Free Happy Birthday by Letícia Kartalian Page A

fire. Barney whined, but did not get up, and for a few seconds, I felt bad for him. His and Belle’s peace ended when Connie arrived. When you have a dog, it can do whatever it wants. When you have two, things change, but you can manage. When you have three...
    I climbed into bed, already smelling the sweet and faint smell of Doug’s soap, and lay down on the tip of the bed, with my body facing him, inevitably touching my body against his. In a few seconds, I felt his body move away some inches, giving me the space I needed to be comfortable, and then he nested his head in my chest, putting his arm over my stomach. Like he always did. Unconsciously, he knew I was there, and was giving me the hug I wanted. Before closing my eyes and letting the weariness win, I heard the noise of paws on the floor coming to my side. Barney.
    “Good night, boy,” I whispered. Feeling Doug’s warm breathing on my lap, I feel asleep.

    S omething wet and warm was touching my face – my cheek, in fact – and the smell was not as pleasant as it should be.
    I sat down and opened my eyes to see Belle on the bed, wagging her tail and showing her tongue.
    “Damn, Belle,” I complained, “I think we’ll have to start brushing your teeth, girl.” I petted her, which made her lick me again.
    I heard his laughter before watching him coming in, bringing a giant tray on his hands, with more food on top of it than I would be able of eating alone.
    “Belle, get out of bed,” he said, and threw a dog biscuit shaped like a bone, which made her promptly go away.
    “You know she can’t eat inside,” I said frowning and using my fake warning voice while I cleaned my face with a random cloth, but he laughed and blew it, making me giggle. How I missed hearing that laughter soon in the morning... Live, not through a phone.
    “Later I’ll get a broom and clean her mess, ok?”
    “Hum, if you say so.” I winked. He knelt on the bed, placed the tray on my feet, leaned closer, and stole a kiss from me. His lips tasted of coffee.
    I quickly escaped from him, running towards the bathroom to brush my teeth. I knew he didn’t mind kissing me with my morning breath, and neither I minded kissing him, but it was not a reason to make it a habit – like if in all these years that hadn’t happened a million times.
    When I got back to bed, there was no sign of dogs around, so I sat in the same position I was before, and the first thing I did was touch his lips with mine again. Just going on with what he had tried before.
    “Good morning,” he said when our mouths parted, after making his tongue play with mine for a few moments. Good moments. “And happy birthday.” He got one of the plates on the tray, one of the covered ones, and opened it, revealing a chocolate cupcake decorated with three dog paws, my initials, and a little candle in the center.
    I cupped my hands in front of my face, between my cheeks and my mouth, in a failed attempt to hide my smile and my delight for that little cake which I would feel bad for eating. A typical gesture from me, and he knew it very well.
    “Well, I think the candle is pointless, I didn’t mean to light it, but I thought it’d look cute,” he said, handling the little candle.
    “It’s beautiful and perfect. Thank you.” I hugged him so tight, my arms around his neck.
    “So, the cupcake was my idea, but Suz knew a confectioner and Courtney brought it earlier today. There is more in the kitchen and a cake for tonight.” He made me look to him, held my face with his hand, and when I saw the shine in his eyes, I smiled. “Happy birthday and thank you for one more year by your side, for all the happiness, the dogs, our love... I love you. I love you so much. With the force of my life, of my being.
    “I love you, too.” Then he kissed me again, this time with more need, a tender and demanding kiss, showing how much he had missed me, and once again proving that every moment we spend together becomes intense. His