40.
September 16th, 2020
“Gaaaallannn,” she sang my name in my ear.
I groaned against the pillow and pulled the blanket up higher.
She placed a hand on my shoulder and shook me gently, which woke me up.
“Gaaaallannn,” she sang again, and then dragged her nails down the side of my neck.
I opened my eyes and looked at the time on the digital watch on the nightstand.
2:37a.m.
I turned on the bedside lamp, pushed some of my hair away from my eyes, and shifted on my back so that I could look at her. “What’s wrong? You okay?”
Zaira, propped on an elbow with her hair in a messy updo, smiled down at me. “I have a question,” she said.
Good Lord, have mercy.
“At 2:30 in the morning?”
She placed a hand on my naked chest. “Yup,” she answered with apop. The expression on her face wasn’t giving me much to go with, but I was curious as to why she was thinking what she was, so late in the night.
After I’d cut my birthday cake yesterday, had had a long and emotional video call with our friends and families, and fucked her senseless on her kitchen counter, Zaira and I had spent hours piecing and packing a large portion of the cake for said friends and families.
It was honestly an aspect of consideration how even the smallest of things – like having the people you love and care about wish you on your birthday through a laptop screen – could bring you the biggest of joys. The pandemic has taught a lot of us a lot of things, and has not only given us the time and sense of fear to keep our priorities first, but also to realize that our parents and friends and colleagues are the ones who complete us and make us who we are. I’d be a mere leaf on the ground – aimless and immobile – if it wasn’t for my mom and dad, who made me the man I am. If it wasn’t for Shane or Kenneth or Dylan, and their continuous encouragement, then I wouldn’t have had the drive and determination to keep hustling every single day without giving up. And, if it wasn’t for my Zaira, then I wouldn’t have learned to appreciate the little things in life that I had, up until her, never given a single thought to.
It’s strange yet fascinating how we evolve for the better when reality knocks sense into our ignorant and snobby brains. Even though the times with COVID are devastatingly hard on a majority of people, I’ve seen them fight the odds and stand their ground against everything thrown their way. I’ve been counting my blessings, too, because those are the things that have kept me and everyone I care about, safe.
“Gall.” Zaira nudged my feet with hers under the blanket. “Listen.”
I yawned as I scratched my head. “Iamlistening, Zaira.”
She huffed. “You looked lost in your own head.”
I grinned. “I’m here now, and I promise you that I’m listening.”
She smiled again. “Okay, I have a question.”
I chuckled. “You said that already,” I told her. “And even though I’m terrified of your question, I’ll let you ask it because you won’t let me go back to sleep otherwise.”
She smirked. “You’re getting smarter.”
I rolled my eyes. “Ask the question, babe.”
She shifted a little in excitement, and then leaned in. “Why do you think dogs lick our skin?”
…What?!
I groaned. “I have a feeling that one of these days I’m going to regret giving you the liberty of asking me these inhuman and bizarre questions.”
She rolled her eyes. “That doesn’t exactly answer my question, Gall.”
I clicked my tongue. “I don’t know the answer, Zaira. I can’t believe you woke me up in the middle of the night to ask me why dogs lick our skin.” I laughed when she scowled at me.
“You’re an asshole,” she mumbled.
