Priceless Gift

3 years ago

Juanita

@BlurredLines

Clara clutched at the empty purse in her hand, and tried not to curse at her father in law for stealing her hidden emergency fund for her daughter's birthday.

She thought, she had been careful hiding it away in her daughter, Ella's worn out doll but now the doll was ripped apart, and the cash was gone. With it any hope she held to make Ella's birthday special.

Her 5 year old never asked Clara anything but wishing to make her daughter happy, she had promised her a new dress. Also because her baby was growing up so fast that Mira wanted to give her everything.

As she starred at the empty room filled with chaos, further evidence of her father in law's search, she felt dismayed that her poor daughter is going to yet again be disappointed in her mother.

As if sensing her turmoil, her feet led her to the small back garden in their house filled with flowers. It was her mother in law's favorite place while she was alive, and after her death two years ago, the only place Clara could find comfort from everything.

Clara was five years old when her parents died in a plane crash. She was shipped off to live with her distant aunt, who had been distant often and cruel sometimes. The only reason Clara was taken under her care was, so she can have a fair share of her parents life insurance to raise her.

Clara was not wealthy but comfortably well off thanks to her parents that she never had known poverty. When she was 23, she got married to Matthew, and they lived a very comfortable life until he died two years later, leaving her grieving yet another person she loved.  The only reason she survived through the grief was Ella, her daughter. Who never got a chance to meet her father.  As Clara had been Pregnant with their daughter, when a drunk driver costly mistake killed him.

And Sylvia, her mother in law insisted Clara moved in with them, so she can help Clara and Ella. It was during those years Clara, learned to grow attached to her mother in law and found herself relying on her so much so that when she got sick, it left her at wits end.

Her parents and Matthew death were an accident and she was adamant that she won't let another person leave her in death, which was why she tried all the treatments that money could buy and yet Sylvia passed away two years ago leaving Clara alone once again .

Clara will never regret the loss of wealth as it gained Ella, few more years with her grandmother but the death of his son and wife, turned her ever pleasant father in law towards alcoholism. And now a thief.

Clara knew she had to pick her daughter from Tristan's house, but she wasn't ready to face both of them yet. Tell her daughter there was no birthday dress or see Tristan who can sense that she had been upset.

She met Tristan because he was Matthew's friend and became her friend after Matthew's death and he was an amazing baby sitter for Ella when Clara have to go to work. Tristan is an author by profession that she relied on him, so much after Sylvia's death.

But taking monetary help from him is where she draws the line, even for Ella's special day. The cute Cinderella dress she already viewed at the small boutique in town must go to some other daughter whose mother can afford it.

With a resigned sigh. She got up from the small flower garden and made her choice of flowers for Tristan. He adored flowers, and for someone who never leaves the house often, the flowers are sort of a gift from nature to brighten up his house and his day.

As she knocked at Tristan's door, her daughter opened with a smile and took the flowers from her hand and rushed to replace them in the vase. Ella had inherited her love for gardening and flowers from her grandmother. 

"Thank You "Tristan baritone voice filled her with happiness. He always appreciated her gestures.

" Papa", the one word from her daughter's lips froze Clara as she turned a questioning glance towards Tristan who looked surprised as her but yet there was also more than a hint of happiness in his face which he couldn't hide from her.

"Ella" Clara called out to her daughter using her motherly voice that always made her daughter tell everything.

" Tristan uncle said that I can have anything; I want for my birthday. I want a Papa. He can be my Papa can't he mommy?" Ella childish voice broke her heart, Clara knew Tristan spoils her daughter with love, but she never knew just how much it was returned until now .

"We can talk about it later Princess, now go and get your bag, we are leaving. " Clara spoke up and from the hint of tears in her daughter eyes she already knew the answer.

Here Clara was thinking her daughter birthday will be ruined by a dress not realizing she just broke her heart.

"Clara" the one word from him made her want to lean on him, and cry her heart out. But that would be making him uncomfortable with her. So she settled for telling him about her day including Matthew's father stealing from her.

Because tomorrow was Ella's birthday and she desperately wanted to make it special for her daughter, she can't get her a new dress and she can never bring back her father either.

"Is the dress what Ella wants or what you think she wants " Tristan statement made her glare at him, because he was trying to downplay her daughter birthday.

"What do you thinks she wants for her birthday, don't tell me it is her father because I can't give her that, I am not ready yet " Clara spoke up, she didn't mean to bring up the awkward memory up when Tristan had asked her out on a date few years ago and she shot him down with anger and maybe guilt. Because she did want to say yes and she studiously avoided him for few months after that, until Sylvia got sick and Tristan had been there for her every step of the way.

" I am in Love with you Clara, and that is not a secret and you know that too. But If you think for a single moment that I will use Ella's love for me to change your mind about us , then it is like you never really know me at all. You may be taken back by her calling me Papa. I know you may even think it is wrong and that I will always be just her uncle. But I always think of her as my daughter in my heart and I think Matthew would forgive me for that because he would know how much I love Ella and you as well " Tristan spoke up and Clara felt guilty for making him think she was upset with Ella calling him Papa.

"Sorry Tristan, I didn't mean it that way. I am just frustrated that I can't make Ella's birthday special . After My parent's death and I moved to my aunt's house. Every Birthday, I would wait for her to wish me or give me a gift but she never really remembered my birthday. And I feel like I am failing Ella by being unable to make the day Special" Clara spoke up, hoping she hadn't destroyed her friendship with him over this misunderstanding.

