“You don’t have anything pressing to get done today other than your weekly review, do you Babe?” I awoke on my back with a gorgeous creature laying over me like a blanket. It took me a few moments to realize the thing of beauty was speaking to me in Julia’s voice.
I then shook my head know, and Julia kissed me and said, “Good. I’m going to call Ellen and Sharon to let them know we’re taking them out for lunch around 2:00 PM and will be picking them up.” I said, “Ok? And… What did you want to do in the meantime? I don’t think it’s even 6:00 AM is it?”
I heard soft playful laughter and felt Julia’s lips against mine for a long moment before she answered. “I’m sure it will be time well spent,” she responded before…
Um… Well… It was time well spent and we didn’t hit the shower until noontime. And… When we got home from lunch with the ladies later that afternoon, we took a nap together for a little while before heading off to our respective studies to take care of things we each wanted to deal with in preparation for the week ahead.
When I got done in my study, I found Julia stretched out on her couch listening to something that sounded like one of my podcasts. “You really are good at this,” she said looking up at me when I walked in. “Another episode of Brian Schnabel’s Head Space?” I asked.
“You know it!” Julia said joyfully. “You should be working in my profession.”
I laughed and said, “Yeah… I’d be known as New Jersey’s Therapist of Death due to the clients all committing suicide after a few sessions with me.” I felt one of Julia’s hands catch hold of my wrist and gently pull me towards her, the light tugging on my arm and movements I heard her make on the leather couch all indicating to me that she wanted me to sit with her.
“Your book sales and subsequent reviews are through the roof because the people reading them appreciate your honesty. And… You’ve always been an excellent source of the best advice for me and a sounding board that’s priceless. I’m telling you Mr. Schnabel that all those women out there who have thumbed their nose at you in one fashion or another were stupid.”
She shifted around a bit to sit on my lap and put her arms around me. She then kissed me for a long while and then said rather breathlessly, “By the way… This isn’t the ghost of your former wife coming back to haunt you on a full moon in human form. I am your wife in the flesh. And… Um… If you ever said anything I found hurtful it was only because it was a truth you were having trouble articulating so I would understand, or something I just didn’t want to hear but needed to. These things aren’t always on you.”
“Yeah,” I said. “But you’re mentally stable.” Julia laughed softly replying, “Are you sure about that?” She then slipped a hand down the front of my jeans and cupped my family jewels as she breathed in my ear, “Careful how you answer. I do have a pickling jar ready in the kitchen.”
She then laughed playfully as she withdrew her hand and kissed me again. What seemed like several long sunlit days later, she suddenly jumped to her feet and said sternly, “That’s enough self-degradation out of you Mr. Schnabel. Bed, now!”
I looked at her questioningly for a few seconds and she laughed saying, “No talking. Get a move on. Now!” She then raced out of the study and by the time I had reached the bedroom doorway in a pleasant haze of confusion, she was greeting me with a simple silk tube of a nightgown on which left her shoulders bare save for two strings to hold it up. What transpired after that was definitely a night for the archives. We have lots of those nights. “The archives are getting full!”