21 Jump Street (Tom Hanson)

Puppy Love

April 1990

I was standing in the bathroom brushing my hair before bed. I had just refilled our white ceramic bathroom soap dispenser and replaced the white tea scented oil and reeds from our reed diffuser that sits on a shelf in the bathroom. I was already in my pajamas, and my teeth were brushed. I heard the front door open, and Tom called out, "Mickey?"

"I'm in here!" I called back out to him as I dabbed some cream onto a pimple that popped up last night. It took all of my mental strength now to squeeze it. I thought that when I became an adult, my skin would stop breaking out so I was quite annoyed.

Moments later, he came into the bathroom and handed me a bouquet of flowers.

I gasped and beamed at the gift. "Oh, thank you. I meant to grab some today but I totally forgot."

Tom gave me a kiss just as he set the flowers on the bathroom counter that was littered with my makeup, jewelry, red nail polish, a string of pearls, my hand cream, my hair brush, and perfume that I haven't had time to put away yet. I planned to put the flowers in the glass vase on our dining table before I went to bed, as the vase is currently empty from the bouquet I had to throw away yesterday. He took my hairbrush from me and gave me a sly little grin. He was in his work clothes, but he must have left his blazer in the living room.

"How was your day?" He asked as he brushed my hair softly. I already got most of the tangles out, so this was very relaxing.

"Good." I closed my eyes and felt his hand come up to tenderly massage my scalp as he continued to brush my hair. "I unclogged that drain and I made some dinner. It's on the stove. A pretty productive day-off. How's was yours?"

"My day was just fine," he said.

"Oh, where did you hide the chocolate?" I asked. We bought some together the other day and it suddenly vanished and I knew there was no way it was already gone. "I tried to find it earlier and I know you're hiding it like a squirrel preparing for hibernation."

He chuckled and said, "bottom of the pantry." I felt his soft lips press into the side of my neck and he said, "how did I get so lucky to have you?"

I suddenly got suspicious. Tom is a real sweetheart and a romantic, but brushing my hair, massaging my head, and complimenting me was weird. Even for him. I opened my eyes and asked, "what did you do?"

"Do?" He scoffed, "I didn't do anything."

"Tom," I giggled, "what did you do? Did you accept a dinner invite from the Dallas's again? Honey, try to remember: we are not friendly."

Tom laughed, "that's not it."

"So, it is something?" I cocked my eyebrow up at him.

He stopped brushing my hair and he looked at me through the mirror. He gave in and said, "fine. Close your eyes."

"Are you serious?" I turned around to look at him.

"Oh, I'm dead serious," he said with a straight face. He put his hands on my shoulders and squeezed softly. But, I saw a twinkle in his eye so I knew this surprise wasn't bad, even though he acted like it was.

I couldn't help but chuckle at him as I closed my eyes.

"No peaking," he said.

"I'm not."

His footsteps trailed away and I leaned back against the bathroom counter and waited for him to come back. I opened my eyes a bit to peak, and I heard him coming back from the living room.

He was behind the door when he asked, "are your eyes still closed?"

"Yeah," I lied.

"Close them," he said.