The Perfection in Love - Part One

Chapter 1 - "Henry, I am going to kill you!"

Oyin stared at her husband, trying very hard not to blink.

Must. Not. Blink.

She could not afford to lose. A week of laundry was riding on it. She could see Henry's face begin to color, a telltale sign that he was about to break. She just had to last a fraction-of-a-second longer than him.

He blinked. "Gah!!!"

Oyin jumped up. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Henry folded his arms and pursed his lips in a mock pout. "That was not fair. I demand a rematch."

Oyin grinned triumphantly at her husband. "No rematches, babe. That was the deal."

Henry mumbled unintelligibly, still looking put out.

"Aw. You are such a sore loser." Oyin dropped onto the sofa, next to him.

"I'm not." He grumbled.

"Yeah...you kinda are," she said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"But," she rested her head on his shoulder, "I'll help, since you are being such a big baby – ahem, sore loser – about it."

Henry shook his head vigorously. "No can do. I will do my week of laundry. But mark my words, missy, I will get you next time."

Oyin giggled, shaking her head and nudging his shoulder as a result. "I'd like to see you try, mister."

He smiled brightly, "Oh, I will."

She just rolled her eyes and scoffed in response.

After a few minutes of companionable silence, Oyin made to get up, but Henry's hand on her arm stayed her.

"What are you doing?" she asked, confused.

He said nothing, but with a swift maneuver, she found herself in his lap.

"I think now is as good a time as any." He said cheekily.

"Huh? What are you -" She started to ask.

The words were barely out of her mouth when she found herself in mid-air, flush against Henry's chest.

"Henry, put me down!"

"Nope!" He said with a triumphant smirk.

Oyin closed her eyes and settled into his arms. She already knew where he was taking her.

Men, they only think of one thing.

She was wrong.

She only had a split-second warning before the feeling of weightlessness attacked her senses. Then half a second later, gravity kicked in and plunged her into the shockingly cold water of their backyard swimming pool. She bobbed to the surface sputtering, as she tried to clear her facial orifices of water.

"HENRY, I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Henry snickered from a safe, dry distance. "Who's the sore loser now?"

Oyin growled and launched herself out of the water, murder in her eyes.

Henry's eyes widened, and he sped into the house, Oyin hot on his heels.

***

Sunday morning dawned bright, and by 6am, Oyin was out of bed. Saying a quick prayer, she shot out of bed to brush her teeth. When she returned to the bedroom, Henry was on his knees, waiting for her.

They exchanged smiles, as Oyin too lowered herself to her knees next to him. Together, they read their allotted Scripture chapters of the day, and prayed.