Shakespeare's Valentine Pt. 04

Cherri said: "I believe you."

I searched her face, stared into her eyes. Finally the best that I could come up with was: "Well then, my Lady, I really hope that's not why you're crying."

95.

She made a sound in her throat; might have been a laugh, or it might have been a sob. Then Cherri Morganthal said: "Dai Brenner."

My turn to wait. After a few sniffs, she continued: "You know, if you weren't such an idiot, or maybe if you just weren't male, you'd know. I've been in love with you for more than...but," she took a deep breath, tried to keep her voice under control. "I think I'm crying because when you said that you loved me...I just flat out believed you, no questions asked. And, and...and it's not like nobody's ever said it to me before. I just haven't believed it, not for a long time now. A really long time. Not since..." She was crying harder now, so it took me a second to understand what she said next. "I guess I didn't think I ever would."

And then she was in my arms, and I was crying too: happiness, relief, sympathy, blind terror, take your pick. I kissed her hair, and tried to calm her sobs without really knowing why. What the hell do we have against crying anyway? It didn't seem to be doing me any harm.

"Shhh, Sweetheart, I've got you, and it's gonna be fine. Everything's gonna be just fine."

I heard what sounded suspiciously like a snort from the woman I loved, but I suppose it might have been a laugh. In any case, she was smiling when she looked up into my face.

"Everything's gonna be fine, huh? Does that mean I get all the goodnight kisses I want, whenever I want them?"

My turn to snort. "Of course, my Lady. That goes without saying."

"Hmmm," she brought her lips to mine, and just before they touched, she whispered "then I guess I believe that too."

To be continued...