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CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Thomas
“You’re killingme with that look.” My smile came much easier with Erin. My partner.
Irubbed her knee to offer her encouragement. “Open it. It’sfor you.”
She fell asleep early yesterday, and Iwoke her up in the late morning with coffee and cupcakes. Iremembered she liked them, from the ones my mom made, all of them, so that was what Ibrought back with me. Three trays filled with whatever they had.
What she held in her hands, however, wasn’tone of those boxes, which she had rummaged through earlier with pure joy. The box she twirled around in her hands contained the gift Ibrought her from Russia. Her fingers enclosed around the ivory wrapping paper, her eyes dancing between me and the box.
“Iknow it’sfor me.” Her narrowed eyes shone with an unmistakable twinkle as she inspected me. “I’mtrying to figure out how Imissed it yesterday when we walked in, or did you get it while you went for the three over-the-top boxes of delight?”
She scrunched her nose, not waiting for my reply. “Just so you know, so you don’tpick up the entire bakery next time, my favorite is red velvet.”
My laugh flowed as easily as my smile with her. Everything good came from her. “It’sbeen here since yesterday, it’sjust that you were…preoccupied.”
“Ireally was.” Ablush as red as the color of her favorite cake tainted her cheeks, same one that colored her chest and neck and face last night with me on top of her, when she unraveled from my touch.
Itreasured that delicate hue, Icherished cuddling and kissing her and last but for sure not least, Icame to life while exploring her body, creating anew kind of intimacy, learning more and more about this wonderful creature next to me.
When her focus returned from me to the box, her fingers worked in delicate movements, skimming over it as if the paper were made of silk. Most people would’ve torn it, only looking for the gift inside. For Erin, every element held significance and was worthy of her examination and awe.
For me, the anticipation was maddening. Erin was my first serious relationship, and this was the first gift I’dgiven, apersonal gift. Ilonged for her approval of it, and Iwanted it yesterday.
“Erin, I’mbegging you.” Igripped her bare thigh, squeezing it lightly in encouragement.
She squirmed and her soft lips broke in awide grin. “I’menjoying this. The wait is almost as fun as the gift itself.”
“Depends on the person.”
“Where’sall the patience you showed these past months?” she reprimanded me with her taunting voice.
“All used up, Iguess.”
She elbowed me lightly and chuckled, shaking her head, the mass of hair swinging over her large red T-shirt. Nevertheless, she indulged me and lifted the tape gently so the paper wouldn’ttear. The brown box remained naked when she opened its lid, extracting the colorful wooden doll out of it.
Same as she did with the box, she twisted it in her hands, curiosity speaking through her eyes. “It’sbeautiful, Thomas, thank you.”
Her fingers and eyes probed it, and she added without altering her gaze, “Iassume there’sasignificance to her that my American self is not aware of.”
“It’scalledmatryoshka.” Ipronounced the word slowly and Ismiled at her attempts at the pronunciation. She always wanted to learn, even if she bantered with me through the process. “It’sawoman painted on awooden doll. If you look closer, you’ll see aline crossing her stomach where she cracks in half.”
“That is so cool.” She spun both parts of the doll from left to right, spinning the top part until it cracked open, revealing another, smaller doll inside. She placed the bigger one to the side, closing it back together, then repeated the action over and over, until there was asmall army of wooden dolls surrounding her.
“So many.” Her brilliant grin reached her eyes. “Are they supposed to be related?”
“Yes, they are. Thematryoshkasymbolizes the role of the mother who carries her children and the legacy of the family within her.” Iraked my hand through my hair then pulled it up into abun, suddenly aware this might be too early in our relationship for this kind of gift, for the meaning it entailed. But she was honest with me, and Iwanted to do the same. “It reminded me of you.”
She furrowed her brow. “You see me as amother?”
“Imeant figuratively,” Isputtered, taking off the table anything that could cause her stress. Imeant it too. We were just starting out, and Imyself wasn’tready for children anytime soon, if ever.
“It’syour motherly essence, your choice to nurture generations of kids through your profession.”
She sucked in her lower lip. “You really see me like that?”
“You’re really asking that?” My lips tugged to the side. “Ipainted these dolls with you in mind, if you can tell from the wide range of colors.”
