moments ♡

loveseat ♡

There were a million and eighty-seven ways he could’ve spent his day off. They could’ve gone for a long walk in the woods and then kissed under the many-hued sky. They could have cuddled and swapped kisses under covers on the couch while they watched movies all day. They could have spent the day spring cleaning and listening to ancient love songs.

What they did however, was nowhere near that fun. She insisted that they needed a new couch. The kids had spilled on this one and jumped on it, and holes had formed in the cushions, which were so flat that he could feel the springs poking into his back when he laid on the couch with her body atop his while they watched the news together every night.

So, the kids were at school, he was off, and they were in the car on the way to Crate and Barrel. She was driving, and he was holding her hand like they always did. The music wasn’t on, and they didn’t speak. It wasn’t necessary. Silence was comfortable for them. She lifted his hand to her lips to press a kiss on his wedding band, and he beamed. “Love you,” he said quietly, watching her as she focused on where to make the next turn.

“Love you, Babe.” She took the turn, and he watched her focus, the cute shape of her nose holding his attention, followed by the curves of her lips. She was beautiful. He hoped she knew.

When they arrived, he was far from enthusiastic, but she smiled at him, and he played along. He always took her hand when they walked from place to place, as he found that little acts of love can make big differences.

Everything inside was arranged in full living room suits. Matching couches and loveseats sat around coffee tables with glass sculptures on them. “Where do we start?” she asked.

He glanced around, already overwhelmed. “Closest to the door maybe?”

She nodded. “OK.”

He led them to the first couch - a lavender sofa situation with lots of curves. She stopped and looked at it incredulously, but he plopped right down. “Comfy,” he noted.

“Honey, this does not in any way match our living room.”

“But it matches my butt just fine.” She rolled her eyes, but he patted the seat next to him for her to come try it out.

“No. I’m not gonna sit on it and get comfortable when I know we can’t get it because our living room is GOLD AND BROWN, not lavender.”

“Gold and brown are neutrals, right?” He stretched his arms out above his head and yawned. “They can go with lavender.”

She felt like throwing a tantrum. “But this color would go better with a white or gray, which we don’t have. The store does, however have hundreds of couches.”

He sighed and stood, knowing this wasn’t an argument worth having. “Ok. But if nothing else is as comfortable as that one, I’m asking if it comes in other colors.”

“It’s too short for you to lay down on anyway, Babe.”

There was amused surprise in his eyes as he turned and surveyed it again. “You’re not wrong.”

As it turns out, there’s something wrong with every couch in existence. All the vinyl ones made fart noises. All the fabric ones were the wrong color or too flimsy or he couldn’t stretch out all the way. Futons were a bad idea. Sleeper sofas were too heavy, and the kids would always want to sleep in the living room if they found out the couch had a bed in it.

When they reached the last one, she looked at it nervously and hopefully. It was all wrong. It was the wrong color. It was too big. He would not be deterred, though. He had set on every single thing that was made to seat more than one person in the entire establishment (including the clearance room), and he was gonna plant his tush on this one, too.

“Babe, that thing is a monster,” his wife complained as he let go of her hand and crashed on the far left.

He nestled down into the cushion comfortably and patted the seat next to him. “It’s a winner. We’re getting this one.”

She shook her head. “No. It’s too big.”

“We’re a growing family of four,” he argued. “Come here. If I kiss you here long enough, maybe it’ll magically turn into a loveseat.”

She sighed, but she reluctantly sank down next to him. This couch was by far the most comfortable one in the place. It was still too big. They still couldn’t-

Her thoughts came to screeching halt when he rested his fingers beneath her chin and kissed her. She couldn’t let herself be swept away like she normally would’ve. They were in public, but he was so tender with her. He was trying to coerce her. This was not fair. Neither was the way his fingers stroked lightly along her jaw.

She pulled away before she could be pulled into him and his soft lips and warm body and long fingers. This was unfair. Her brain was fuzzy. Her heart was mushy.

“So, why shouldn’t we get this one?” he asked, humor deep in his eyes.

For the life of her she tried to remember, “Um… I guess this one is good.”

They got that one.