Page 52 of Much Ado About Hockey

Silence.

“Jett? I’m trying to take a bath, and you…” her voice trailed off as she realized that he must be aware of what she was doing – and her voice sounded like she was scolding him.

If he knew she was in the bath and sliding rose petals under the door, he was being romantic… and playful. Peering at the doorway once more, she saw the light under the door suddenly dim.

“Jett?”

The bedroom door closed in the distance.

He was gone.

Looking at the petals on the floor once more, Karen slowly rose, got out of the tub, dried off, opened the valve to let the tub drain. Silently, she donned her robe that was hanging on the back of the door, all the while, listening for any sounds of him in the condo. She picked up the petals, putting them on the counter, and lifted the last one – the one lying on the pink material – and caught her breath.

There was a smiley sticker underneath that looked so out of place – and so classically him. She couldn’t help the laugh that emerged as she knelt there, picking it up… and hesitated.

Turning over the sticker, she gasped – her mind blown once more by her husband. Jett had stuck the sticker to a small golden circle that gleamed and glistened with diamonds.

He got her a ring.

A ring.

She turned it over, stunned at the simplicity and the beauty as the light caught all of the glittering facets, sparkling like nothing she’d ever seen before up close. The view blurred as her eyes burned, on the verge of tears as she slid it onto her finger, where it gleamed beautifully. She tugged on the satin material, wondering if this was another gift, slowly pulling it forward, inch by inch, like a child tugging on a string… waiting.

The satin slid across the floor, her breath catching, as she waited to see what this was. It was obviously an article of clothing, she just didn’t know if it was a teddy, a negligee, or a slip – and then suddenly, it popped free from under the door, completely on her side, and she paused.

Weird.

There was no lace, no strappy bands, no elastic or… her mind worked as she held it up and then burst out laughing. It was a gaudy, satiny, cheap T-shirt meant to be slept in – and thereon the front was her husband’s ‘touch.’ In big bold white letters, right across the front, it said ‘MINE.’

She heard his muffled laugh in the distance, looked up at the door, and realized it was close enough to have known she found the ring, the shirt, and caught on to the joke, yet he was giving her space.

Opening the bedroom door, she saw that the fan light above was off, the blinds were closed, and a variety of candles had been placed around the room, setting an obviously romantic mood – but the best sight of all… was the one before her.

Jett was sitting cross-legged on the bed, wearing the same pink cheap satiny shirt that said ‘HERS’ across the front. He was wearing shorts, had a tray in front of him with two cups of coffee, and a rose clasped between his teeth.

Wait…

“What happened to your face?”Karen yelped in sheer panic, moving in a rush toward the bed. “Oh my gosh, Jett, honey, what happened?Were you mugged?”

“Felt like it,” he retorted and brushed away her hands as he reached for him. “Hang on! Hot coffee?! You’re supposed to sit up here, and we’re having our coffee date – sheesh – why are you trying to mother me?”

“Oh my gosh, stop it and lemme see your lip!”she yelled back at him as his voice escalated, pushing her hands away, snapping back and forth at each other.

“I’d have gotten you a nurse’s outfit at the porn shop if I knew you were gonna…”

“You did not…” she seized, gasping in horror at his words.

“No, but I shoulda!” he barked back.

“You didnotgo there – did you?” she hissed, her eyes narrowing as she tried to look at his lip.

“The roses were a nice touch, weren’t they?” he countered, dodging her fingers.

“Let me see your face and quit wriggling around!” she ordered.

“Did you like your ring?” he began again, weaving once more, obviously trying to distract her and pushing her hands away just as she got close.

“Oh-em-gee! Why are you still slapping my hands away from your face!”

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