Eighteen Ch. 15

"I'm fine with it."

***************

The next thing I know, Christina's sitting on my chest, telling me to wake up. She says that I fell into a deep sleep.

"It's a good thing you woke up because I was going to start tickling you."

"I'm not ticklish."

"Liar! Everyone is ticklish."

"Not me."

She tilts her head to the side and glares at me with a look of determination, and digs her claws into my side, attempting to get me to laugh. I just lie there and look at her until she gets off me and helps me stand up. When she turns her back to me, I wrap my arms around her waist and pick her up, letting my fingers gently tickle her sides. She laughs and kicks at me, telling me it isn't fair and to put her down. I drop her on the couch and then fall next to her. Stretching out on the sofa again, I put my head back in her lap.

"How is it that you're so amazing?" I ask.

"God made me that way, so you'd want me."

"He did a great job! I can't imagine my life without you."

"C'mon, let's go to bed," she says.

I tell her that I'll meet her upstairs after I lock up. I walk into her room and close the door. Grabbing Christina around the waist, I kiss her neck and unbutton her blouse. I finish undressing her and then sweep down, pick her up and carry her to the edge of her bed. I turn around to get undressed, but she pulls me to her and takes care of it herself, slowly and methodically.

We make love again--sweet, romantic, tender love. When we finish, we lie next to each other, basking in the quiet, catching our breaths, saying no words, only listening to each other breathe. I roll on my back, and she straightens her legs and lies on top of me as I take my turn, wrapping my legs around her. This has become my favorite way to snuggle.

Monday, February 29^th

My watch alarm wakes me up all too soon. There is no delaying the inevitable, so I get cleaned up and go back into Christina's room to get dressed. She's up and asks why I didn't wake her.

"You looked so peaceful; I didn't want to disturb you."

"But I want to go with you."

"I didn't know. Hurry up and get ready. I have to leave in less than twenty minutes."

She jumps up and runs to shower, dresses quickly, and we eat, brush our teeth, and rush out the door.

"What's going to happen when Jesse wakes up, and you're not there?" I ask as we climb into my car.

"I taped a note on the bathroom mirror to let her know that I left with you."

I'm almost late for practice, but I'm able to get in the water before the first whistle. Our warmup is using the kickboard for a thousand yards. I see Christina in the stands watching as I lap the pool. The coach yells at me that I'm too slow and that I'd better pick up the pace, so I dig deep and put everything I have into it. After practice, the coach pulls me aside and tells me I can't relax and take it easy now. He emphasizes that I need to push myself each and every time I hit the water. I apologize and assure him it won't happen again.

"Don't tell me your sorry, Tom. This isn't for me. I want you to succeed, so I'm going to ride you harder than I ever have before."

"Yes, Coach," I reply. "Thank you."

I'm embarrassed Christina had to see that, and I vow it'll never happen again.

***************

When I meet up with the group at lunchtime, I sit down at the table with my mind wandering elsewhere. I hear them talking, but I have no idea what the conversation is about. The only thing that keeps me there is Christina and her fingers nonchalantly caressing my hand. I'm thinking about our weekend and my morning practice and how embarrassing it was to be scolded. I vow a second time that I won't give the coach a reason to get on me like that again. Christina gives me a questioning look because she can tell my mind is somewhere else.

"You're quiet," she says. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, fine," I answer. "Later."

She nods and looks a little worried, so I squeeze her hand to give her some assurance.

"Are you coming over to shave me tomorrow night?" I whisper.

I thought I said it quietly, but not enough, because Nicole pipes up loudly, "I want to, please, please, let me do it this time!"

Christina looks at her and says, "Thanks, Nicole, but this is my job. We have a certain way of doing it and," she continues, "call it superstition, but I don't want to change the ritual."

Nicole says she's kidding, but from the look on her face, I wonder if she really is. I enjoy it when Christina shaves me, and I'm glad she feels the same way. She tells me she'll be there with a new razor and a different lotion she wants to try out.

