An Artful Mess
Candles flickered softly around her, the fragrant bubbles wafted up into her nose causing the stress that hovered around her after every work day to lift. Their shaggy dog lay on the bath mat, as close as he could get with out being in danger of a surprise bath. Her book was propped up against the side of the tub, just barely past the point of water logged danger. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun to keep it out of the water.
The dog growled softly and let out a bark as the back door creaked open.
“Hello? Anyone home?” A voice called.
“In here.” She replied, not glancing up from her book. Footsteps echoed through the kitchen and down the hall way to the bathroom. The dogs tail wagged fiercely.
“Hey you,” he said entering the bathroom and rubbing the dogs head.
“And hello to you.” He turned and planted a kiss on her cheek. She still didn’t emerge from her book.
“Hi.”
“Wow, nice heart felt welcome.”
“Sorry,” she answered still not leaving the pages of her book, “I just reached the climax and…” She fell silent. He sighed and got down on his knees by the tub. Staring at her face he removed the book from her grasp.
“Woah, no! I was just at the most important part!” She implored trying to snatch the book back. He held it far out of her reach slapping playfully at each attempt she made to grab it back. She resorted to splashing him with a big wave of bathwater.
“Oh, playing dirty now are we?” He said laughing along with her. He stripped his leather jacket, corduroy pants, and shoes. He leaped in the tub with her in his grey cotton t-shirt, plaid boxers, and socks.This caused a huge wave of water that not only splashed her in the face but caused bathwater to soak half the bathroom. The dog happily dodged it barking happily. Bubbles mixed with water spread across the floor drenching everything it touched; her book, his shoes, and the bath mat. He surveyed the mess with a look of enjoyment forming on his face.
“Opps.” He shrugged. Her frown couldn’t hide the look of amusement in her eyes.
“Well won’t that be fun mess to clean up.” She pursed her lips and glared at him.
“Mess? I think you mean work of art.” He laughed.
“How so?” She asked, skeptical.
“See that spot right there? It looks like Einstein’s head.”
“No…it looks like a puddle of water for you to mop up.”
“Well aren’t you a close minded pessimist today.”
“You took my book from me and vandalized it!!”
“While I understand where your anger is coming from, I have to point out that too much reading can fry brain cells and cause you to ignore your beloved.” He pointed to himself, “I saved you the from the deep guilt you would have felt for ignoring me in favor of your book.”
She laughed, and pulled him into a long, sweet kiss.
“There.” She said when they broke apart. “Now you can clean the mess you made a buy me a replacement copy, in hard back preferably.”
