Ridiculous: Mattory

5: Darkness and Fears to Appease

Matt

I could only describe the next few weeks as blissful.

After so many years of keeping myself on a painfully tight rein around Mal, the opportunity to loose those reins, to finally let myself feel, is like the first bright day of spring after a miserable winter.

To continue with the horse analogy, I have to admit that I'm a little exuberant now that I've taken the bit in my teeth. More dates follow the first (second? I'm still not entirely sure whether to count our lunch as one). From coffee and donuts before work, to a terribly romantic walk in a snowy park, to a much more successful attempt of an evening at LaBella, each one is better than the last because I'm spending them with her.

Along with the dates, there's a lot of kissing. A ridiculous amount of kissing, actually, and I wonder when 'ridiculous' became the go-to word to describe my life.

January draws to a close and February opens with a bang, a huge snowstorm that practically shuts down the entire city. Life returns to normal in short order, and Mal and I take advantage of the cold snap by cuddling and watching cheesy movies, alternating apartments every time.

We haven't told the cast about our relationship, but our friends can be surprisingly perceptive, and I have a feeling a few of them have guessed. Mallory and I have decided we'll tell them for real after Valentine's Day, an event that I'm already preparing for.

Between now and then, though, we do have work to do. We have our on-location sketch to film this week, and I'm sitting in Natalie's car, waiting outside Mallory's apartment building.

"Come on, Mal, we've got a three hour drive ahead of us," Stacey complains from the passenger seat. Normally I would be more put-out about sitting in the backseat, but it's Mal who's going to be in the back with me, so I can't find it in me to complain.

"I'll go check on her," I volunteer, already pushing open the door. I hear what sounds like a snicker from Stacey, but I ignore him, instead heading up to my girlfriend's apartment.

It's automatic now, finding my way up to her. "Mal, we haven't got all day," I call, rapping my fingers smartly on her door.

It swings open under my knuckles, and I find myself caught up in a whirlwind of Mallory, my lips finding hers like a beacon. Even though I should be expecting it by now, the enthusiasm of her greeting almost knocks me off my feet. "Well hello there. Happy to see me?"

She gives me a devilish grin and I pick up her duffle bag from where it landed when she kissed me, slinging it over one shoulder. "I am. Stacey texted me a few minutes ago that you guys were almost here, but I really did hope you'd come get me," she says, turning around and locking her door.

"Your wish is my command, milady," I tease, wrapping my free arm around her automatically. "Although Natalie and Stacey might be a little less forgiving, with you keeping us waiting and all that."

"They'll live." We weave through the lobby and out into the parking lot, parting to a more platonic distance when we make it outside, and Natalie pops the trunk when we reach the car. I set Mallory's bag inside next to our three, before settling into the backseat across from her.

"All right," Natalie says, adjusting the rear view mirror so she can fix us with a mock maternal glare. "No hanky-panky going on back there, you two."

I give a snort that turns into more of a choke, while Mallory swats at Natalie's shoulder and says, "Shut up, Natalie." My girlfriend grins at me and rolls her eyes, and I nod at our driver and twirl my finger by my ear, making the universal 'she's nuts' symbol.