by Rosie Praks
Suddenly, there was a rattling of the door, indicating someone was here inside her shop. She turned her face to look at the person and immediately pasted on her best sales person smile because she was sure this customer would make Clarice really happy.
“Hello. Welcome to Only You. How may I help you today?” She smiled at her special customer and now close friend.
“I want a bouquet of flowers that represents the word eternity.”
Knock! Knock!
Who could it be? Clarice wondered as she put her book down on the coffee table. It was the book she’d been looking forward to reading by her favourite author, Alexia Praks, called Falling for Sakura.
“Just when Sebastian was about to kiss Sakura too,” she muttered to herself, running toward the door.
She wondered who it might be at this hour. It was already past 2:00 p.m., so it couldn’t be the mailman. The mail usually got delivered at around 10:00 a.m. in her area.
Clinton?
But that couldn’t be because he’d taken Conrad with him for their grandpa and grandson play date.
Mum and Dad?
But they just left to go back to Dunedin yesterday.
Whitney and Elise, then?
No. She was due to see them later this afternoon at Whitney’s office, so why would they come now?
Ah-ha! She had it. It must be that rascal cousin of hers, Max. What does he want? He just came over last night. He must have forgotten something perhaps.
So Clarice opened the door, expecting to see Max standing there, when instead she saw a bear. Well, not a real bear. It was person who was dressed up in a bear costume to be precise. It was one of those bears that people usually hired for their kids’ birthday parties.
The bear was holding on to a bouquet of orange blossoms in one hand and in the other was a red heart-shaped balloon that had the words “I love you for all eternity” written on it. Other than that, the bear just stood there staring at her, its head cocked to the side. She in turn also just stood there staring.
It looked adorably cute. But dear heavens, that bear was huge as it towered over her. Suddenly, she realized they were both just standing there staring at each other. Perhaps it was just admiring her look today, since she was dressed in a white summer dress that covered all the way down to her feet, and with her long black hair braided down to her waist, she looked just like a goddess.
That was her intention from the very beginning. She was hoping to surprise Hunter by dressing all in white today. He did say she was his goddess, so she wanted to see his expression when she saw him tonight. But that bear’s intense stare was starting to unnerve her, causing her to feel a bit embarrassed. Only when she cleared her throat did he snap out of his stupor and said, “Hi.”
“Hi.” She smiled.
“Are you Miss Mason?” the bear asked.
“Yes, I am, but I don’t remember holding a children’s party here. Maybe you’ve got the wrong Miss Mason or the wrong address. There are a lot of Miss Masons in this area.”
“No, I’m not mistaken,” the bear said. “If you are Miss Mason and you live at 88 Wellington Street, then you’re the one I’m looking for.”
“Oh.” Clarice was surprised. What could a bear holding a heart-shaped balloon and a bouquet of orange blossoms want with her?
“I’ve been asked to deliver these to you.” the bear said, thrusting those two items into her hands and standing back.
“Oh. Thank you,” she said.
“It’s my pleasure,” the bear replied.
Clarice looked at the orange blossoms in her hands. They smelled so sweet, a bit like the perfume she liked to wear. Then she saw the little handwritten note tucked between the blooms.
To my beautiful Clarice,
You started off as an avocado in my life, then transformed into a beautiful goddess and now my soul mate. Thank you for coming into my life. Thank you for being my goddess and for giving me your love. No matter what you are in my life, whether it be an avocado, an old lady who’s infected with a virus, my mysterious goddess, or Clarice the periodontist, I will always cherish you for the rest of my life. I want to live with you, to continue to share those sad moments and those happy moments together. I want to wake up as an old man, to see you in bed next to me, to hear you say you love me too. I give you the bouquet of orange blossoms and the heart balloon because, my love, you are my eternity. So please, could you make this man the happiest one alive by being Mrs. Hunter Silverton?
I love you.
Please marry me.
