Reflex

[b]March [/b]

“I hate playoff season.”

Debby laughed as she put my regular infront of me. “What is it this time?”

“All our boys turn into mountain men!”

She just laughed harder and shook her head.

“It’s so scratchy!” I insisted. “I’m sure you know as well as I do!”

She just rolled her eyes. “Sarah, eat. I don’t need Carey coming in here and yelling at me for you being malnourished or something.”

“If I am, it won’t be your fault.” I said, taking a bite of my grilled cheese anyway. “It’s all my fault I work too hard.”

“You know that, and yet you still destroy yourself.”

I just shrugged and looked around before pulling an ashtray near me. Even though Carey constantly bugged me about my irregular eating and constant caffeine intake, he never once tried to stop me from smoking. He seemed to know that it was my own choice, and I needed it sometimes. And his hands off attitude led me to cut down as much as I could. I was down to one a day.

I finished eating and put some money down on the counter. “Hey, Debbs. I’ll see you at the wives and girlfriends thing on Wednesday, right?”

She rolled her eyes. “Unfortunately.”

Debby had a hard time at the WAG luncheons because of her job. Most of the girls looked down on her, thinking she was a gold digger. But she went for PK, to make him happy. And Svetlana and I would always bring her out for our own dinner and shopping expedition afterwards.

“Cool.” I said. “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Yeah, bye. Don’t work too hard!”

I laughed. “All right, Mom.”

~*~

[b]Late Saturday Night[/b]

“I hate the playoffs.”

Carey rolled his eyes as he trailed his fingers up and down my bare back. “Here we go again.”

“You look like a mountain man.” I said. “And you’re scratchy.”

“Well then, I guess you’re happy that we lost out today.”

I nestled into his chest. “Of course I’m not. You know that. I love it when you guys win.”

We lay in silence for a few moments, our legs tangled under the sheets. Eventually, Carey sighed. “I guess I’ll shave tomorrow then.”

I reached up and playfully tugged on his long hair. “You could use a haircut too.”

He reached down and squeezed my side to tickle me, making me giggle. He caught my lips in a kiss.

“I’m sort of happy that the playoffs are done for us too.” He whispered.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because now I get to spend more time with you.”

I smiled and kissed him. “Yeah, that’s true.”

“Maybe we can go visit my parents.” He said. “I think they’ll love you.”

“And if they don’t?”

He shrugged. “Then they have to suck it up. I have no intents of letting you go, you beautiful disaster.”

I laughed. “Beautiful disaster. I like that.”

He smiled and kissed me again. “I love you.” He whispered.

“I love you too.” I whispered back.

He pulled me closer and closed his eyes, dropping off to sleep. I rested my head on his strong chest, listening to his heart beat. It’s funny how after that night in New York, I tried so hard to resist. And now, everything with him just came naturally. A reflex.

As I fell asleep, I thought, [i]This is a pretty nice reflex to have.[/i]