(Photo credit here)
"It's too cold," she says. "I can't bear the thought of those sheets on my skin."
"Or these hands," he says.
"Or those hands."
"A simple kiss, then?"
"Your kisses are never that simple."
He sniffs. "Somebody's awfully full of herself, wearing seven layers of clothes, a bunchy robe and some indeterminate number of socks."
"I thought all that just made me more mysterious."
He thinks for a moment. "Depends. Is that an invitation?"
"No."
"Ah. Then no, not mysterious. Just bunchy."
"Come on. Let's lie down, side by side in the dark, with our warm, lovely layers on. We can wait for the new year just like this, before going to bed like proper middle-aged people."
He turns off the bed stand light. Her breath catches. Glow-in-the-dark stars appear on their bedroom ceiling, coursing with a gentle light.
"When did you—?" she asks, turning on her side to face him.
"Today."
"Right before lunch?"
"Just after."
"Huh. Well. I like this quite a bit."
"I thought you might."
"I like it so well I may have to kiss you."
"And what if I don't want your kiss? What if I just want to lie here, wait for the old year to die, and then go to sleep like the boring middle-aged person I am?"
"Oh, don't worry. You don't."
"I don't?"
"No. In fact, this was your plan all along."
"In fact," he says, turning to face her. "It was."
She leans in to kiss him. He is warm and lovely and deeply good. She wriggles the toes inside her two pairs of socks and slings a leg across his.
"You make me happy," she says into his ear, before catching his mouth with her own.
A star drops from the ceiling and lands atop her cheek. She brushes it away—hopes for more.
----
This is the first piece of flash fiction I've written in quite awhile, and continues my "New" series, begun back in 2008.
Happy New Year to all of you. Let's all endeavor to stay warm, and open.
9 comments:
I LOVED this dialogue piece Sarah--though I am only a 3 (at most) layer person myself I found 7 layers to be somewhat accurate for them that still feel the cold in a bitter way. He gave her the stars and she gave him her love. Yep in middle age I could still do that.
Have a wonder filled year ahead dear one.
I like this a lot. A really lovely exchange.
Mark, you say the nicest things, so I'm tossing some stars your way, too. But you have to share them with your wife.
Thank you, old friend.
Charles, thank you! It felt good to try something light and romantic again.
You know I'm late.
I opened up the blog, hoping you have written a "New" this year too.
To be entirely honest, I was hoping a little, that you haven't and that I'll push you to do one. But this is better.
A lot of "new" has happened over the last couple of years, I needed something Old. Something familiar. Something warm and cozy, like the layers of sheet and woollen socks on a cold winter's night. I needed this.
Thank you.
Your dialogues always make me feel this feel, I can't quite express in words. Like I should feel guilty to witness something so personal, so bare naked, so pure - that I'm not worthy of it. But I can't stop. And I don't want you to stop writing like this.
Happy new year, friend!
I had stopped writing like this. I didn't think it was possible anymore, to be honest. But I'm glad something sparked that brought it all home to me.
And I'm glad you're here to read it and say those lovely things to me. The blogging circle grows smaller and smaller, but the fire burns all the same.
Happy new year, friend of friends.
I love it, especially the last line.
Thanks so much, Paul!
I love your words, with their little snatch of intrigue
Hope this year is good for you.
Anna :o]
Hi Anna, thanks for the kind words. I hope the year is good to you, too. :)
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