The Last Time

[Georgia]

Story Title: The Last Time

Type of story: one shot

Main Characters: Aden and Belle of course

BTTB rating: T

Genre: romance

Does story include spoilers: Yes, the Belle one ... i'm pretty sure everyone knows about it now

Any warnings: No

Summary: Belle and Aden take a romantic picnic on Alf's boat.

When you wake up in the morning, how do you know if it’s the last time you’ll be able to roll out of bed and put your feet and the cold floor?

When you kiss your Mum goodbye, how do you know if it’s the last time you’ll ever do that simple, sweet, loving gesture?

When you head off to work, whistling as you walk, how do you know if it’s the last time you’ll make the journey?

When you leave work, whistling again, how do you know if that was the last time you’ll ever go to work?

When you kiss your boyfriend hello, how do you know if that was the last kiss the two of you will ever share?

For Belle Taylor, she was thinking those things more and more often.

When she woke up in the morning, she struggled to get out of bed.

When she kissed Irene goodbye, she struggled to not cry.

When she walked to work, she struggled to stay on her feet.

When she walked home, she struggled to think straight.

When she kissed Aden, she struggled to breathe.

How would she know if it was that last time? How would she be able to make is sweeter, more memorable?

*

When Belle Taylor woke up on that typical Tuesday morning, she wasn’t thinking about her last days. She was thinking about her picnic, the one she had been planning for the last four days. The picnic basket was waiting in the kitchen, with cheese, wine, juice, crackers, dips, sandwiches and biscuits. The rug lay next to the basket, a tartan one, the typical picnic rug. Belle was ready to surprise Aden, with a romantic lunch, on Alf’s boat, which she had borrowed for the day. It was going to be magical, because although Belle wasn’t thinking about death, she knew she wouldn’t have too many more Tuesdays.

*

She met him at the dock, and they walked hand in hand, clutching onto each other in more than a romantic way. Aden was scared to let Belle go, because deep down he was thinking, what if it’s the last time I get to hold her? They depended on each other, in a way hardly anyone else did. Long gone was the independent, fiery young woman, who had a sarcastic tone and a comeback ready. Long gone was the bad boy, who had faced so many issues. Now all they had was each other, and that was what terrified them.

*

The boat was beautiful. Belle had set it up the night before, with flowers and candles, and romantic music playing. The candle light made her face look hauntingly beautiful, and Aden couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. The picnic, simple as it was, still tasted delicious. All their favourite foods were in the basket, as well as Aden’s favourite wine, and Belle’s sparkling apple juice.

*

They had fed each other grapes, and laughed until they cried, before falling into a comfortable silence, the kind that shows true love. The music was the only noise that they could hear, apart from the gentle lapping of waves against the side of the boat. Aden pulled Belle to her feet, and clutched her tight, never wanting to let her go. They swayed gently from side to side, not stepping, just swaying in momentum with the boat. It was one of those perfect moments that you wish could go on forever, but it never does.

*

After the dance had finished, they lay back down on the picnic rug and just talked. Belle learnt more about Aden and Aden learnt more about Belle.

*

Aden had always wanted three children, two girls and a boy. He wanted to die at 110 in his wife’s arms. He wanted to life on the beach. He wanted to be a star rugby player. He wanted to be friends with his Dad again.

*

Belle wanted four children, a girl, a boy and twins. She cried when she heard about dying at 110. She just wanted to life past twenty two, and get married to Aden. She had no dreams, not anymore; she had given up on them when she had received the life altering news. Aden sat there and held her while she cried. He could do nothing more, he had tried everything possible, exhausted all the options. He was prepared for the end now.

*

They sat there for hours, neither of them wanting to move a muscle. Belle knew that all the time she spent with Aden was precious, and couldn’t afford to waste a second. Aden hated Belle for leaving him, but knew that he couldn’t bear to leave her while she was still alive. It was a delicate dance, neither one of them wanted to pull away, but at the same time, they both knew it was about to end, so they clung harder to each other.

*

Eventually, Belle wandered off to the bedroom, tired from all the talking and dancing. It didn’t take much for her to feel tired anymore and she hated it. She called goodnight to Aden, told him she loved him and fell asleep with her clothes still on.

*

Aden wandered around, turning off all the lights before staggering to the bed. He pulled on his pajama bottoms, and sat on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands, quietly sobbing. He couldn’t believe life had come to this. After he had cried all his tears, he kissed Belle lightly on the forehead and pulled her towards him, cherishing the sound of each of her breaths.

*

When Aden woke up on Wednesday morning, he was alone.

*

When Belle had woken up on that Tuesday morning, she hadn’t realised it would be the last time she would roll out of bed and put her feet on the cold floor.

She hadn’t realised when she kissed Irene goodbye, that it would be the last time she would ever do that simple, sweet, loving gesture.

She hadn’t realised that it would be the last time she would head off to work, whistling as she walked.

She hadn’t realised that it was the last time she would ever leave work, still whistling the same annoying song.

She hadn’t realised that it would be the last time she would ever kiss Aden Jeffries hello, the quick, routine peck.

If she had realised it was the last time, she would have put slippers on before stepping onto the carpet.

If she had realised it was the last time, she would have hugged Irene and told her how much she meant.

If she had realised it was the last time, she would have never gone to work, because life is too short.

If she had realised it was the last time, she would never have let Aden Jeffries go.

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