Four Months In
We sat by the pool in the afternoon, something neither of us has done in many years. Families pattered up and down the damp, concrete deck, and children splashed around in the cold water. My lover, worried about sun exposure, spent some time shrouded (psst... sun hat, dude).
But at one point he reached over from his hiding place and grabbed my hand. He squeezed it, then used his pointer finger to trace letters onto the back of my wrist.
I had a sudden flashback to our wedding ceremony, to a detail I had forgotten.
We were holding hands in front of our family and friends, and he began tracing letters into the underside of my palm. A secret message for me in the midst of our public declarations. I tried to ignore him because I wanted to focus on the words Claire had prepared for us. But really, it didn't matter if I followed his finger sequence or not; I knew what he was spelling out, letter by letter, with the flat of his hand signaling a space between words.
...It's what his fingers always scribble on my body...
I
[Space]
L-O-V-E
[Space]
Y-O-U.
On another note...
My family has expanded with marriage. It's one of the sweetest joys of this new life. There are gentle-souled adults, a floppy-haired baby boy, and this most delightful creature--my niece, who literally twinkles with energy and enthusiasm, all day long. We are pretty crazy about each other. You see?
P.S. I really love him, too.
