Yesterday with Dea

After five days of killing myself at work (I think it came out to over 70 hours at the main job, and over ten more tutoring and balancing bank statements for my others), by Sunday evening I was physically dead and mentally exhausted. I therefore resolved that, yesterday, Monday, I should do naught but spend the day abed and sleep. It didn't quite work out that way, but it turned out even better than anticipated.

I woke early like usual, but still tiredly peevish, I opened the laptop beside the bed, put on the Russian musical of The Man Who Laughs, "Человек который смеется," since I didn't care if I fell asleep again in the middle of it, and wrapped myself around my second pillow. I must have been successful in falling asleep again because the next thing of which I became aware was the pillow being pried out of my arms. It was soon after replaced with the warm snugly body of my darling.

I was still a bit hazy, too hazy for any real conversation, and she was content with that. Her hair smelled of cucumber and was still a little wet from her shower and the damp ends plastered themselves against my neck and chest. We ended up napping together for another two hours, her head on my shoulder and tucked up under my chin. I woke again when she kissed me, first on the chin and then she pushed herself up on her elbow to kiss me on the mouth. She said nothing at first, played with my hair, then asked me, if I had no other plans, would I spend the day with her.

Such suggestions are the things for which I exist. We thus proceeded to spend the day in such pleasant occupation as to make my heart flutter for the next week. She decided against taking Philandros since I would be with her, and after I took him for a quick walk around the apartment complex, she and I set off to the park. Originally, we just thought we would walk around and catch up with each other but the adjacent playground was empty, so we amused ourselves there for a little while. I pushed her on a swing and we climbed to the tallest spiral slide and went down together, Dea settled between my legs and wrapped in my arms. When the families started coming, we abandoned it and went for lunch instead. Nothing fancy, just sandwiches. Afterward, we went back home and cuddled on the couch. I read some of Jasper Fforde's The Well of Lost Plots to her and then we put in some movies that we didn't pay attention to, and talked over them, and I fell asleep again. (I said I was tired!)

When we were out getting sandwiches though, I got a few looks like usual, but I don't know if someone had said something or what might have been the cause, but the young girl who checked us out, her eyes blazed with the fire of defiance as she said very loudly to the entire establishment, "You two are the cutest couple ever!"

Now, Dea and I are very hands-on with each other, above and beyond necessity even for her needs. Being in physical contact with her whenever possible is pretty much a compulsion on my end and a habit on hers. Even when her boyfriends are around, it's very difficult for us to keep our hands off each other. It's just what we do and how it has always been. And when we were waiting for our sandwiches, Dea had her back pressed to my chest, my arms were wrapped around her waist, and we were teasing each other about frivolous things, so of course, it would be natural for someone to think we were dating. But the moment the girl said it, I felt my cheeks burn up and I almost corrected the girl, but Dea, her face breaking out into a huge smile (even her dimple showing), said, "Thank you. I am very lucky to have him."

I know she loves me and I know she cares about me. But that simple public statement, the fact that she feels fortunate for having me in her life and to say it to others.... It makes me feel so grateful.