“I've shut the door and put the extractor on. Fucking hell Lauren a man has to crap somewhere”
“There's another bathroom next door, why can't you use that? Or better still, the one out by the pool.”
“Yeah you’re funny Lauren,” he shouts.
Am I? I wasn't trying to be funny, I was being serious but I stay quiet as I ease myself into the bath, owies, it stings a bit, but then I’m hardly surprised. I can’t help smiling to myself at the normality of the conversation we just had, me, moaning at him, for stinking the bathroom out, a conversation that goes on around the world every day between millions of couples, normal, boring, mundane and I love it. I wince as I lower myself further down slowly. I Lay back, shut my eyes and relax. I have no idea what the time is and despite the fact that I’ve just woken up, I feel so tired.
“Move forward baby. Let me get in.”
I'm woken from my nana nap by Gabe trying to squeeze into the bath behind me.
“What - we’re gonna do THAT… AGAIN?”
“Ha ha! You’re funny Lauren, although I’m more than happy to oblige if you really wanna go there? Were you sleeping?”
“Yeah, sorry, what time is it?”
“Just after three o'clock.”
“Shit, we slept late.”
“We did, glad I chose to stay wrapped around you rather than going fishing with the ol’ man this morning.”
Shit, that reminds me, Gabe was supposed to go fishing this morning, I was supposed to see my GP, bugger, another missed appointment, I have actually noticed the spotting has stopped the past few days so I am pretty sure it’s down to the amount of sex we have been enjoying.
I scoot down and he pulls my back against his chest once he's settled. We lay like this for ages in silence, topping up the hot water every time we get cold. I run my fingers up and down his thighs as he kisses the back of my neck and shoulders and occasionally cups my boobs.
“Gabe?”
“Mmmmm?”
“Do you know how much I love you?”
“Mmmmm Hmmmm.”
“Good.”
“Lauren?”
“Mmmmm?”
“Will you marry me?”
“Not going there Gabe.”
He nuzzles his nose into my hair and my skin is instantly covered in goose bumps. I smile to myself, we say no more, we just lie in our comfortable silence and soak in the bubbles until the water starts to get cold and we can’t top it up any more and my belly starts to rumble.
Gabe stands up, “Right... Let’s get some food in you woman, you are going to need energy for what I have planned.”
“Do I get any say in your plan?”
“Absolutely not... Get out.”
He stands in front of the bath with a towel in his hand; I stand slowly, not wanting my head to spin like earlier and step into his arms, my most favourite place in the world to be at the moment, pathetic I know, but hey, you only get to be middle aged and in love once right?
He kisses the top of my head and rubs me dry like I'm a child.
“Get something warm on while I go and make us something to eat.”
Gabe pulls on some jocks while I dig out some yoga pants and a hoodie. It's not at all warm today and is pouring with rain.
I head out to the kitchen to the sound of Alicia Keys – ‘Girl On Fire’ playing over the sound system.
Gabe is at the bench top, cooking. Toast!!!
“We're having toast?”
“Yeah, sorry, I haven't been shopping. Eat this and then we'll have takeout later when they're open. I have wine though.”
“Bonzer,” I reply sarcastically.
“I'm sorry Lauren, we were away last weekend, then, well then everything went to shit and I just haven't been shopping.”
I instantly regret my tone and feel like a complete bitch. My moods swings today are definitely getting a work out.
“Toast and wine perfect. As long as I’m with you baby, just don't put any of that Vegemite shit on it or on yours, else you'll be getting no pashing from me.”
“Lauren, I love you an all that, but do not ever tell me not to eat Vegemite, I’m an Aussie, it would be illegal for me not to put it on my toast, one day, if you’re lucky, I might tie you up and eat it off of you.”
Tie me up and eat off of me. I quite like the sound of that, but then again, this is Vegemite we’re talking about.
“I’ll just take the tying up thanks, I’ll pass on the Vegemite.”
He raises his eyebrows at me and gives me his full on knicker-shredding, heart melting, blue eyed, lopsided Aussie boy smile. Fuck, He can eat what he likes off me, I don’t really care as long as he keeps looking at me like that.