A Boob

Once I was outside I broke into a run. I probably looked crazy, running around in jeans at this time of night; but I felt crazy, so it fit. I huffed and puffed, feeling numb and drunk, carelessly inhaling the bitterly cold night air through my mouth. My vocal chords hated me for running in this freezing weather. But I had to get back to my home as quick as I possibly could.

I turned into the townhouse complex and groaned. Our car was parked in its spot in the car port. I ran up to the door, but then stopped and clumsily pulled my wedding ring out of my jacket pocket. I slid the ring on my sweaty, cold finger and then opened the front door. I slammed it behind me in my haste and hustled down the hall.

"Carolyn?!" I called out and rounded the corner of the front hall to look into the kitchen.

Carolyn was standing there, still in her jacket, looking at my almost empty glass of bourbon on the kitchen table

"Hey, hon, where have you been?" she asked and then looked at me and blinked, taking in my heaving chest as I panted. "Are you ok??"

I walked over to Carolyn and slid my hands against her face. I kissed her hard and the kitchen was perceptively quieter without my loud breathing.

I drew away from the kiss after a moment, to catch my breath.

"Are you drunk?" Carolyn asked, raising her eyebrows and chuckling at me.

"I love you, Carolyn," I said.

She smiled at me a little worriedly. "I love you, too... is everything ok? Where'd you go?"

"I was just finishing a mini midlife crisis," I said.

"What?" Carolyn laughed, frowning at me, not remembering my stupid joke.

I ran my hand through Carolyn's hair, pushing it back behind her ear. Her streaks of silver were a little harder to see in her ash blonde hair than in my dark brown. "I love you, Carolyn. I got bored, being in a routine, and I thought I could be young again and redo the past."

"You..." Carolyn tried to understand, trailing off. She glanced down at my chest. "That explains the Stones t-shirt," she said and tapped my clavicle. "Do you remember how drunk we got at that concert-"

"Yes!" I breathed and ran my thumb against Carolyn's lip, making her blink at my affection. "I remember. I also remember singing in line at the movie theatre. I hummed that "Stuck in the Middle" song and it made you laugh because, you know, we were standing in a line with a bunch of other people in front of us and behind us and we were stuck in the middle, remember that?"

Carolyn laughed at me and nodded. "Yes, I remember. I was the one that brought it up,"

I smiled. "Yeah. You did. I love you."

Carolyn shook her head at me, frowning, and laughing. "You and Jack Daniels must have been having a fun time tonight."

I took Carolyn into my arms and hugged her tightly. I kissed her neck through her hair. I could just feel her one boob against my chest, hidden beneath her protective bra and flowy blouse.

Carolyn kept chuckling and she rubbed my shoulders. "You're a bit smelly... did you go to a bar?" she asked curiously.

I moved my head away from her neck and kissed her again, wrapping my arm around her waist and holding her face with my other hand. After a long minute of kissing Carolyn's familiar mouth, I drew away. She blinked at me a couple times.

"Take a shower with me," I said.

"I..." Carolyn said and her hand touched the neckline of her blouse.

"I'll sing to you," I offered, smiling. "Any song you want."