Toby’s jaw and landed him on the floor. Chris stood for a moment over Chris, his eyes seeming an almost electric blue as he glared at the guy as he walked over him as he looked back at Lexi. “I… well… it’s been fun. Keep her away from him.” he said as he kissed Lexi on the cheek as he walked past her. He was done with this crap fest of a circus. He had enough of whatever charade was going on and he didn’t have the patience for anymore of it.

Christopher Robins