She gives a startled laugh. I grin in the darkness.
“Yeah, he is.”
“Greta?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you believe me?”
“About what?”
“That the only thing that bothers me about your period is that it makes you suffer?”
I feel her shift under the covers, and then her fingers brush my face.
“I like having you as my boyfriend,” she whispers.
I hook a hand around her waist and pull her against me. I press one kiss to her cheek.
“I like it too.”
* * *
I cometo hours later when I feel Greta slip back under the covers. Somewhere at the foot of the bed, Russell gets up and twirls around before flopping down again.
“You okay?” I ask.
Greta settles in next to me. “Yeah. Sorry. I tried to do that without waking you,” she whispers. “Go back to sleep.”
She turns onto her side, becoming my little spoon, and I drape an arm over her.
“Feel okay?” I ask into her hair. Her lilac-scented shampoo is my own personal opioid. Her curls tickle my nose and I grin into them. If she lets me, I’ll spoon her for the rest of my life.
I feel her shrug. “I’ll be alright. Just cramps kickin’ my ass.”
I drag my knuckles to her lower back. “Back here still?” She’s just in her crop top and panties, her skin like heaven, and I could rub her until the sun comes up.
“Eh. Not… really,” she says after a while.
I bring my fingertips to the dip in her waist and let the pads touch just the edge of her belly in case this isn’t okay.
“In front?” I ask, tapping gently.
Her response is almost inaudible. “Mm-hmm.”
I flatten my palm on her belly, right below her navel and just above the band of her panties.
She makes a sound in her throat, but it’s nothing close to an objection.
“Here?”
I feel her nod, and then I press back. Just a little.
“How’s that?” I whisper.
“I-It’s… nice.” She sounds a little surprised.
I don’t pretend to know what menstrual cramps feel like. But chemo used to tear up my stomach. Sometimes, I’d double over, it was so bad. And then there were the leg cramps. Mom and Dad would do their best to rub them out while a nurse would start an IV so I could rehydrate and try to balance my electrolytes.