Hunter Silverton
PS: Please answer yes. I will see you tonight.
Hunter proposed to her. Hunter really proposed to her. He wanted her to become Mrs. Silverton. She didn’t know what to say or what to do. Here he had just written a note with a bouquet of orange blossoms and a heart-shaped balloon so he could propose to her.
She was so shocked after reading that letter that she didn’t realize tears of happiness were dripping from her eyes until someone gently wiped those tears away for her. She glanced up and saw the face of the bear.
Clarice was taken aback by the bear’s gesture. “Ah, thank you for that, but I’m fine now,” she said, brushing aside the strange bear’s kind gesture and focusing her attention on that note at hand again.
She just couldn’t believe it. Her Hunter had actually proposed to her. She was so happy. She felt like singing and dancing. Yes, tonight she would go to him. Yes, tonight Conrad would stay with Clinton while she went on her date with Hunter. She would put on those silver earrings Hunter got for her on the night of their anniversary so it would go with her current white dress. Now Hunter would be so shocked to see his beautiful goddess come to life. Then she would tell him yes, she would marry him. Oh, she couldn’t wait. She must call him at work now. So with that thought in mind, she was about to close the door when the bear wedged himself in.
“Where are you going?” the bear asked her.
“I’m going to call my partner at work.” She turned back to see the bear was now inside her house.
Oh, the nerve on that bear! He was only a delivery boy. What in heavens was he doing inside her house?
“You don’t have to. You can tell me and I’ll pass on the message for you,” the bear said, coming to stand behind her, his body so close that it caused her breath to shudder.
Oh, dear heaven. Clarice, what is wrong with you? Don’t tell me you’re having reactions to this bear. You’re not having an affair behind Hunter’s back.
“No, bear,” she said firmly. “This is between my partner and me. I want to tell him myself. And please, I think your job is done here. Please leave.”
The bear looked down as if upset with what she said.
“What’s wrong?” Clarice couldn’t help asking.
“I’m not doing my job properly,” the bear said sadly. And then as if he ran out of energy, he literally slumped onto her shoulder and rested his head there. “I have been asked to deliver these flowers and balloon to you. My instructions were to get a reply from you so I can tell him. If I can’t even do this much, then I will be fired. What would become of my eleven brothers and sisters?”
“You have eleven siblings?” she asked, taken aback. She couldn’t believe people these days had so many children. If it were in the olden days, then yes, since they produced babies like bean sprouts back then, but in this century, the maximum per family would be about two or three.
“Yes. And they’re all younger than me too. They are growing teenagers. They would be starving if I don’t have enough money to buy food for them. What would I do? How am I supposed to find money to feed them if I get fired from this job? They will all starve to death.”
Oh, this is very dramatic, Clarice thought. This bear must have suffered quite a lot, just like her before coming to New Zealand, living the life of a refugee in Thailand. But to wedge her against the door in the hallway and on top of that snuggling his big bear head on her shoulder, that was just too much. This
body was only reserved for her soon-to-be husband Hunter.
“Okay, but could you move back a bit. I can’t breathe with you this close.”
“Okay.” The bear lifted his head and moved back a bit, giving her just enough room to breathe, but she still felt like a cheese sandwich plastered between the bear and the wall.
“Please tell him I’ll see him tonight,” she told the bear.
“Is that all?” the bear asked, slight disappointment in his voice.
“Yes. That’s all.”
No way was she telling some stranger in a bear suit her private affairs with her partner, let alone one that acted in such a perverted way. But she had to admit that bear was starting to stir some feelings inside her that only seemed to happen with Hunter.
“Aren’t you going to say yes to him?” the bear asked. “Don’t you even like him a bit?”
“Excuse me. But this is an affair between my partner and me. I don’t think you, bear boy, should interfere.” She jabbed a finger at the bear’s chest. “Now, shoo. Be a good bear and go. Deliver that message to my partner. And here, I’ll give you a tip too.”
