Nathan rolled onto his back. The deed was done. A certain Rottweiler was sweating and his breaths were heavy. Not quite panting. But the middle aged, divorced father was getting there.
His choice partner sat up and placed herself right on the brown landing strip of fur that was Nathan's chest, looking down at him so sweetly.
"How was that for being tired?" The otter asked, webbed digit drawing circles in his brown fur while she looked up at him, propped up by the opposite arm whose elbow rested on his chest too, chin in her palm. The river otter, about three times smaller than her partner, kicked her legs up and down behind her while she waited for an answer.
"I mean I'm still tired, Shelly." Nathan replied, shifting slightly beneath her. One arm rested coiled beneath his head while the other coiled around the otter, paw resting in the dip of her back. Really easy to reach when she was so short!
"Well then go to sleep." Shelly tapped his nose with her drawing finger.
"If I do, yer' juss' gonna leave."
"Yeah, I was. You sleep like a rock after sex. Still. She teased, bearing a toothy smile at him.
"I do not." Nathan countered. "I just am tired. I do a lot in my day."
"Uh huh."
"When's yer' flight anyways? You can stay longer."
Raised brow. "Says who?"
"Says me."
"And why's that? What if I leave tomorrow?"
"Ya' don't leave tomorrow, pumpkin. You've never done the family reunion thing an' stayed fer' juss' a couple days."
"Well I have work in two days. Can't stay longer. I get on the flight at 7 PM tonight so I'll be home by midnight, then I have a single day's grace before I have work the next day."
"That was a rehearsed lie. Sweet. I of all people know you wouldn't skip out on getting the bet dick of your life. An' yer' not gonna come here without makin' sure you can be fucked day after day." Smug grin from the dog.
"Nate, you really think I don't get fucked in my regular life? I go on dates and stuff. You aren't the only one who fucks around."
"Riiight. I don't believe that one fer' a second. I know the only thing you do is go to work, come back home, an' check to see whether ya' got a message from me 'er somethin'. Or waitin' 'till the next family reunion so you know the next time you can be fucked."
"You live in your own world Nate, I swear. You're not the main character, you know that? Life goes on when you're not paying attention, handsome."
"Sure. Whatever ya' say. What's the reunion goin' like anyway? Did yer' brother ask about me?"
"No one asked about you, Nate." Shelly rolled her eyes "Everyone is fine though. My brother actually had his first child last year. So we got to see the baby."
"I didn't know he got pregnant! Congratulate him for me."
"Nate, you know what I mean."
Nathan couldn't help but laugh, making her form bounce just barely. "I'm playin' is all."
"What about your family? What are they up to?"
"Everyone's great! Neil is doin' well in the photography business. Roger is retired now, livin' happily on the farm. Natalie is actually over there fer' the summer. She loves it."
"Uh huh."
There was an audible silence shared between the two; or would silence be inaudible instead? Nathan had to be the one to break said silence.
"Roger asks about you sometimes."
"Yeah?"
"Mmhmm. He knows I keep in touch."
"You tell him?"
"Of course I do."
"Why?"
"You know why."
"Hmm."
"Roger actually liked you. After the whole thing you did after prom night. He said you had guts."
"That's cute. I didn't know that. You said 'actually' as if it's hard to impress him. Did he not like... Her?"
Another pause consisting of silence but not as much as the previous.
"No, he didn't. Said she was an airhead who was just gonna end up with a ton of debt after college and start living her life when she was 40."
"Well. Was he right?"
"Kinda'. Rebecca isn't 40 yet but she's still paying off that debt. She's isn't doing so bad, either."
"Will you two get remarried?"
"Fuck no! I think she and I are just two people who are not meant to be."
"Like you and I."
"Is that a question?"
"Did it sound like one?"
"Shelly."
"Nathan."
"I am just asking. That's all."
"Well I'm not, so."
"I could tell."
"Is that why you asked if that was a question? Or is it because you wanted me to change my answer?"
"Maybe."
"Uh huh."
Another silence due between them. Nathan can tell Shelly is feeling on edge thanks to their conversation. She's very clear with her emotions. Unlike Rebecca. Nathan leaned up to kiss her. At first, it started as a peck. Then it evolved into a lot of tongue and head turning. When he laid his head down, he brought up a different topic.
