Sally’s eyes widened as her mouth dropped open. “Y-you want me to read it out loud?” That sounded like the worst idea she’d everheard.
“Of course,” he said and started tracing down her back with a finger as he laid on his side, propped up on an elbow. “We need to be able to talk about this stuff and communicate ourneeds.”
She huffed. “Iamcommunicating, on this piece of paper.” She held the journal out, shaking it at him as if he didn’t know as to what paper she wasreferring.
“What if I go blind and can’tread?”
“I’ll learn to write in braille,” she saiddryly.
“What if the pads of all my fingers were burned off and I couldn’t feelanything?”
“Depends. Am I the one who burned all the pads of your fingers off?” she asked and then laughed at the look of horror on his face. “What? How else would you get the pads of your fingers burned off? Wait.” She held up her hand as laughter continued to bubble out of her. “I know, you accidently burned them off because you’re blind, and Jen told you to brush the crumbs off of the stove and youdid.”
The look of horror was gone, only to be replaced by a look that made it obvious he was questioning her intelligence. “That waslame.”
“You’re right. Pretty lame. And it probably made you really tired just listening because of how lame it was and now you want to go to bed.” She started to get up, but Costin snagged a piece of her hair and kept her inplace.
“Read, Sallymine.”
She let out a low grown. “Fine.” After clearing her throat four times too many, she finally began to read. “You asked me to write down things that I needed from you. Here goes. I need you to smile at me, especially when you don’t feel like smiling, so I know I haven’t done something wrong. I need you to run your fingers through my hair, so I won’t be tempted to cut it off. I need you to tell me when I’m being a brat so I can stop because I want you towantto be around me, not just have to be. I need you to hold me when I cry. I hate crying, and if you’ll hold me I won’t feel like such a wuss. I need you to whisper sweet things to me when you make love to me. I need you to laugh with me and let me know you think I’m worth your laughter. Sometimes I need you to ask me to take a walk with you because it makes me feel like you enjoy being with me. I need you to be interested, if only long enough to be proud of me, in things that I’m interested in and do well. I need to hear your praise. I don’t know if you think I’ve done a good a job if you don’t tell me. I need you to tell me no when you know it isn’t what is best for me or our family. I need you to tell me yes when somethingisbest, even if it’s going to be hard for us. I need you to want my opinion and care what I have to say. Most of all, I need you: your attention, your words, your time, your affection, your tenderness, your playfulness, your commitment, and your faithfulness.” When she was done, she sat staring at the paper, unable to will herself to look at Costin’sface.
“Thank you,” he said after several minutes of silence. “Knowing what you need helps me know how I can make sure you feel mylove.”
“What about you?” She heard him shift and turned to look at him. He pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket. “You already didyours?”
He grinned. “I take bathstoo.”
Sally laughed. “I’m sure you wrote yours soaking in thetub.”
“Hush woman and listen to my needs,” he told her playfully. “I need you to rub myfeet.”
Sally’s brows rose. “Really?”
“Shh.” He pressed a finger to his lips. “I’m notdone.”
She made a motion with her hand. “By allmeans.”
“I need you to hold my hand when I sit next to you. I need you to laugh at my jokes. I need you to respect me. I need you be interested in things I am interested in. I need you to wrestle withme.”
She opened her mouth to say something, but this time, Costin put his finger overhermouth.
“I need you to tell me yes. I need you to desire me. I need you to wear sexy stuff to bed. Or, naked workstoo.”
He put his whole hand over her mouth, which made her want tolaugh.
“I need you to know you can always tell me what you need from me. And I need to know I have the same liberty withyou.”
When he finally dropped his hand, he sat up and cupped her face. “I love you, Sally mine. And I will do my best to meet your needs. When I’m not, then by all means, bust my balls aboutit.”
“Jen’s more of the ball buster. I’ll just nudge you with my toe. On your leg, not yourballs.”
His laughter rolled out of him and she joined him, and it felt so good to laugh with him. To feel alive, even though in the back of her mind she could feel the darkness taunting her, telling her it wouldn’t last. In that moment, she was going to grab hold of the light she found in their love and hold tight toit.
“Can I nudge you? When I needyou?”
“Is that what’s happening right now?” Sally asked with a smirk. “Is this you nudgingme?”
“That’s exactly what this is, beautiful. Lay back and let me give you what we bothneed.”
