WC: 876/Full Critique
Stine typed away on her computer. That she had been downstairs in her office in her basement for a considerable length of time had not registered in her mind. Upstairs, she thought she heard someone kicking against her door and she stood up to go see if it was who she thought it was, not bothering to look in the mirror hanging on the wall, which encased one side of her stairway. If she had, her bloodshot eyes surrounded by dark circles, her growling stomach, and the tired, tense muscles in her neck and shoulders would have told her she’d worked through the night.
On her way up, she stumbled over a carton of milk she put on her the fifth step and almost collided with her black cat, Clay, who was fussing. Unlike Abbey, who waited patiently for her food, Clay thought he was the boss of the house; his meows were commands to do his bidding, immediately.
That must be Levi. He’s the only one who would have the audacity to kick on my door? She thought as she looked out the window. She scrunched her eyebrows, surprised; the sun was shining.
Either, I’m living through a long afternoon or the evening is awfully bright. No wonder you’re fussing, Clay.
She looked at her wall clock.
“Oh my God, I’ve done it again,” she said to Clay. “Fresh cat food on the way but let me open the door for Levi, first.”
“Wow, you look terrible! What have you been drinking?” Said Levi, standing before her with a large gift-wrapped package in his arms.
“Levi Mata, I haven’t been drinking; I’ve been working. What do you want this time of the evening?”
“It’s a new day after twelve-thirty so you mean early afternoon, don’t you?”
“Levi, tell me what you want or I’m shutting the door in your face? I’m tired, and my cats are hungry. So be quick about it.”
“I see you’ve worked through the night again. Not good for your health, Snuggle Poo.”
“Levi…?”
“Poo, I brought you your Valentine’s present.”
“When are you going to stop? What have I done to deserve you as my next-door neighbor?”
“Out the way, Snuggle Poo,” Levi said as he walked into her house, ignoring her question.
“Levi, I’m not accepting your present,” Stine said to his back as she followed him to her kitchen. “So, you need to take it back to wherever it came from.”
“Snuggle Poo, where do you want to open your gift? On the table or the marble top counter?” He asked entering the kitchen.
“You’re not listening to me.”
“You trying to be difficult.” He placed the large package on the marble top counter. “Sometimes, new love reacts frigidly,” he said but I still love you, and I bought you the perfect gift for Valentine.”
“Levi, you need to stop talking like that.”
Stine looked at the man with the bright red hair and remarkable sea green eyes. He was the best kisser she knew and could kiss her senseless. Two heads taller than she, he made her glow all over when she was in his arms. She rolled her eyes and gazed up at him in exasperation.
“Stop trying to aggravate me, Snuggle Poo. Valentine’s Day is three days away…”
“What…?”
“Don’t interrupt me. Open your present.”
“No.”
“You don’t have any choice in the matter, my dear Snuggle Poo.”
“Stop calling me Snuggle Poo!”
“My, aren’t we grouchy today. Be kind or I won’t cook your favorite dinner tonight. Open your present!”
“You know this is not going to work, don’t you, Levi?”
“Who says it’s not?”
“I do. We’re two different people.”
“I hope so.”
“I’m the first woman of color with a short stubby afro you’ve dated, and you think you’re in love, but it’s all up here," she said pointing at his head.
“My mind and body tell me differently, Snuggle Poo, and yours does too.”
“Now, you’re assuming things. Go find someone your age.”
“Is the ten-year difference between us really what’s bothering you?”
“Let’s just say, if I knew how old you were two months ago, we wouldn’t be having this conversation in my kitchen right now.”
“My luck. I’m hooked on you Babe,” Levi said and began filling Clay’s cat bowl with his favorite wet cat food.
Stine went to her kitchen cupboards and took out scissors and opened the gift-wrapped box he had placed on her counter. She gasped.
“It’s the Saeco Xelsis Evo Superautomatic Coffee Machine I fell in love with at the appliance store! Beautiful, but…”
“No, buts. That’s our first-ever-together appliance, and today, we’ll baptize it into ours.”
“Levi, you’re so sweet to me.”
“Then, say yes. Admit you feel the same way I do.”
“What if…?”
“Don’t go there. What ifs are for ignoramuses, and we ignore ignorance.”
“Do you think it’s that easy?”
“Yeah, Snuggle Poo, I do. So, what do you say?”
“You’re calling me Snuggle Poo again.”
“Okay, what do you say, Stine?”
“Thank you.”
“And?”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m very sure.”
“Will you be my Valentine?”
“I thought you’d never asked, Snuggle Poo,” he said, stretching out his arms and bringing her into them. “Now, give me a kiss me.”
***
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