Burn It and Move On

Part 5: Summer 1995 - Ohio

Christopher and I curled up together on the couch in his basement, our legs tangled together as we cuddled together under a blanket. His boxy television set the VHS of the Lion King and his baby brother Joshua sat contently on the floor in front of it. He threw his little toddler head back and sung along as loudly as he could.

"I'm really sorry we got stuck babysitting this time." Christopher traced circles into the palm of my hand.

"It's okay, I like kids." I moved closer to him and rested my head on his shoulder. "And I love this movie, I saw it when it first came out."

"Yeah, but I wanted to do something better with you for our third date."

Our first date, the smell of popcorn and liquid butter. Floors sticky with spilled soda. Christopher's hand trembling slightly as he held onto mine. He was nervous. He was cute.

"Hey," I poked at his face with my free hand and Christopher broke into a smile. "I just like being with you."

He caught my hand, held both of them in his. "I like being with you too."

Joshua turned around to look at us, smiling with his tiny little teeth. "Toffee! Look! Toffee!"

"Yeah, I see it, Joshy, it's Pumbaa."

"Toffee?" I whispered.

"Shut up, he can't say Christopher."

"No, it's cute."

Joshua toddled over to us and reached up to us. Christopher lifted his little brother into our laps and he cuddled down between us.

Paris, 1860. "En haut! En haut!" Francois reached up to me with his chubby baby arms and I lifted the joyous little boy up onto my hip. He tugged at my hair and broke out into bubbling giggles as he spun my curls around his tiny baby fist.

Joshua pulled at my shirt, catching my hair in the process, and pointed to the screen again. "Look! Look!"

"Yeah, it's Pumbaa." I untangled my hair from his little hand. "Is Pumbaa your favorite?"

He grinned and nodded enthusiastically. "And Timon!"

"Those two are so funny! Nala's my favorite."

Christopher smiled at us. "You're good with him."

"He's sweet."

"He drives me nuts, he's so annoying."

"He's not annoying! You're not annoying, are you, Joshy?" I booped his nose. "Tell Toffee you're not annoying."

"I'm not!" Joshua giggled. "I'm not!"