I've been lounging on Ben's lap in one of the big Adirondack chairs all morning. It's raining fairly hard. We don't care. He keeps twisting ends off of Pixy Stix and pouring them into my mouth. He poured one into my ear and then stuck his tongue in there and then he made a face and I laughed. The wind picked up and all the sugar flew sideways into my hair, sandblasting my face and showering him but all he did was chuckle and reach for a few more paper straws. My lips are coated with pink sugar. He has it in his hair. He drops the remaining ruined candy and takes my face in both hands. The smile leaves his face.
Bridget, you're wet.
My eyebrows go up and my mouth twists slightly but I don't think the punchline here is required. I start shivering. It isn't warm.
He laughs anyway. We should go in?
No, we should stay here.
So I get the cold romance and he gets all the hot parts?
Is that what you think?
Hell, no.
Then why did you say that?
Because now every time I want to touch you I have to stop, drop and roll first. Unintended side effect of being in a marriage with the pyromaniac.
I wince when he says it and he catches me. You realize he's going to call you Frankenben for the rest of the weekend.
Then proactively, Bridget, I'll kick his ass.
No you won't.
Who will stop me?
I will!
HAHAHA. How, exactly?
Sugar gives me superhuman strength.
Prove it. Get up.
Oh, that's easy. See? I- I fight to stand up but he won't let me.
See what?
Not fair.
Sure it's fair. Sugar is no match for FRANKENBEN! He licks the entire side of my face, across my forehead and down the other side. When I open my eyes he's grinning at me.
I didn't expect you to be so delicious, Sugargirl!
That's Sugarbaby, if you're splitting hairs. Caleb is standing at the bottom of the stairs. He looks incredibly unimpressed. His umbrella drips in a circle around him. It's pouring now.
I should be splitting skulls. Ben whispers to me. He winks, kisses my cheeks and lets me up.
I walk right past Caleb, ignoring him completely. He calls out behind me, We have an appointment, Princess. We're beyond late.
Then cancel it due to rain!
I go in and run right up stairs. I need to shower and start over. What a mess. I rush into our bathroom and smack into Loch who is just coming out, combing his hair, clean and showered and what I should have been an hour ago.
He grins when he sees me, soaked to the skin, pink glittered sweetness, unable to stop smiling. What are you doing?
Ben and I were out in the rain eating candy! I think I missed a meeting and now Caleb is in trouble because of me.
He grins wider and plants a kiss on my incredibly filthy, sticky face. So it's a good day.
Yeah, it is.
