Boycotting Blue

38/Blue

Blue

It took me exactly one month to get better.

   I leaned backwards, watching Lou wriggle her butt in front of the TV. She tossed her head back and laughed as she tried to keep up with the dance movements. She tried some weird criss-cross action, ended up tripping, and rolled over onto her stomach, laughing. I chuckled at her antics. Ever since the Big Awful-as she called it-we hadn't let each other out of our sight. She felt guilty-which she didn't need to feel-and I felt like I needed to protect her. She rolled over, the floor catching the edge of her shirt and pulling it up, exposing her bare belly. It was flat and smooth, the same even brown as the rest of her. "Is your ass the same color as the rest of you?" I asked, curious. I eyed it like I could see beneath the clothes.

   She nodded. "Give or take a shade or two."

   "Prove it." I grinned at her.

   She rolled her eyes. "You wish." Standing, she tossed herself on the recliner next to me. She immediately snuggled into my good side, even though my bad side was fine, save for a long scar where the stitches had been.

   "I do." I reached underneath her and squeezed. She had been a lot.... Looser since we came back from the hospital. Freer. She didn't mind me touching her, didn't cry as much-except that one time when Tio got on her case-and she didn't care. It was nice, a welcome relief from the Old Lou. The new one was much, much more fun to be around. "It's hard."

    "You're hard!" she replied. Her mouth popped open as she realized her words. She slapped a hand over her mouth, laughing.

    I arched an eyebrow. "Not yet, but I could be, if that's what you want." I winked at her.

   She shook her head. "Juan's home," she whispered, looking upstairs, like he was going to come down. God knew what he was doing upstairs with Mom.

   That was something I hadn't gotten used to yet.

   Mom had been around now, sitting in the room with Rodriguez and Tio. Talking. Laughing. Rodriguez was getting nicer since the cancer was taking su vida. Mom seemed not to care either way, and Tio, well, he was keeping an eye on me. He seemed to have lost all feelings for Lou, except hate, so I made sure to keep them away.

   But Mom was here all the time, cooking and cleaning, taking care of me, watching for signs I'd fall into another coma. It was a miracle I had survived the last one-at first, they had induced me to save my life, but then it took me longer to wake up than they thought. I wasn't supposed to survive, but I did. Gracias a Dio!

   She touched my cheek, pulling my thoughts to her. "Whatcha thinkin' about?" Her soft voice coupled with her full, soft lips, made me want to kiss her. She saw the look in my eyes and smirked. "Kiss for your thoughts?"

   Couldn't argue with that. "Of course." I pushed her hair out of her eyes, leaning closer to her. "Thinkin' about mi familia now." I swiped a kiss before she could respond. It was quick and sweet-just like the unsatisfying kisses we had been giving each other this past month.

   She smiled. "That's good." She tilted her chin up, kissing me first this time. "So, fiancé, what're we doin' Friday night after the game?"

   I bit back a smile at the word. She joked about it, but I was completely serious about marrying her. There was not another girl who made me feel like Lou did. I wanted her and only her for the rest of my life. "Well, it involves a bed-"

   She narrowed her eyes at me. "You better say sleeping.'"

   I laughed. "Claro, mi amor. What else would I be talkin' about?" I shifted, stretching my long legs out in front of me. She 'stretched', her hand ending up on my bare chest. "If you want to feel me up, just do it. No games." I dropped my voice. "Games only turn me on more."