The Sixth Generation

Tickles & Talks

"Oh my god!" I shriek, running out of my room upstairs. Light streams in from the window, leaving strange patterns on the wooden floor. I clutch my phone in my hand, sprinting at top speed.

"Is there another spider upstairs?" My wife, Lauren, calls from downstairs, her voice all raspy from probably napping. I swear all she does lately is nap; her job has had her up until midnight everyday this week.

"Don't be ridiculous, Lauren," I say, jogging down the stairs. When I get to the last stair, I stumble over my feet, lurching forward. I quickly regain my balance, swerving to the left and gripping onto the banister to steady myself further. "I'd be crying and screaming hysterically if there was a spider upstairs."

"Ah," Lauren purses her lips, nodding once. "Okay. I see. So what is it?"

I swing around the corner, running into the living room. Lauren lays on the couch in her pajamas, her body wrapped in a blanket and her eyes partially shut. When I see her, I plant my fists on my hips, earning a look from Lauren.

"Who woke you up on the wrong side of the bed?" Lauren mumbles, smiling slightly with her lips and her dazzling emerald green eyes.

"Who didn't wake up this morning?" I shoot back, crinkling my nose at my wife. "You— that's who."

"Jeez," Lauren laughs softly, sitting up and rolling her shoulders to crack her back. "One misstep on the stairs and you're off your rocker. What's up, babe?"

"You lately always look so tired, my love," I sigh, sitting at Lauren's feet. Lauren drops her eyes at my words, ripping our steady gaze. "It just makes me angry that you're being worked to the bone a—"

"Camz," Lauren stops me, placing her hand on mine. "I love my job. I'm hardly ever working more than I need to. Just designing the new building downtown took more time than usual."

"Really?" I ask, crossing my legs and pulling them toward me, leaning towards Lauren.

"Would I ever lie to you?" Lauren questions, a smile tugging at her lips.

I laugh softly, shrugging. "I don't know. You're a wild card, you know."

"Sure, sure." Lauren brushes it off, pulling her blanket off her and scooting closer to me. "Anyway, what were you 'oh my god'ing about while tripping over the stairs?"

"Dinah just called and invited us over for dinner tonight." I tell her, raising my eyebrows up and down repeatedly.

"We saw them last week," Lauren runs her fingers through her thick, long black hair. "Why are you so pumped about it?"

"Because she told me that her and Normani adopted twins and their younger sister." I squeal, earning a surprised look from Lauren. Her green eyes sparkle with something I haven't seen from her in a while— excitement.

We haven't done anything too heart speeding, blood rushing, thrilling in a while. A while being since we left summer camp. We haven't conjured our spirits for years. I mean, there hasn't been a need for them. Lauren and I graduated from high school together as a couple and we trekked through college together as well.

I proposed to Lauren about eight months ago. Then the best day of my life happened; we got married in January. That was two months ago. It's April; I just turned 26 last month! Lauren loves to tease me and tell me that she'll be 27 before me. I guess she just likes to say the truth.

"Why didn't they tell me?" Lauren complains, gaping at me. I giggle at my wife's expression, brushing some of her loose hair strands back behind her ear.

"It's because Dinah loves me more." I tease cockily, putting my hands on my knees and leaning closer to Lauren. She raises an eyebrow once we connect eyes. "But guess who loves you more?"