Overjoyed

Chapter 34 - I hope you can make me laugh

Dan and I were finally on board our flight to London. I was beside myself with excitement. I was going to live with Dan Smith! Temporarily, of course, but nevertheless. I'd decided to skip my mom's funeral, I just felt that chapter of my life needed to be closed, with immediate effect. I'd spent too many years dwelling on the past.

We'd left Denver on Sunday evening and flew back home to Detroit to get the rest of my things and we were on our way. I closed my eyes tightly and silently promised myself to never make him regret his decision to take me with him. I'd love him, like no one had ever loved him. Fuck I'd make him tea and pancakes any time of the day if it made him happy. He had been there, through the most difficult things I'd had to face in my adult life, and I couldn't thank him enough for it. Recalling all those times he'd held me as my sobs wracked my frame both warmed me and freaked me out. We really hadn't known one another for very long at all, yet he knew me better than anyone. That scared me. What if he were to one day just up and leave me? He could easily just decide he was bored and find something new in a heartbeat. I shuddered at the thought of him picking up some random girl and discarding me like yesterday's dinner. "You're deep in thought" Dan commented quietly, interrupting my rumination. "You give me a fair amount to think about, I'd say" I said back, cheekily. "I do hope it's nothing untoward" he said, lifting an exaggerated hand to his open mouth, "especially not an indecent proposal I might dare make regarding the bathroom." I was in a fit of girlish giggles, as I often was around him. "I swear to God, you have some sort of public bathroom fetish" I teased. "I can't get enough of you, Lize. I'd have you anywhere" he said, his tone dark and hushed. His words sent a quiver straight to my groin, and I had to shift in my seat. "Getting a bit uh, uncomfortable there, are we?" Dan asked knowingly, "it's a good thing we're landing soon; I need to get you home." Home. Although it was said with salacious intent, it still warmed my heart that he considered his place to be my home now too, even though we hadn't officially agreed to me permanently moving in. This was more of a holiday for me to test the waters. I had no idea whether I'd like England or what I'd do there if I did and decided to stay. I couldn't sponge off Dan forever and honestly, I didn't spend four years getting my degree for it to look pretty in a dusty cardboard box while I played happy housewives. "Close your eyes" Dan whispered as the attendant announced that we'd be coming in to land. It was a silly game Dan and I had invented on our last flight back to Michigan. We'd close our eyes and join hands and make swishing sounds. We must have looked so retarded, two grown people acting like five year olds. I guess that's what comes with dating an adorably overgrown kid, who could switch back to being the epitome of maturity and insight at the snap of a finger. I loved him more than anything.

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Dan's apartment was exactly what I'd expected from him. Messy. Instruments and books strewn all over. Unwashed dishes from the last time he'd been home, which was God knows when. "Uh, in hindsight I probably should've had someone come in and tidy the place up" he admitted shyly, looking around at the mess in his living area. "Don't worry," I said, brushing his lips with mine, "we'll sort this place out in a second." I walked over to his sink and started sorting through the ruins. "I feel like a massive arsehole, bringing my girlfriend home for the first time and she already has to clean up after me" he said apologetically. "I hope you know you're helping, right?" I said cheekily, turning around to face him. "Yes Mum" he said, sticking his tongue out at me.