Page 46 of Sins and Secrets

Me: Are you alive?

Waverly: Hey

Me: You didn’t text when you got to work.

Waverly: Oh, you were serious about that?

I stare at the phone. Is she fucking kidding me?

Me: Of course!

Waverly:…

Waverly: I’m not used to someone caring.

I scrub my eyes with the heels of my hands. How could she think that? Two feelings erupt in me simultaneously: a deep desire to care for her and a rage toward everyone else in her life.

Me: Not any more.

How can I get her to understand why I’m doing this?

Me: But that’s one of the elements to a relationship.

Waverly: Are you kidding me? Mind blowing Big O’s, cookies, massages, cuddles, AND YOU CHECK ON MY WELL BEING!

She sends me a gif of a raging monster.

Waverly: What else have I missed out on? Are Pegasus real? Can I get a pet dinosaur?

She’s so damn cute. Where would I buy her a dinosaur?

Me: No Dinosaurs. There’s a bunch of movies about why that’s a bad idea, but I hear House Cows are an option.

Waverly: DO NOT PLAY WITH MY HEART.

Me: Sorry, even I have my limits on what I will do to keep you happy.

Waverly: Cock tease… no COW tease.

She’s funny. I forgot she was funny. How could I possibly forget? What else did I repress? Or is it her? Is she the one changing?

Me: How are you holding up?

It takes her a second to respond.

Waverly: Besides the drama of the last few days, and for a millisecond I thought I was getting a house cow, it’s been a lot.

Well at least she can laugh about it.

Waverly: What’s on your to do list for today?

Me: I’ve got three clients and bookkeeping. You?

Waverly: I’m hanging out at Mastodon, doing some research on drones for Alana.

Me: Well, don’t forget to eat and hydrate.

She sends a gif of a soldier saluting.

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