Page 95 of So Much More
“Oh! Let me get off you, then.”
“I want to argue with you, but I currently feel like a floating torso, so it’s probably for the best if you do.”
She giggles and slides off me. Then she sits cross-legged next to me so she’s facing my side with her knees touching my leg. When she grins at me with a twinkle in her eye, I wonder what she’s about to do. Then she starts karate-chopping my leg with her tiny hands, and I burst into laughter.
“Can you feel it yet?” she asks, hands chopping up and down my thigh.
“It’s starting to tingle.”
While she pounds the life back into my leg, I lift my hand to her head and run my fingers through her hair over and over, reveling in the silky feel of it sliding across my skin.
She closes her eyes. “Mmm, keep doing that.”
“Does it make you tingle?” I tease.
“Maybe.” She opens her eyes back up and smirks. “Is the feeling back in your leg?”
It’s been back for a while, but I say, “Almost.”
She doubles down on the chopping, making me laugh again. “All right, that one’s good,” I state. “On to the other one, Daniel-san.”
“Nope,” she says. “Now I want to see you try to walk with one numb leg, Mr. Miyagi.”
“Why am I Mr. Miyagi? At least I should be the handsome blonde dude.” It’s been a few years since I took my college girlfriend to seeThe Karate Kid,and I can’t remember the guy’s name.
“Johnny? He’s a bully! You’re not a bully.” She pokes my chest. “You’re a wise old man deep down in this heart, just like Mr. Miyagi.”
I capture her hand in mine and bring her finger to my lips for a kiss. “How did I ever find someone like you?”
“You didn’t find me,” she says matter-of-factly and pushes up onto her knees so she can kiss my cheek. “I found you.”
“Ooo, cocky much?” I wrap an arm around her waist so she can’t sit back down.
“Only when I’m with you. Is the feeling back in your other leg?”
“Yes.” I kiss her nose.
“Good. Now you can spoon me. It’s been two and a half weeks since I’ve gotten a good spooning from you, and I’m really feeling the negative effects.”
I chuckle as I maneuver us into position. “And what would those effects be?”
She settles in against me and sighs. “Oh, a little of this and a little of that. You know: gout, indigestion, sciatica, bunions, the usual.”
“I didn’t realize a lack of spooning could trigger such severe side effects.”
She rubs her bare foot along my leg. “Feel those bunions? It’s been a rough eighteen days.”
“Ah, so you’ve been counting the days, then?” I smile into her hair.
“Every single one,” she says softly.
I pull her more closely to me. “I’m sorry it’s my fault it’s been so long. I know you don’t want me to apologize any more, and I promise this will be the last time, but I’m so sorry, Wendy.” I pull her more tightly into me. “So sorry.”
“I know,” she whispers.
Wendy’s breaths soon even out, which fills me with hope for our future. If she can so easily fall asleep in my arms, she’s on her way back to trusting me.
* * *
