Thank You, Gravity
Sweetly Smoothie Playing
A few days later, I’m making smoothies. I drop the strawberries and the banana slices into the blender and shut the lid, placing my hand on the top. Pressing the start button, the blender whirs and turns the fruit and ice into slush.
I start pouring the smoothie into a cup when suddenly I feel something jerk on my shoulders. I shriek and turn around, to face a giggling Joe. I laugh in spite of myself and finish pouring my cup.
“Watcha doin?” he asks, peering over my shoulder.
“Making smoothies,” I say, handing a cup out to him. He smiles eagerly. “You always make the best smoothies.” I shrug modestly and take a sip of mine. Joe sucks down on his straw and pops his jaw, licking his lips. “Sweet.”
“Not as sweet as you,” I whisper, lifting up to give Joe a peck on the cheek. His cheeks turn a deep pink and he squints and smiles. I turn back to the counter and start washing out the inside of the blender. Joe loudly slurps on his smoothie, putting the blender back on the base when I’ve cleaned it out.
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We’re sitting on the picnic table at the little playground behind the complex. I always loved being here, there was something about watching toddlers run around that made me feet at ease - like a child again. Joe liked coming here to play his guitar, to play for the kids. We've done it tons of times and I've always loved it.
I smile and clap my hands to the rhythm, sitting next to him as he plays, listening. He hasn’t lost his music skills in the past few years. The kids love it too. Some of them are even older teens, and were fans of us back when.
After Joe finishes a couple songs, we get up and smile at all the kids before he picks his guitar up and starts putting it in his case. I know most of the kids by name, they come every time Joe starts playing.
We stand up, say goodbye to the kids with hugs, and start walking back to the complex.
“Have you been okay lately?” Joe asks me when we get back to the complex. I look at him.
“What do you mean?”
“You seem… out of it,” Joe mutters.
“I’m fine,” I mutter. Joe gives me an empathetic smile, and steals a few quick glances around the room. He pushes his lips onto mine for hardly a second before he pulls back. We’re in public - we can’t be seen. I can’t stop myself from smiling at him by the time we’re at our apartment door.
“Whaat?” he laughs, smiling quizzically at me. I laugh a little.
“Those kids love you.” Joe smiles and shrugs, looking down as he’s blushing. He pushes open the door to apartment. I lean up and kiss him on the cheek again, and he returns is lightly as we walk through the door.
I start pouring the smoothie into a cup when suddenly I feel something jerk on my shoulders. I shriek and turn around, to face a giggling Joe. I laugh in spite of myself and finish pouring my cup.
“Watcha doin?” he asks, peering over my shoulder.
“Making smoothies,” I say, handing a cup out to him. He smiles eagerly. “You always make the best smoothies.” I shrug modestly and take a sip of mine. Joe sucks down on his straw and pops his jaw, licking his lips. “Sweet.”
“Not as sweet as you,” I whisper, lifting up to give Joe a peck on the cheek. His cheeks turn a deep pink and he squints and smiles. I turn back to the counter and start washing out the inside of the blender. Joe loudly slurps on his smoothie, putting the blender back on the base when I’ve cleaned it out.
---------------
We’re sitting on the picnic table at the little playground behind the complex. I always loved being here, there was something about watching toddlers run around that made me feet at ease - like a child again. Joe liked coming here to play his guitar, to play for the kids. We've done it tons of times and I've always loved it.
I smile and clap my hands to the rhythm, sitting next to him as he plays, listening. He hasn’t lost his music skills in the past few years. The kids love it too. Some of them are even older teens, and were fans of us back when.
After Joe finishes a couple songs, we get up and smile at all the kids before he picks his guitar up and starts putting it in his case. I know most of the kids by name, they come every time Joe starts playing.
We stand up, say goodbye to the kids with hugs, and start walking back to the complex.
“Have you been okay lately?” Joe asks me when we get back to the complex. I look at him.
“What do you mean?”
“You seem… out of it,” Joe mutters.
“I’m fine,” I mutter. Joe gives me an empathetic smile, and steals a few quick glances around the room. He pushes his lips onto mine for hardly a second before he pulls back. We’re in public - we can’t be seen. I can’t stop myself from smiling at him by the time we’re at our apartment door.
“Whaat?” he laughs, smiling quizzically at me. I laugh a little.
“Those kids love you.” Joe smiles and shrugs, looking down as he’s blushing. He pushes open the door to apartment. I lean up and kiss him on the cheek again, and he returns is lightly as we walk through the door.