Here With Her
"Cruise to where, Abby?"
"Wherever," she said from the bathroom, through the pour of the shower. "Where do you wanna go?"
Carter smiled and walked to the bathroom. He opened the door and spoke to her. "Where do you want to go?"
"John!" she said playfully. "You scared me! What, do you want me to fall in the shower or something?"
"No," he said. "Can I come in there?"
She giggled, and brung her head out of the curtain. "Somewhere tropical." Her head was covered in shampoo, and her face was blanketed with droplets of water. "Somewhere warm, for a change." She reentered the shower and began singing to herself.
Carter smiled at his hands, knotted together. He didn't think it was possible to love anyone anymore. He always wanted to laugh at the people on movies and television, particularly on soaps, when they talked of nothing but love. But his relationship with Abby was so perfect. It was like everything that he had dreamed of, but thought unreal.
"Like the Caribbean?"
"Wow, this is gonna cost a lot. How about we just go to Indianapolis?"
Carter smiled. "No thanks. Don't worry about the cost."
"I have to."
"No you don't. Consider it our one month, kind of more, but still, our one month anniversary."
"Our one month anniversary." Her head left the shower again and appeared outside of the curtain. "I love you."
Carter sat in awe at the beautiful woman. "I love you, too." He kissed her nose, her jaw, and then her lips. He melted when she touched his face. He loved her beyond explanation of words. She let her hand explore his face, searching his eyes for nothing, but everything. He bent his head sideways and kissed her wrist, then her arm. He stood up and kissed the rest of her face and shoulder playfully, until turning around to leave.
"Hey," she called. "Where are you going?"
"Finish your shower," he answered. "I wanna go get something to eat."
"Okay."
"I'll be booking our cruise, my darling."
Abby laughed. "That was so cheesy, John."
"Don't you love it?"
She laughed again. Carter shut the door and went to the phone. He made flight arrangements after ten minutes of waiting around on the phone. Arguing with the people on the other end who didn't seem to hold up the term "friendly skies" very well.
Abby came out of the shower, her hair in damp strings, hanging sharply from her head. She shook it in the middle of the living room and walked to Carter, who was sitting on the couch. He was nearly shouting to the receiver, clearly upset with the other end. He opened his arms while he yelled, letting the receiver rest between his ear and his shoulder for a moment. Abby took this as an invitation, and sat down on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and watched intently as he argued with the invisible voice.
She planted a small kiss on his nose. He didn't have time to smile back. She understood, but didn't stop. She kissed the area around his temples, then his cheek. She smiled into his face and kissed the top of his head, and went to his neck. He gently massaged her wet head, hoping to let her know that the shouts weren't changing his mood towards her. She smiled in appreciation and cuddled up against him. She grabbed her legs and pulled them towards her, so she was completely sitting in his lap. He hugged her with one arm. He liked the idea of almost protecting her. Not exactly protecting her, although he was and would at any cost.
"Thanks," he said to the phone. "That's all I want. Your attitude was horrible." He hung up.
"My big strong John," she said. He forgot the phone and kissed her, squeezing her towards him. She breathed out and closed her eyes. "How did it go?"
"I haven't gotten the tickets yet. They're going to call me back."
She hugged his neck. They slowly fell to the ground and kissed for nearly twenty minutes before slowly drifting away into a steady sleep. He felt so childish, but so appreciative at the same time. While she was in his arms, all he could do was stare at her. His hand ran through her hair gently. He was so in love. He laughed at himself and turned to her, holding himself against her. He placed one arm around her, protectively and imagined himself and she the only ones on the planet. Everything was going perfect, according to plan. But in a way, there was no plan.
Their relationship was complete improvisation. Wherever they went from there, is where they would have gone. She enjoyed it as well; he could tell. He knew her so well, better than the back of his hand.
[Part 10]