Love story

81

"You know Spencer, I expected something more from you..." Melissa said, "I always thought you'd end up with someone great y'know, someone who was going to be like the president of me something..."

She was sipping at a mug of hot coffee and looking at the photo of me, Toby, Poppy and Jake that was placed on the top of the fireplace. It was from our holiday and we were all beaming from ear to ear. This was her way of boasting that she was married to a brain surgeon and I was married to a carpenter.

"Why Toby?" She asked and a frond of anger unfurled in my stomach. Why Toby? Was she serious?? This was such a typical Melissa thing to say, she was always trying to one-up me.

"Why? Because he makes me happier than I ever thought was possible." I say, she seems satisfied with that answer but I feel as though I need to say more, "Because when we're walking down the street together he always reaches for my hand and holds it proudly. And he always rests his hand on my thigh- in a taxi, in the car, on the couch, under the table in a restaurant. It's a simple gesture that communicates so much. He makes silences comfortable instead of awkward. He makes me laugh, and I mean genuinely laugh, so hard I feel like my insides might explode. He never stops trying, or ceases to amaze me. Some mornings he wakes up early to make us a cooked breakfast before I take the kids to school. He keeps his word, every single time and he kisses my forehead on Sunday mornings when my eyes are still closed. He is the best goddamn father and husband in this entire world and, I wouldn't care if he was a dustbin man, I can't imagine being with anyone else." I finish and take a deep breath (and a sip of coffee).

Melissa just nods, a little dumbfounded.

"Spence," I hear and I turn to see Toby stood in the doorway, he'd heard every word and his cornflour blue eyes were filled with love and emotion and I could tell that he was trying not to cry. I felt colour rush to my cheeks, a little embarrassed I walked over to him and I kissed his cheeks where the tears would've fallen if he'd let them. Then I kiss his lips. And I feel like I'm home.