"Remember prom night?"
"No."
"You're smiling."
"I remembered a funny joke my brother told me earlier today."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Right."
"What about prom night?"
"Ya' don't remember."
"Then remind me."
"Well I remember I was in my suit and you were in that dress. The purple one."
"My mom said I would look good in purple. I wanted a green one. To match my eyes. And I had green earrings I was going to wear."
"The purple looked good on you."
"Uh huh."
"I remember you kept tryna' get me to dance and I didn't want to."
"Yeah, because you were awful at it and didn't want to look like a fool in front of the whole school because everyone was looking at the most popular kid."
"So much fer' not remembering."
"Bits and pieces."
"I remember when ya' finally got me to dance with you, we had to do it by a table so you an' I could be the same height."
Shelly giggled. "What can I say? Otters are short. You danced well though, I was happy that you danced with me. I think I remember every second of it."
"I know I do. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun was playing. I think that's why I like that song so much."
"You're such a charmer. No wonder you had so many girlfriends in high school."
"I only had one, pumpkin."
"Uh huh."
"An' then they had the slow dancing. I don't remember the song though."
"The most romantic part and you don't remember it?"
"I was too focused on how beautiful you looked. It was dark but I could still see your eyes. I had my paws on yer' hips an' you could hardly reach my shoulders. An' the perfume you were wearing was divine."
"I wasn't wearing perfume. Mom said not to."
"Oh yeah, you always smell like that."
"Working overtime, I see. Hopefully you get paid vacation too."
Nathan laughed and leaned in to kiss her, but not far because she closed the distance between them. His woman's graces he has won in battle!
They returned to their resting positions except now Shelly had left her paws around his neck. Nathan's on her waist now. Bare this time, unlike at prom.
"We were kinda' like this, weren't we?"
"A bit. I liked you better with the suit on though."
"I don't keep one in the bed, sorry. I prefer to be naked. To be fair, I liked you when you had the dress off."
"You're not supposed to give strays because then they keep coming back and expect more."
"Too late, babe."
"I can tell. And I keep feeding him for some reason."
"It's because you love him, but yer' not admitting it to yerself' fer' whatever reason."
"Because I think he decides what people feel for them instead of listening to what they really feel like."
"I don't have to listen if I know the answer. Talkin' fer' no reason at that point."
"Uh huh."
"Right."
"You took me home with you that night. Roger wasn't happy about finding us fucking on the couch."
"Yer' moans woke him up. I said not to be loud because of that."
"Then you should've taken me upstairs!"
"Yer' dress was off at the door!"
"So?"
"So I had to, ya' know... slam the otter."
"And boy, did I get slammed. That was the best sex I've ever had, I think."
"Says the girl that doesn't remember prom night."
"Yeah, I could be wrong it being the best." She teased.
"Right. At least you got on dad's good graces that night."
"He sounded really mad when he talked to me."
"Well the next morning, after I took ya' home, he asked me if that was the girl I've been seein' behind, ya' know... Rebecca's back. And I said yes. Then he asked me if I, uh, proposed."
"Why did he ask that?"
"He and I were talking."
"About?"
"You know."
"See? That's why. You think you know everyone and what they're thinking."
"Shelly, yer' not a fucking idiot. Stop playing like you are. Yer' actin' this way because you know. And you know you know. But you don't want to admit it. You act like I wasn't the guy you talked to fer' hours after school. The one you invited over to yer' house when yer' parents were gone. Like you didn't chat with me every time after sex like this. Every. Damn. Time. Hours an' hours of just talking to me. Telling me everything. Kissing and whispering to me."
"Uh huh. Keep telling yourself that."
"I do. Because I'm right. Yer' the only person that doesn't get it."
Another silence. He had lost the graces he had just won.
"I told him I didn't."
"And then what?"
"He said I was a fucking idiot and to get my act together."
"How would you propose if you didn't have a ring?"
"I did."
Another due silence.
"With you?"
Nathan can hear it coming. It's like thunder. Shelly was also sitting up now. Distance between their faces.
"On you?? Like with you??"
"Yes! Shelly, come on."