Tuesday, March 1^st

I come home from work to find Christina and my dad sitting in the front room. Dad gives the usual joke about my barber and reminds us not to make a mess. I shower, and Christina shaves me and sits on my rump to massage my shoulders with her new lotion that smells like coconut and chocolate. I enjoy my rub down immensely, and when we finish, she asks if I can drive her home because Nicole dropped her off.

When we get to her house, I walk her to her door as I wrap my arms around her.

"You smell so good. I could eat you," she says.

"Anytime you wish."

Just then, her dad opens the door and says, "I thought I heard noises out here. Why don't you two come in."

We step in the door, and Bob takes a whiff of me.

"That's a weird cologne you're wearing."

"It's not a cologne, Daddy," Christina says. "It's lotion. I used it to give him a massage after I shaved him."

"After you what?" her father says with an astonished look on his face.

I cut in to try and save his daughter by saying, "The coach makes us shave for our swim meets, and I have one tomorrow. It's hard for me to reach my back and such, so Christina helps me. The lotion helps my skin, so it's not so sensitive afterward."

"Maybe you should do that here instead of at his place," he says to her.

I cut in again, "We can, if you want, but," I continue, "you'd have to see me in my Speedo."

Bob's face tightens, and says, "Yeah, maybe that's not a good idea after all." Then, he walks away, leaving Christina and me alone in the entryway.

"Smooth...very smooth," Christina whispers.

I smile and give her a kiss as I leave while the leaving is good.

Wednesday, March 2^nd

I meet the group at the lunch table and sit down.

Clark looks at me and sticks his fist out for a bump while grinning. "Dude, I hear you sidestepped a good one last night."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

Christina laughs and says, "My dad, your Speedo, remember?"

I chuckle, "Oh, that, yeah...it was nuthin."

I tell Christina I have to leave for the bus, so she kisses me and tells me good luck. I ask the group if they're going to be there again. Unfortunately, they say no, because Nicole has things to take care of, and she's usually their ride. I look at Christina, and she just shrugs and kisses me again.

"Come to my house for dinner tonight," she says.

"Do your parents know you're inviting me?"

"Not yet, but they won't mind. They love it when you're there."

I take Christina in my arms and kiss her again, "I'm going to miss you...a lot!"

"I'm going to miss you too," she answers as I get up and trot off to the bus.

***************

My meet goes well, I'm still undefeated in my individual events, but we only won one of our relays. I'm bummed because the one we didn't win was really close. The coach presents me with my letter and some patches to put on it during the bus ride home. He tells me I should get a jacket as soon as I can and have everything sewn on. My teammates give me a round of applause, which feels really good. They were welcoming when I joined the team, but now, I'm one of them.

We get back to the school and file off the bus. Unfortunately, my personal cheering section isn't there, which is a bit of a letdown. Still, each of my teammates gives me a slap on the back and tells me congratulations, which is awesome. A couple of the guys stop and tell me where to get my jacket, and I know right where the store is because it's in the same shopping center where Christina and I went to buy groceries for her mom.

The coach tells me to stick around for a few minutes, so I do. After my last teammate leaves, he shakes my hand and congratulates me on how well I did. He tells me I should wear my jacket, with all the patches sewn on, to the university's swim meet I'm going to. I thank him for all of his help and tell him I'll take care of it.

I have a lot of time before I need to be at the Taylors, so I decide to get my jacket on the way. I drive home, clean up, and give my dad the rundown on how the meet went. I show him my letter and tell him that I'm going to buy my jacket and then go to the Taylor's for dinner. He gives me some money to help with the cost, tells me to have a good time, and to remember that it's a school night.

As I get close to the shopping center, there's a severe accident in the intersection ahead of me. A car is upside down, and an officer is rerouting traffic. I don't see how it happened, but I hope everyone's okay. Thankfully, the detour leads me right to the parking lot.

I go into the store and purchase my jacket. The salesperson tells me they'll sew my patches on and have it ready on Friday. I'm excited to share yet another accomplishment with Christina. Leaving the store, I'm in a great mood as I drive to the Taylors.