" I know you won't take any help from me, or you won't even allow me to intervene with Matthew's father drinking habit, he needs help Clara and you can't keep letting everything slide because he is grieving. And those are topics for another time, for now I know just what to get for Ella, that won't cost you anything but it will surely make her happy " Tristan spoke up as if the previous arguments didn't even happen, it was one more reason she relied on him so much because he was always there for her even when she was being her rude self.

"What do you have in Mind?" Clara asked him, but he only smiled mischievously and asked her to trust him. As Clara walked back home with Ella, she kept wondering what could possible be Tristan's plan but he never got to share more than that as her daughter choose that moment to intervene, Clara heart constricted to see the tears in her daughter's face and wished she was brave enough to trust Tristan with her heart for both of their sake but that was a battle for another day.

Two hours later, the knock on her door made her open to see Tristan with a handful of bags and she wondered if he misheard him when he said that it won't cost her anything.

"What is all this stuff?" Clara asked him, but secretly thrilled with his excitement as well.

"Ella, Birthday gift. You know Ella loves flowers, and she used to spend most of her days playing in your garden with Matthew's mother. And some time back Ella, told me that she and her grandmother had a list of flowers to plant the next year. Before it could happen Sylvia got sick and Ella didn't want to ask you because she felt you are already overworked. So here I am, offering my gardening skills and time, So we can clean up and start Ella's very own garden." Tristan spoke up clearly thrilled by the idea and in truth Clara admitted that it was a great plan.

Her daughter would be thrilled with a new garden, and Clara will manage her time enough to spend an hour or so with her daughter in the garden. Because nothing is more important than making her daughter happy. The next morning, Clara felt bad that Matthew missed seeing out Ella's joy at the sight of her garden. Clara had led Ella to her garden which was just a small space of land separated from their original garden and shown her the seeds that they planted last night, So Ella can have her own garden and her daughter was so thrilled that she hadn't stopped smiling even when her grandfather walked inside their home drunk and grumpy. 

And when she dropped Ella at Tristan's house before heading back to work later that day, her daughter was happy to share her excitement with Tristan by telling him all about her garden. Which made Clara realize that Tristan does seem to listen to her daughter more and even go the extra mile to make her happy. It was no wonder Ella's thought of him as her father.

"What brought this sad look, Ella seems very happy with your Birthday gift " Tristan voice yet again broke her out of her thoughts as she looked back at his worried face, he was concerned about her.

" She was indeed very happy, which is the reason I can't even be mad that you said it won't cost me anything. The flowers seeds and everything didn't come out of thin air, but I will accept them for Ella " Clara answered back with a smile .

"Did you ask me to pay for all the flowers. I have been receiving everyday.? " Tristan asked her and she shook her head in answer, she brought flowers to him every day because he liked them, and in a way she wanted to make him happy.

"Some gestures are just an act of love Clara. You shouldn't always see it in monetary terms. And do you know what Ella had already promised me the first flowers from her garden, it looks like you won't be the only one who gets to give me flowers and that itself is worth a thousand times more than what I have spend last night " Tristan answered back as he gazed adoringly at her daughter, who was busy eating her breakfast.

While Clara always tried to make her eat at the house, but she only eats handful of spoons because Tristan is an amazing cook and he always feed her after she drops Ella in their house.

"And some day, I hope I will get a chance to give the flowers to the woman I love as well. This is me, just letting you know that my heart still waits for you. But it will keep waiting Clara until you are ready " Tristan spoke up again making her smile at his words. 

"My favorite flower is White Rose, just letting you know and Tristan, I think I am ready to receive flowers from you too. Because as you said some gestures are worth more than everything and I think I would really like that " Clara spoke up those words and saw the happiness reflected in his face.

"What changed your mind?" Tristan asked as amidst the happiness, he was also concerned her decision was rushed and impulsive. 

" Today, When Ella told me just the same that she will give the first flower from her garden to you. Her exact words were that, Now I can give Uncle Tristan Flowers too, because it makes him happy. And it was when I realized, it makes me happy too. And that hiding away in fear of the uncertain future , I don't want to lose the chance to be happy with you. " Clara answered him back which made him smile at her in return.

"And White Rose it is for our first official date, when are you free next " Tristan asked her and Clara smile fell because she may have her weekends off but leaving Ella alone with her grandfather wasn't an option.

"Also Ella had told me, she wanted to try Pizza from the newly opened shop near the supermarket, when we went to shop few days ago. Maybe the three of us should try that place " Tristan spoke up again surprising her.

"You want to Ella to be with us on our first date?" Clara asked him surprised by his plans.

"While Ella may have been delighted to call me papa, I am aware that the new change will take time for her to accept and the best way to do so is to include her in our little getaways as much as possible, I am not saying all our dates will be with the three of us. My sister lives just 30 minutes away and Ella gets along well with my nephew that she could baby sit for us. Though she may expect us to return the favor for her date night with her husband but we can plan it all out together." Tristan spoke up in a rush, as if fearing that Clara may back out any moment.

But Clara was only overwhelmed by his love and care for both of them that he was already thinking about their future and prioritizing Ella feelings first more than anything. And she knew in that moment, her future was with him as well .

P.S: " The end, Let me know your thoughts and feedbacks "