A paw was raised. One to her own face when she was turned. And the other came down to his face. At first, he thought she was going to hit him. And then it grabbed his snout, keeping it closed. The dog was slowly beginning to hear sobs. He was slowly realizing that this was a bad idea.
"You ARE an idiot..."
Nathan pushed away her paw. "I made a mistake and I'm sorry. It was a hard thing for me to do. I was 17! What did you expect??"
"I expected you to marry the girl you spent every day with! The one who spent almot every night with you! But you know why I was disappointed?? Because you can't understand the simplest thing! It was so clear for you and you couldn't even make an easy decision!"
"Shelly, it wasn't that easy."
"That's why you didn't let me put my paws in your suit pocket when we got outside..."
"It was in my right pocket."
"I HATE you."
"Shelly, you don't mean that. But I do mean it when I want to marry you now. I always ask you..."
"Nathan, it's not the same anymore. I'm not a high schooler who's enamored with the foot team's star player! I'm not some horny otter waiting for her 'boyfriend' who's dating the cheerleading captain to call her at night or to come over by her house, and he always has to make an excuse, otherwise his ACTUAL girlfriend will find out."
"I know, I was dumb but I was young! I was popular! I didn't think about all those things! I just thought Rebecca was the better choice for me! We could actually have a family together!"
"Yeah, and some family you have! Divorced, daughter spending time between her and her mom who's a dumb bitch despite all that college she went to and her dad sleeping with everyone because he has no idea what he wants to do with his boring life because HE made the wrong decision! Why?? Because he wanted THIS life. A broken home with a reminder running around about how he chose the wrong girl, the one that was more than happy to leave him instead of the girl that actually loved him!"
"Yeah, but the problem is that I can solve it all for both of us in a instant! I made the wrong choice... everyone makes bad decisions! I want to make it right but you won't let me!"
"Oh yeah? By giving me the opportunity to be your second option? Oh my god, that makes me so happy! Thank you, egotistical Rottweiler who thinks the world revolves around him! I would be honored!"
"Shelly, it's about wanting to be with you! It's not about the sex or trying to give myself something I know I should've had. I just want to be with you, Shelly. I know it was wrong to choose Rebecca. Every time I see you, it reminds me. That I should have got down to my knee after we slow danced. That's why I keep seeing you whenever I can. That's why I tell you every time that you should stay with me and get married. That's why I try over and over and even though you ridicule me and turn me down, I try again. Because it's been almost 20 years and I'm STILL in love with you. And you now you love me too. That's why you're here, in my bed. That's why every time you visit, you let me know."
Nathan placed his paws on her arms and he sat up as well. Shelly was full on sobbing now, her paws rubbing away tears that were replaced as soon as she wiped them away. He hugged the otter against his chest, arms wrapping around her. Shelly let it all happen.
"I've never stopped loving you, Shelly. I keep loving you more and more. That's why I stop doin' everything and make sure I can see you. Because I'm a boy that loves a girl who doesn't want to say that she still loves him too. And I don't deserve you. But I want you. Before you disappear from my life altogether."
By now, Shelly had wrapped her ams around him and the sobbing had calmed. Nathan continuously pet over the back of her head down to the nape of her neck in a soothing manner.
"I'm sorry, Shelly. That's all I can say."
Shelly hugged him in return, her whiskered snout buried in the gap between Nathan's shoulder and neck now. "I love you too..."
"Yeah?" Nathan replied. "You didn't have to say it. I always knew."
"I'm tired." She confessed. "Can I just go to sleep? No more talking."
"Yeah, sure. I'll let ya' go to bed. Sun's comin' out, actually." His head flicked to the window that was slightly cracked, sunlight filtering in, dim but clear.
"We've been at it all night, huh?"
"What's new?"
She lied down on her side, looking up at his sitting form. A paw reached out to grab his wrist. "Lay with me. I'm cold."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
Nathan slipped down to the bed, coiling an arm around her waist and tugging her into his body, cheek resting against that broad, brown furred chest.
"Can ya' say it again fer' me?" Nathan punctuated his words by kissing the top of her head.
"What?"
"You know."
"Yeah."
"I'm waiting."
"I love you."
"I love ya' too."
