Chapter 15: 15. WRH IV: ...for the rest of my life.
"Careful!!" Maxwell's heart lept into his mouth at the sight of Miriam falling. It was a good thing he had closed in on her already and caught her right before she landed butt first on the cold, hard floor.
Miriam gave a low shrill when she slipped. She shut her eyes tight and braced herself for the impact of the cold floor, but that never happend. She felt she had been caught by someone, probably her mother, because she thought she had imagined Maxwell's voice in her mind. She didn't know he was there for real.
Miriam slowly opened her eyes, fluttering her lashes slowly.
"Are you..okay? Are you hurt anywhere?" Came Maxwell's voice full of concern. Though she didn't fall, he thought maybe she felt dizzy and that had caused the fall. Or the slip may have affected her ankle or something.
Miriam's eyes snapped open instantly upon realization. She was in Maxwell's arms! She quickly straightened up to get out of his embrace, but she jolted back and staggered because of the impact of her force. Maxwell was fast to catch her again, now almost certain that she was not okay.
"Hey, are you okay?" Maxwell asked again, holding her gently but steadily around her shoulder, so worried that he started looking around for someone to call for help.
"I...I'm fine. I just...I just slipped. It's nothing serious." Miriam stammered, slightly panting for air to compensate the wild beating of her small heart, and carefully pulled herself from his grip.
He looked stronger than his age, Miriam thought. His hold on her was firm and steady, like he had been exercising or something.
And he smelled... God!... He smelled damn good... something minty...musky...woody...masculine... she couldn't really fathom what it was exactly, but her senses quickly picked up his scent and locked it somewhere she could hardly forget.
And he was all dressed up in a crisp white round-necked shirt on a checkered blue and white shorts with indoor slippers, with his jet black hair combed back neatly, making him look all dapper and so handsome, just like the last time she saw him. A perfect definition of a gentleman he was. How can a boy his age carry himself so well, like he's 20? Wasn't he turning 10 today?? For Pete's sake! She screamed inwardly!!
"Are you really okay? I can call the family doc.."
"No, no, no." Miriam was quick to reply as she snapped out of her thoughts. "I'm really fine. I just slipped." She blurted out quickly. "Happy birthday!" She quickly added with a bright smile, straightening her dress and adjusting her hair net.
"Oh... thank you." Maxwell replied with a smile, his hands now tacked into his pocket, looking at her intently. "You look pretty in your cute apron and hair net." He added with a tint of laughter.
He was quite fascinated by the fact that she knew her way around the kitchen. At her age. And looking at her white dress and white apron, and white net... actually, he had a thing for the colour white. And that alone made him like her more.
Miriam blushed and bent down her head. Was this boy teasing her right now? Or was it a compliment? Nonetheless, she still said a small "thank you" in a shy tone and returned the compliment. "You also look really, really handsome."
Maxwell chuckled a little.
"You are sure you're not exaggerating?"
"No!" Miriam said almost immediately. "You really look good. I'm not exaggerating." She really wanted to add that he smelled good, but she held back, not wanting to embarrass herself.
"Well, I guess I should say thank you, then."
"You're welcome."
There was some few seconds of awkward silence before Miriam spoke.
"I'll be helping mum in here, with the cupcakes and some chocolate chips cookies. Hoping you will enjoy them."
"That sounds swell. I'll be around to help in case you need something. I can't wait to see you at work." Maxwell said with a smile, and Miriam could only blush more. He would be here watching her all along? Oh boy! How would she be able to concentrate?
"Do you have any special kind of pastries or desserts you are craving for today?" Miriam eagerly inquired. "I can make them with the help of mom. I'll just tell her and she'll give me the ingredients and help me make them for you. It's your birthday after all. You need some special treats." She completed with a broad smile.
"Oh...um..." He scratched his head in thoughts. The truth was, he had never been asked this before. His parents gave the orders and the cook prepared what she was told to. And he didn't really have cravings. He wasn't really picky with his food and so he had not taken any special liking for some kinds of pastries. He wasn't really a fan of pastries, as a matter of fact. So he didn't know what to say right now.
After a long while, when it looked like he wasn't sure of what to say, Miriam asked.
"You don't have anything in mind?"
"Mmm...not really. I'll just have anything you make. I don't have a favourite, actually, and I'm not picky so it's fine. Whatever you'll make will be just fine, I'm sure." Maxwell said with an assuring look.
"Oh... okay." Miriam said, and suddenly an idea popped up in her mind like a light bulb. She turned to him sharply with bright eyes.
"Okay, how about I make different kinds of pastries to choose from?" She pressed, and without waiting for a reply, she continued, "Since you don't have any favourite yet, I'll make different varieties so you would now know which one is your favourite?"
"Is that really fine? That sounds like one hell of a tedious work to do. You don't worry, just..."
"No, no, its fine. Really. At least, let me do that for you. As my birthday gif...Oh, yeah.." Miriam seemed to have remembered something. "I almost forgot...I have something for you." She said as she scrammed through the front pocket of her little apron and fetched the key holder she had made for him and said,
"This... I made this... for you," she stammered. "It's a key holder. That's the only thing I could..."
"Wow, you made this? Yourself?" Maxwell cut her short, admiring the gift in amazement.
"Yes, my grandma taught me."
"This is really beautiful." Maxwell beamed as he shifted his gaze between Miriam and the beautiful small white teddy with a golden smile and eyes.
Maxwell was really glad to have recieved his first birthday gift from someone he was beginning to adore. In fact, he had been looking forward to seeing Miriam even more than the birthday itself.
Maxwell really didn't expect her to bring him anything, so she had no idea that her gift had warmed his heart and that he was really happy with what she might now be thinking of as something small.
"I...hope you like it?" Miriam managed to ask after a long while when it looked like he wasn't going to say anything and just stared at the key holder, fiddling with it.
"This is amazing! This is my very first gift for the day. And I love it so much. Thank you." The fact that the toy was in his favourite colour made him love it more. In fact, he loved everything white.
"Pew!" Miriam sighed in relief and touched her chest. "I'm glad you like it. I thought you wouldn't."
"Really?? Why did you think so?" Maxwell asked with a small frown. This girl really had weird thoughts about rich people.
"Is it not too... small?" She asked with her eyes squinted and fixed on him, waiting for a reply. Maxwell held his gaze on her face for some few seconds before averting it, a quiet sigh leaving his lips as he slightly shook his head and smiled.
His guess was right after all. He had a feeling Miriam was going to say it was either too small or it wasn't all that beautiful.
"You paintakenly did this. It would be very cruel of me to say I don't like it." Maxwell carefully chose his words as he fixed his grey eyes on her hazel ones.
"And to be very honest with you..." he continued after a short pause, and Miriam held her breath in anticipation of what he was going to say next. "...I am not a fan of toys." He paused again, gauging her every reaction.
Maxwell saw her stiffen a little at what he had said, and he tried hard to control the smile that threatened to break on his lips, and continued, shifting his gaze to the small toy in his hand.
"But this... this right here, I promise you, I'm going to keep for the rest of my life, Miriam."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Juujuu_Sky
Juujuu_Sky Creation is hard, cheer me up! VOTE for me!
Like it ? Add to library!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone