She was quiet.
“Babe?”
“PB and J,” she said, no sighed, “Thick soft white Wonder bread. Strawberry jam with chunks of strawberries in it. Kraft smooth peanut butter.”
I laughed a little, “I think I’ll need you to be more specific.”
“I am so gonna get fat,” she said softly.
“Yeah, you are.” I chuckled.
“Hey,” she said softly but indignantly.
“Angel, if I can make it so that the worst thing that happens to you f
rom now on is a little junk in your trunk, I’m all over that.”
“All over my trunk, Master?” she giggled.
I was surprised at her making a joke but her laugh and easy manner made me smile. That giggle was like music. I’d bet big money that she hadn’t giggled like that too much in the past two years.
“Not your Master,” I whispered.
She didn’t reply.
“So PB & J for dinner?” I said finally to break the silence.
“Yeah,” she said hoarsely and then cleared her throat, “Yes, please.”
** ** **
I hadn’t been inside a supermarket since… I don’t even know. Sarah did all my shopping. It was a weird experience. I seemed to be getting a lot of female attention; shoppers, cashiers, especially at the check-out when I grabbed a bouquet of flowers from a bin by the checkout. I pushed away the nagging little voice telling me I’d give her the wrong idea and instead told myself I wanted to brighten up the apartment for her since she was stuck there all day.
When I got in she was watching TV and she’d jumped like a cat that wants to latch itself to the ceiling at me opening the door. I raised a hand, “Just me,” and then I hit buttons on the alarm panel.
She had her hair tied up in a high ponytail and she was wearing my pjs still. Her face was make-up free but she looked fresh and pretty. The apartment smelled like lemons. Everything was spotless.
“Definitely need to get you more flannel pjs, huh?” I jerked my chin up and dropped the supermarket bag and bouquet on the counter.
“I, I washed them and put them back on. I hope that’s okay. I did your other laundry, too, from the trip, the, uh, stuff I could wash. I saw a dry cleaning bag in the master walk-in so I put your suits in there.”
“You don’t have to clean and do my laundry, babe.” I started unpacking the groceries, “I have a housekeeper come by twice a week. Shit, Sarah’s due here Monday. We’re gonna have to figure out how to play that.” I put my index fingers to my temples.
I shook my head at that thought and then pulled out a crystal vase from a kitchen cupboard and filled it with water and then plunked the flowers in and put them in the center of the island. She smiled at the sight of them.
“So why do you like those pajamas so much?” I jerked my chin up, “Remind you of Alaska?”
She climbed up on a stool at the island. “Everything I have is just uncomfortable for lounging. Or inappropriate for outside the, uh, bedroom.”
“Ah. Well, tomorrow we can hit the mall.”
“You don’t have to…”
“Naw, what guy doesn’t like being dragged around a mall while a woman buys clothes?” I gave her a wink.
She smiled and it spread to her eyes. They sort of twinkled, the light catching them and her sapphire collar at the same time. My throat went dry.
“I’m really throwing your life into a tailspin.” Her expression dropped.