Page 67 - In Five Years

coffee table. “Shit, ow.” It’s wood with a glass top and tends to come off its
hinges unless you move the whole thing in one piece.
We stop what we’re doing to attend to the table.
“Watch the corners,” I say. We pick it up and set it back down, nudging the

top into formation on the base. Once it’s done, we stare at each other on either
end of the furniture, breathing hard.

“Dannie,” he says. “Why now?”
I don’t tell him what I can’t, of course. What Dr. Christine accused me of
withholding. That the reason I’ve been avoiding our forever is the same reason it
needs to happen now—without delay. That in forging one path, I am, in fact,

ensuring another never comes to fruition.
Instead, I say this:

“It’s time, David. We fit together, I love you. What more do you need? I’m
ready, and I’m sorry it took me so long.”
And that’s true, too. As true as anything is.

“Just that,” he says. His face looks happier than I’ve seen it in years.
He takes my hand and, despite the three feet now between the couch and the
coffee table, he leads me deliberately, slowly, into the bedroom. He nudges me

back gently until I’m just perched on the bed.
“I love you, too,” he says. “In case it wasn’t obvious.”
“It is,” I say. “I know.”

He undresses me with an intention that hasn’t been there in a long time.
Usually when we have sex, we don’t do a lot of mood-setting. We’re not
particularly imaginative, and we’re always pressed for time. The sex David and I

have is good—great, even. It always has been. We work well together. We
communicated early and often and we know what works. David is thoughtful
and generous and, although I’m not sure I’d call us ambitious, there is a certain

competitive edge to our lovemaking that never lets it feel stale or boring.
But tonight is different.
With his right hand, he reaches forward and begins to unbutton my shirt. His

knuckles are cool, and I shiver against him. My shirt is an old, white button-
down J.Crew. Boring. Predictable. He’ll be met with a nude bra underneath.
Same old. But what’s happening here tonight feels anything but.