“Noteatin’ it is better than potentiallyputtin’ yourself in the hospital,” she reasoned.
“Speakfor yourself,” I laughed, knowing very well she was right.
AfterI grabbed some grilled chicken, vegetables, and rice, we found a couple of chairs,to sit at a table with Morgan and Benny. Shortly after Molly had proposed andleft her apartment, Benny moved in. I guess Morgan’s days of serial dating wereofficially over, and their matching eyeglasses said so.
“So,ever since you guys tied the knot, we’ve been thinking about the whole elopingthing,” Morgan said, turning to Benny with a grin. “It’s the most romantic wayto honor a relationship, I think. Right, Benny?”
Hisblaming gaze shifted toward mine and I pressed my lips in an apologetic grimace.
“I’mjust waiting for this guy to pop the question, and then, we’re off to Fiji!”Morgan grinned affectionately at her boyfriend before looking back to Molly.“Oh, that reminds me! We need to work overtime on the yoga, girl. I need tosqueeze into my wedding dress.”
Bennycoughed around a bite of a cheeseburger before asking, “Wedding dress?”
***
“Youshouldaseen the look on poor Benny’s face. Like a deer inthe headlights,” I laughed and threw back the covers. “They’re not evenengaged,and she bought afreakin’wedding dress.”
“And?”Molly eyed me with utmost scrutiny and pursed lips. “Why can’t she plan for herfuture before they’re engaged? She’s enthusiastic.Nothin’wrong with that.”
Knowingto tread lightly, I climbed into bed beside her and said, “Oh, no,nothin’ wrong with it, except I’m not sure Benny’s onboard. You mightwannatalk to her a little aboutcommunication in betweenhelpin’ her get her bestbride body or whatever you women say.” Molly swatted lightly at my arm, and asI laughed, I asked, “What?”
“God,you don’t have to be somean,” she scolded while giggling. “She’s mybest friend, you ass.”
“Hey,I thoughtIwas your best friend.”
“You’remy husband,” she retorted. “That’s an entirely different thing.”
Inarrowed my eyes as I settled beneath the blanket, my head on the pillow,beside her warmth and Bernard’s ratty old body. “I don’t see how, butwhatever.”
Mollylaughed and nestled against me. “You’re actually offended right now,” sheaccused.
“Well,yeah!” I shouted with jested incredulity, thrusting my hand toward the ceiling.“I was born with my fate sealed as your best friend, and thirty-one yearslater, you’retellin’ me thatmarryin’you fucked that all up? That shit hurts!”
BeforeI could react, she rolled over to lay on top of me and said, “Youpoor baby. What can I do to make it better?”
Theweight of her body against mine sent an immediate rush of blood to my groin,and I moaned behind my lips as my hands sought her underwear. “Well, you couldstart by takin’ these off, I guess. That’d probably help a bit.”
“Oh,it would, huh?” She giggled, touching her lips to mine as she shimmied out ofthe flimsy things and kicked them to the foot of the bed. “You’re stillwearin’ these pants, though.”
“Guessyou’d better take those off, too.”
Takenaback, Molly scoffed. “I have to doeverythin’ here?”
“Hey,it’smybirthday,” I reasoned. “And youaretrynamake me feel better, remember?”
Nodding,her eyes glinted playfully as lithe fingers curled around the waistband of mypajama pants. “I guess that’s fair,” she replied, wasting no time in pullingthem away.
Therewas no foreplay and no prelude. Just the simple need to be one with each other,and we sighed in unisonat the momentof contact. Iwondered if we were still in that fabled honeymoon phase, or if this was justwho we were as a couple, desperate for connection and touch, to form our ownconstellation outside of the sky and in our bed.
Wemoved together in slow, fluid motions, chest to chest and mouth to mouth. Myeyelids drooped and my lungs sighed, and I realized how exhausted I was. It’dbeen a long day, albeit a good one, and I hummed between her lips.
Molly’shands framed my face as she pulled her tongue from mine. “Don’t you pass out onme,” she teased, and I grumbled with a chuckle.
“I’mjust so relaxed.”
“Comeon, old man. You’re already thirty-one,” she chided. “Don’t youwannawork on that family of yours?”
Ismiled at the question, at the thought of us as parents. “Hey, I can make kidsuntil I’m dead. So, it’s a good thing my wife is so young.”
