Page 121 of Strum Me

“I think…I think something is wrong with Mommy,” I can just hear Ben whisper to Brad over my laughter.

“Um, no. I think this is actually how she is, buddy.”

Which only makes me laugh even more.

I’m aware that six male eyes are watching me, but I don’t care. Something has shifted in the universe, and Brad in a clown costume caused it. And now, now it seems that shifting unbalanced me, and all the burdens fell off my shoulders. And so, I laugh. And I don’t ever want to stop.

Because I’m happy.

Because Brad is here.

He walks over to me, his giant shoes flopping on the ground, and for a moment, the laughter stops. He slides his hand behind my head and pulls me into a kiss.

My hands instantly come up to take his face between my palms, and I kiss him back. Kiss him like the world is ending. Kiss him like the world is being reborn. Kiss him with everything I am, and everything I will be …for him.

Gasping, we pull apart, staring at each other.

“Brad.” I say his name, like it’s my favorite sound in the world.

“Butter.” He grins at me…through his painted cheesy grin.

“And me!” Ben pipes up next to us.

“Let’s get this cast off, shall we? And then we can continue the party outside,” Brad suggests.

“Party?” Ben asks, squirming in his seat trying to see out the window.

“You’ll see. Just be a good boy for the doctor and stay completely still.”

Ben spends the next ten minutes mesmerized by the saw cutting into his arm. And I’m mesmerized by the clown standing next to me.

***

“What are you doing here? And why are you wearing…that? And what are you doing here? And why are you a clown?” I ask, pulling him into a quiet part of the corridor.

“I’m going to need you to prioritize your questions, Ms. Journalist.”

“Okay, then, ‘why aren’t you kissing me again, you clown’ is my first one.”

“Well, I could answer that, or I could just show you.”

“Shut up and do it.”

I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him hard before he can say another word.

“You’re getting white paint all over your face,” he laughs when we finally pull apart.

“I don’t care.”

I don’t care. I only care that Brad is here, and I’m in his arms, and nothing else matters.

“Next question…What are you doing here?”

“I came to see Ben.

“Oh.”

“And you.”