“Ready?” I asked.
She picked up her little black purse and nodded.
Once we were settled in the car and en route to date number six, I felt excitement and apprehension. Excitement, because we were about to do something that Shelly had always really wanted to do since she was a little girl, and apprehensive, because we only had two more dates.
Two more Saturdays.
Two more weeks.
I looked over at Shelly’s profile as I drove, trying to take her in and memorize how she looked in this moment.
I honestly didn’t know what my life looked like without her in it, and I didn’t want to.
“So … Where are we going?” Shelly asked with a grin.
I shook my head and mimicked closing my lips and locking them with a key, then threw the invisible key to the side, causing Shelly to laugh.
We rode the rest of the way in companionable silence, and when we reached our destination, I slowed down a bit, allowing Shelly to look out the window to see what was written on the bright marquee.
She gasped and squealed, “The ballet?” She turned to me in awe, clapping her hands together like a little girl. “You’re taking me to the ballet?”
I nodded, trying to keep a smile on my face, although I expected the next few hours to be more like a jail sentence than something to clap about.
I escorted her inside and to our seats, all the while Shelly chattered excitedly about how she’d always wanted to see the ballet, and had dreamed of being a dancer as a child. I knew all this of course, hence … the jail sentence, but I was really happy at how thrilled she was about this date.
The lights went down and the music began to play. Shelly sat on the edge of her seat, her eyes wide, an expression of utter happiness on her face. I glanced at the dancers on the stage, then turned my focus back on Shelly. I’d rather watch her enjoy the show than suffer through the show itself.
I settled back into my seat, my gaze on my wife’s face, watching as it went through a myriad of emotions. Happiness, sadness, awe, and even a little pain. I loved how utterly enthralled she was by the performance.
As the ballet drew on, I began to battle the exhaustion of the day. I’d gone in early to help TJ with an engine repair, and we’d had complications trying to meet the deadline, so I was physically drained. The music lulled me, until the little pink people jumping across the stage became a blur and I fell into darkness.
I heard a giggle and a snort and opened my eyes to blinding light, with Shelly leaning over me and poking my arm.
“Wake up, sleepy-head,” she said softly.
I sat up quickly and tried to look alert.
“I wasn’t sleeping,” I saidhurriedly , trying to get my brain to catch up with what was happening as people began to stand up and file out of the theater.
“Yes you were,” Shelly said with a stern look and her finger pointed at me. “You totally fell asleep.”
“No,” I argued. “I just closed my eyes
for a minute.
“Try thirty minutes,” she countered, unable to control her smile any longer. “I think you snored.”
“I did not,” I replied.
Shit, had I fallen asleep for a half an hour?
I looked up at Shelly, worried that she’d be pissed that I’d slept through our date, but she didn’t look angry at all. She had the same dreamy expression she’d worn since we pulled up to the theater.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“That’s okay, Cal,” Shelly said, her eyes dancing with delight. “I’m so happy you brought me to the ballet. I loved every minute of it, even your snoring.” She giggled again at the look on my face.
I felt bad.