Page 56 of Love is So Mean
“Equestrian? Do you still ride when you can?”
“No, I haven’t ridden in months. Next question, left or right side of the bed?”
A low level of sadness hits me again. If she was riding until recently, I have to assume the cancer is to blame. I’m not sure if I want to open up the discussion about her illness, so respond to the next question instead.
“We slept in the same bed last night.”
“I know but I’m reading off the questions. Fine, left side of the bed then. Next one,
“The actual answer is the side Yasmeena doesn’t want because we both know you’re more particular. Try your food.”
Yasmeena eats a bite and waits until she’s done chewing to speak again. “I’ll ignore that. Next, hmm, no skip that one, not important.”
“What’s not important? I’m glowing from how you just raved about what I’ve spent all afternoon cooking for you.”
“It’s really good, thank you.” She takes another bite. “It’s just a question about relationships. Like I said, we can skip it.”
“The more you want to skip it the more I become curious about the question.”
“The question is what is something in past relationships you needed to work on? See, we can skip it.”
“I’ll answer. I can be stubborn, especially when I feel like I’m right about something. It can be endearing and frustrating. While I cannot fully change who I am at the core, I feel like ‘work’ is constant and varies by partner. What worked for me and Emily won’t work for me and you. Overall, I just strive to listen to my partner and try my best to make sure I’m fulfilling her needs.”
“Okay, since you’re answering, I’ll answer as well. I needed to work on choosing better. Someone who couldn’t be controlled by my family. I do however have other hang ups, like my communication could be a little better. Being honest too with things but I guess I did change that a bit since you know about my disorder and diagnosis. Next, first impressions.”
“Your family definitely can’t control me,” I joke as I digest everything she said, “Thank you for sharing with me,” I tell her. “My first impressions of you?”
“Yeah. You can be honest.”
“Beautiful but aloof. Smart and brutally honest.”
“My first impression of you was level-headed, meticulous, and honest. Oh, your eyes. Next, what’s your ideal weekend?”
“Wait. What about my eyes?”
“You have very expressive eyes and them being the color they are, adds an effect to it.”
“An effect, huh? My ideal weekend is complete peace. No work, arguments, or worry. Just rest, good food, and exceptional love making. Yours?”
“Uh, wor-”
“Yas, if you say work for an answer I’m confiscating your laptop.”
Yasmeena glares at me before continuing.
“Fine, I don’t have one. Next question, any hidden talents?”
“What I heard is that we need to do things on the weekend to find out what you like. No hidden talents I can think of I can tango but I wouldn’t call it a hidden talent.”
“That’s cool. It’s not an easy dance to learn and what do people do on the weekends? I don’t think I have hidden talents either.”
“Not work. That’s step one.”
“If you’re not working, what are you supposed to be doing? Just staring at the walls?”
“It’s a concept called fun. First, you must know what’s fun or relaxing to you and go from there. But yes, there have been weekends where I’ve done absolutely nothing.”
“Have you met me? I don’t know what relaxing means.”