Shower (Blogophilia 49.11)

Hey, Heidy and Howdy! Good Morning Geritol Generation! Harry Handy is up early to give you your non-caffeine oldies jolt. Let’s start off with what you’re supposed to be doing right now...from 1958-Bobby Darin is Splish Splash-ing into your hearts...

The green eyes popped open. Good Lord, that’s cold. Quickly, Kathy flicked the faucet temperature up and gently eased back in. Grabbing the wash cloth, she could hear Jimmy grunting on the toilet. “God, I hope he remembered to spray”, Kathy said to herself. Popping gas echoed over the inane radio patter. Of all his sexy smells, that one wasn’t. Of course, he said the same thing about her and she’d agree. Handling gross was one thing you learned as when you had been together as long as they had been.

Lavender and vanilla blocked out the worst of it. Her nose began to run a bit. The water brushed the drip away as she washed her face. The washcloth felt rough for some reason. Looking at it, she wondered-was this one of the wedding presents? She thought so. At least whoever gave them liked quality. Most of the ones in the store now looked like they’d fall apart on the first wash. Maybe she’d luck up at Tuesday Morning or Kohl’s tomorrow when she was out.

Renew...refresh...replace. Each time around was the same. It didn’t matter if was linen or relationships. Things get old and you do something else. She stopped as the tears pooled in her eyes. It was too much. Funny thing about being pregnant, everything felt more intense. It had been like that with Emily and with...

She willed the memories away. It wouldn’t be fair to Jimmy to start his day like this.

Her hands came over the rounded belly, thick and getting thicker. Jimmy and Emily both kissed the baby goodnight last night. It was sweet, but would they still do it when she was whale sized? Shuddering, her hand snagged on the locket. Their picture was inside. Last night after Emily was asleep, he kissed it said it didn’t matter she was flat or round. She was his cherry and he would always be her banana no matter how old they were. She knew that was true.

It had been Jimmy’s birthday and the party was at Swensen’s. Katie, Becky and Jason showed up and a couple of others didn’t, which meant they didn’t have enough to get a Zoo. She ended up with a Banana Split and he got a Brownie Sundae. It had been a typical party and she could see Mrs. Morris wince a little as they got loud, but she never said a word. She was having as much fun as they were. When the time came, Everyone sang along as the staff did the stupid birthday song. All of them had been there enough to know it by heart.

When everything began to wind down, they still had a few bites left on their plates. A kind of wicked thought came to her. She asked if he wanted a piece of banana. As it went in, his face became animated as he mushed the fruit along the roof of his mouth. Then he asked if she wanted a bite of his Sundae. She remembered closing her eyes as the bit of brownie rolled across her tongue. It must have been good since everyone began singing the KISSING chant as she mugged her delight. Their faces turned as red as the cherry on top of his sundae. But it was true.Kathy wanted to be the girl in the tree. And she had a plan to do it.

When they got back, she asked Mrs. Morris if they could walk back to her house by themselves. She smiled and said don’t get into trouble as they left. This wasn’t trouble, was it? It was past curfew and there wasn’t much time. As Jimmy went out the door she popped the cherry she had stolen from his sundae under tongue.

The side hedge cast a shadow from the left, a secret garden just for them. Dressed in dark shirts, they disappeared as they walked toward the fence. The small hand around his waist and she tucked in close. Old Spice and sweaty boy. He’d used too much, but it was magic. She whispered there was one more present. His face turned and everything became a blur. Tart cherry mixed with the banana still stuck to his teeth. A thrill went through her. They had become the Banana Split and she was the whipped cream.

It might have lasted a minute, but it felt like forever.

She giggled as the warm waterfall washed away the last of the soap. A stream was coming from the vanity faucet. Jimmy was shaving. She wanted to finish up and inhale the mix of Old Spice and him again. Or better yet, pull him in here with her and gleefully clean him head to toe while he mocked trying to get away. So many good memories and a few not so good. As the water shut off, his hand brought the towel through the curtain. Fighting or loving, he had always done that. His shirt wasn’t on yet and he looked so cute. The towel fluttered a couple of times before wrapping and he smiled. Stroking the smooth skin, she pulled him close.

He still tasted like bananas.

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Topic-(It’s Magic)-Doris Emmett

Pic-Dahlia Ramone

Pic guesses: Green (in blog), Waterfall (in blog), Secret Garden (in blog), Pooled (in blog), lagoon, sunspot, stillness, getaway.