“Maybe.”
“Hey, that’s definitely a girlfriend duty,” I told her as she pulled her hair out from under the cap she wore so it didn’t get wet. The fact that it took hours and hours to really dry was wild to me.
“I suppose,” she said with narrowed eyes.
Dandy was in the middle of the bed when we returned, so I had to gently move her, an offense that she was very upset by until she decided to snuggle between us for maximum pets.
“Merry Christmas, baby,” Mal said, scooting closer to me.
“It’s not Christmas yet.” It wasn’t even eleven yet.
“I know. But this has already been the best Christmas I’ve ever had. Just so you know.” She kissed my nose and I giggled.
“Same,” I whispered back.
Dandy wasour wakeup call the next morning because she didn’t know what Christmas was. I got up and made sure she was fed and came back to bed to find Mal holding a box in her lap with a bow on it.
“What’s that?” I asked, pointing to it.
“Your Christmas present. I couldn’t wait to give it to you. So I guess I’m giving it to you now.”
She bit her lip and her cheeks were pink. I dove back onto the bed and held my hands out.
“Gimme.”
Her present was under the tree, but I didn’t feel like going to get it yet.
Mal laughed and set the present into my hands. I didn’t need x-ray vision to decide that it was probably some sort of jewelry.
Ripping into the paper with enthusiasm, I tossed it over the side of the bed for Dandy to play with. She was going to have so much fun today with all the trash around.
Inside the box was a silver necklace with the tiniest little blue stones spaced between the chain. It was delicate and gorgeous.
“Oh my god, Mal. I love it.” It was exactly something I would have looked at in a shop and decided was too nice to buy though.
“Really?” Mal asked. “You really like it? It’s not too much or anything?”
I set the necklace down on the bed between us and grabbed her face with both hands. “I didn’t say I liked it. I said I loved it.”
And I love you.
Those words were still inside me, waiting for their chance to come out. Eager and insistent.
Mal relaxed into me and then pulled back.
“Good. I was stressing out about it. Because all of this is new, and I had no idea what was appropriate for a liaison-turned-girlfriend and I’m just really glad you love it.”
“I do love you. It. I mean.” Shitttttt.
The words had seized their opportunity to make a break for it.
Mal’s eyes went wide and I knew I had fucked up.
The words had betrayed me.
“I mean—” I made a bunch of sputtering and stressed-out noises like a defective lawnmower.
“Hey,” Mal said, taking my hands while I considered throwing myself off the bed and rolling under it and fading away with the dust bunnies.