“No, Miss Mason. I want that answer now. I’m not going, and I don’t want a tip,” the bear said, then surprised her by lifting her and carrying her to her bedroom.
“Aaaaahhhhh,” she shrieked. “What in heaven are you doing, you bad bear boy?”
Dear heaven, what just happened? Who is this bear? Why is he behaving like a bear on rampage?
The bear didn’t let Clarice go until he was inside her bedroom, the one she shared with Hunter. Then when he got near the bed, he gently laid her on the bed and stood back.
“Now will you tell me, Miss Mason?” the bear said, folding his arms. “Or I will lock this door and…” Then he jumped onto her, pushing her down onto the bed until she was lying flat beneath him. “Seduce you for the answer.”
“What?” she shrieked. “You perverted bear. Get off me.” She fought with her little fists, drumming his soft fur coat.
“No. You must tell me first. Tell me your answer now or I will really seduce you.”
“Are you threatening me?” she shouted. She couldn’t believe it.
“Yes, I am. Tell me now or I’ll really do it.”
“No. This answer is only reserved for him, not you, you bad, perverted bear.”
“Really?” the bear asked her while its paws now gently caressed her cheeks. Then he parted her black hair to reveal the nape of her neck, which was throbbing at a very high rate. “This swanlike neck of yours,” the bear said. “Has your partner kissed it before? Should I give it a try to see who can make you beg for more?”
“What?” Clarice shrieked again. She’d had enough. A minute more and she was sure she would turn into a gooey puddle. No way was she letting some kid in a bear suit seduce her. She only loved Hunter, and she would never allow anyone else to touch her. So with this thought in mind, she summoned all her strength to push the bear away. Then jumping out of bed in fright, she ran to the door.
She was almost there when she felt one of the bear’s arms wrap around her waist, preventing her from escaping, and with the other, he slid the door shut. Now she was trapped.
“Are you going to tell me now?” the bear whispered into her ear seductively.
Her ears perked a bit, as if sensing this bear was someone she knew.
“Say it, Miss Mason. Or I will drag you back to bed and make love to you.”
“Okay,” she shouted. “Fine, I’ll say it. I’ll marry Hunter.”
“Say it in a more meaningful tone.”
“You told me to say it, so I’m saying it now. Why can’t you be satisfied? Your job is done. Now let me go.” She thrashed around within her small prison, but the huge bear just wouldn’t move and give her free rein. So she was still stuck there, her back still pressed tightly against his soft fur chest.
“No,” the bear said near her ear, which sent shivers of need down the length of her body. “Say it properly. Like you mean it.”
“You. Arrggghhhh.” Clarice gritted her teeth at the annoying bad bear boy and her annoying lewd body that was starting to surface. “I love Hunter. I accept his proposal. Happy now?”
“Bingo, Miss Mason.” The bear turned her around to face him. Then he leaned in so close that her nose touched the stuffed nose of the bear. “Such a good answer, Miss Mason. Or shall I say my goddess, my avocado?”
“Hunter?” she asked, blinking. “Is that you inside the bear costume?”
Is he really my Hunter? she asked herself. But he doesn’t sound anything like my Hunter at all.
“It sure took you so long, my goddess, to know it’s your Hunter,” the bear said, standing back from her now.
“Hunter!” she shrieked and jumped into his arms. “Why the hell did you do that to me?”
“I just wanted to test you, that’s all,” Hunter replied, wrapping his hands around her.
“Why?” she asked, stuffing her face into the soft fur of his costume.
“Because I wanted to know your true feelings.”
“Well, now you know,” Clarice said, smiling, looking into the eyes of the bear and hoping Hunter could see her.
“Baby, you’re making me crazy. I want to kiss you right now.”
“Then what’s stopping you?” she asked, smiling cheekily, happy her body was only lewd for Hunter.
“This bloody suit.” Hunter moaned. “It’s damn suffocating in here. Please help me out of it.”
