Aperture

Chapter 6

I keep watching the storm, feeling the warm breeze coming through the door. I can hear his sleeping state behind me. I feel his chest rise and fall. I think about what he must have been like back then. Was he mean? Why drinking? Who were these friends that were so bad? Is this the only reason they moved here? A very bright lightning strike lights up the room followed by a very loud rumble of thunder. It made Bridge jump and I felt his arm tighten around me. I take his hand and see a very little tattoo. It's between his fingers on the middle finger and it says breath.

" It's for when I forget." he says softly behind me. Like he read my mind. " I have a lot."

" I have noticed but never really fully looked at them." I told him. " How about this? Do you want a message? Then I can look at most of them."

" You just want to rub me down." he says

" That too." I stand and put my top back on. I put my underwear on from the floor and make my way to my dresser. " I bought this candle a long time ago from a friend. You light it and then use the wax for the message. I have yet to use it."

" Won't that hurt?" he says " Now you want to hurt me?"

" No, it's a safe wax. It doesn't burn you, it's just more warm oil than wax." I tell him laughing.

I light the candle and turn to see him flip over on his stomach. I set it down on the stand and climb back onto the bed and straddle his back so I can do even pressured movements. I pull the blanket down a bit. Running my fingers slowly up and down his spin. I see a tattoo that is a tree one half is a full beautiful oak tree the other side is bare and but beautiful.

" What does this one mean?" I ask him

" Which one is it?" he asks

" tree" I answer

" The great oak tree." he answers " When I was little my dad used to tell us a story about this great oak tree. All three of us would huddle together on the floor and he would get so animated and it was basically about not wanting for things you don't need in life. It was like one side of the tree is ugly and dying in the cold but the other is so happy being beautiful and alive. The one who wants is not loved enough and the other over loved but they need each other to survive. It was a really good story. We all loved it so when we were old enough we all went. All three of us."

I reach over and grab the candle that has now melted down a bit. I pour a bit on his back and set it back down. I start to move my hands around and I watch his tattoos come to life. He has one along his spin in small letters. Life is the path you take. I see a date on his rib.

" And this one means?" I ask him

" That is the date I first went to rehab," he told me. " I have another date on my finger on this hand. For the second time when I relapsed. I never want to forget those dates."

I message the oils into his skin and feel him relax even more. Then I hear my phone chime. His head pops up and he looks at me.

" Are you going to answer that?" he asks me

" Nope I have something better in my hands than a phone." I tell him and I hear him chuckle.

I lean over and kiss his shoulder. " Remember you are always more important." He turns a bit and places a kiss on my lips. " Always."

" I'll try to remember that fact." he smiles at me.

" Ok good but I am going to check it just because the storm is really bad and Aaron isn't home yet." I explain

" Oh nice how short lived my importance is." he laughs out " but it's ok because I need to get up a minute." he says walking to the bathroom.

I grabbed my phone off the dresser and it was a phone call. Not from Aaron though it was another number. I have no voicemail message so I just let it go. I sent a message to Aaron and she got back to me fast.