It was a sign of a lifelived.
Like all couples, Judah and I had our ups and downs. Disagreements, if you will.
My favorite was when Judah would holler from the other end of the house,‘How many times do I have to tell you to put the lid down?!’It always made me smile. Like now, his voice filtering in from down the hallway.
Granted, some things I did on purpose. Only because it was rather entertaining. But, to be fair, Judah did the exact same thing. For example: the coffee maker. He was notorious for leaving the water container that went on the back of the machine empty. Like clockwork, I knew at least every other day I would find the reservoir empty and waiting to be filled.
I figured he deserved payback.
Grumbling to himself, I watched from the corner of my eye as Jude stomped from the bathroom into the kitchen. There, he snatched a warm cookie from the plate that was sitting on the counter.
Pretending to ignore him, I tried to keep my focus on my phone and the notification to the event that was still bothering me, days later. Doing so helped me keep the laughter that threatened to bubble out under control.
For some reason, Eli and Destri, who were still very much a part of our lives a year later, felt the need to invite us to a party at the club. I still wasn’t entirely sure if I wanted to go. One part of me was excited by the possibility of seeing and learning something new. However, the other part of me wasn’t so sure.
The doubt still followed me, but it was the people that bothered me most.
“Do you like to annoy me on purpose?” Jude asked as he took a seat in my lap, not caring that he’d sat atop my hands.
“I love you, too, dear,” I deadpanned, pulling my hands out from under him and wrapping my arms around his waist. Like always, Jude let his entire weight fall against me, tucking his head under my chin.
Every time he cuddled against me, my heart would warm and my mind would fall silent. Even if only for a moment. Never in a million years would I have expected my life to take the turn it had. But I also wouldn’t have it any other way. This man in my lap…he was my entire world and nothing would ever change that.
Not death. Not our combined depression. Not a single other soul.
Tethered together by an invisible force, it held us together in ways many could never understand. Some might say it was by chance that we were thrown into hell together. But Jude and me––we knew it was fate.
Our past–the weeks we were held captive together–they were merely the beginning of our story. As for the ending...well, that still remained to be seen. But I sure as hell fucking hoped that when that day came, Judah would be right beside me.
For the first time since my life was torn from me, I was ready to live. I was ready to be the person I wanted to be without anyone telling me that I couldn’t.
“If you love me…” Jude peered up at me, giving me that puppy-dog look that I’d caved to on more than one occasion.
I simply lifted my brow at him, waiting for him to continue.God––I hope he doesn’t ask for a dog again.
Jude had been asking to get a dog for a while now and I kept making random excuses for why it was the time. Little did he know, he just needed to have a little more patience.
One more week.
It was going to be the best birthday present for the love of my life. I just needed to hold out a bit longer. Unfortunately, that was made more difficult by the fact that he was asking for a dog almost every week. I didn’t know how much longer I’d have the heart to lie to him. And if I were being completely honest, I didn’t know how many more excuses I had in me.
Much like this man, the puppy he so desperately wanted had practically fallen into my lap. It was one of those cases of right place, right time.
I’d been at the hardware store one day and was buying some grass seed and a few other things that I thought might come in handy someday, when a lady posted a paper up on the window. Upon closer inspection, I discovered she had a litter of puppies that would be available soon. The picture was crappy and had been printed on cheap paper, but I knew right then and there that I wanted to get Jude one.
And as luck would have it, she had them in her car. Apparently, she was just heading home after a nearby vet appointment. The two of us discussed the specifics and before leaving she allowed me to pick the puppy I wanted. The moment I laid eyes on the white and black speckled pup I knew it was meant to be. The runt of the litter, its struggles were just beginning. But just like Judah and me, it could overcome.
“Can we go to the club tonight?” Jude spoke quickly, pulling me from my thoughts.
Months ago, I would have done just about anything to avoid going there. Now, it was more like a second home. The club was one of the few places we didn’t have to hide. We didn’t have to talk, nor did we have to blend in.
We could justbe.
“If you’d like,” I answered, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.
“Really?”
“Don’t act so surprised,” I chuckled. “I was actually thinking about suggesting the same. They have a couple of demos going on tonight that I’d like to see.”