“You idiot.” Clarice laughed while helping Hunter pull off the headpiece. “Who told you to dress in that bear suit?”
“I want to see you when I’m not around. Plus, I wanted to surprise you with the flowers and balloons,” Hunter said, going back into the hallway and grabbing both items in before he came back in.
“Where did you get those flowers?” Clarice asked.
“It was Elise. I went to her flower shop and asked for her recommendation for any flowers that would represent eternity. And she gave me these orange blossoms.”
“Why eternity?” she asked, interested in the word.
“Because you, baby, are my eternity.”
“Hunter.” Clarice was about to say she loved him, but she choked on her words, and tears started streaming down her cheeks instead.
“I’m sorry about my past life, Clarice. Before, I was just a lost soul, but now you’ve saved me. You and Conrad. You found me, and now I’m whole again. So please, I don’t think I can live without you. You are the ying to my yang, the day to my night, because combined, we make twenty-four hours, a full day, a whole. So that’s why you are my eternity,” Hunter explained.
“Hunter, I love you so much.” Clarice couldn’t help sobbing into the bear fur. “I want to live with you for all eternity too. I want to be the ying to your yang, the day to your night.”
“So you’ll definitely marry me, then?”
“Of course,” Clarice mumbled. “Didn’t I answer that question when you wore that bear suit?”
“I just wanted to hear you say it again, with my face looking at you, not the face of that bear.”
Clarice stared at the man she loved, then pushed him backwards until he was seated on the bed. Then she sat on his lap and wound her hands around his neck.
“Oh, Clarice, you’re very bold now. I like it.”
Clarice smiled, then traced her fingers along his jaw. When she reached his left cheek, she kissed him there.
“That’s a kiss for a Casanova,” she whispered into his ear.
Hunter smiled like a goofball.
“This is a kiss for being an excellent father to Conrad.” She kissed him on the right cheek.”
Hunter grinned like a kid.
Then her fingers lingered on his lips. “And this is a kiss for the man I will marry and live with through all of eternity.” And then she pressed her lips gently on his, kissing him softly, drawing her scent into him so he could drown in her love like she was drowning in his. Then she pul
led back and smiled passionately at him.
“Oh God, Clarice.” Hunter held her face between his palms. “I love you so much. This former Casanova is so hopelessly in love with his soon-to-be wife.”
“I love you too, Hunter,” Clarice said. Then somehow, she found herself being dragged onto bed with Hunter on top of her.
“Hunter, what are you doing?” she uttered in surprise, her eyes round as marbles.
Hunter didn’t do anything, just lay above her with one elbow supporting his weight and gazed at her with love in his eyes.
“Why is my wife so beautiful and sexy?” Hunter finally said after a full minute of staring at her.
“Was that why you were staring at me for a minute too long when you were in the bear suit?” Clarice asked shyly.
“Yep,” Hunter said, caressing her cheeks. “And now I’m going to make love to you,” he announced, unlacing her white dress.
“Dear heaven, Hunter. No. It’s midday.” She tried removing his big hands, but Hunter didn’t stop.
“I think it’s about time we have a brother or a sister for our little Conrad, don’t you?”
“No, Hunter, no, no, we are not doing this. Hunter…”
Clarice knew it was futile to stop her fiancé once he had his mind set on something. Even from the time Hunter had announced he would change from his Casanova ways to the perfect partner for their baby, he went through with it until the very end.
Now she knew she was also losing this battle, but somehow she didn’t mind just this once, since she had enjoyed it quite immensely in the past, even if it was bright daylight outside.
Clarice was sitting in Whitney’s office, admiring the view of Auckland’s harbor, her mind still on the event that happened that afternoon.
It was still bright, for heaven sake. How could he reduce her to such a state that she had to beg him to satisfy her? Dear heaven, she was turning into a wanton woman. And it’s all because of her Hunter who used to be the renowned Casanova.