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Her nose scrunches up, then she pouts, her shoulders drooping, leaning back against me again. "Well, I'm trying not to be."
I laugh. "Are you?"
She spins around and her hand meets the back of my head in a karate chop.
"Oowwwwwwwwwwww," I moan in exaggeration. "Not only are you a bitch, but you're violent too!"
"Good. You show everyone your bruise and tell them if they don't bow down to my bitchiness, I'll karate chop them, too. And maybe even kick them a little. But just in the shin."
Finger tips lingering on the nape of her neck, I blow gently, a shiver scattering over her body. "Scary. I take it back. You're not a bitch, Rissie."
"That's right," she gurgles happily.
"You'reQueen Bitch!"
"Matthias!"
I hug her to me, enjoying the feel of her wriggling body against mine. "Come on, I'm just saying you know what you want and you make it known. And usually what you want is the right thing. But when it's not..."
"Yeah?" she says, a hint of hope in her voice.
"Well, then you're really a bitch."
She sighs and looks down at her hands. "Fine, I'll try harder."
My finger comes up to tickle her cheek. "Why, Rissie? Did I tell you that I don't like it?" She shrugs. How does she make even that look cute? "I didn't. I don't want you to change a damn thing about yourself."
That seems to placate her and she thinks about it for a moment. "Good. Because I don't see myself changing."
"But you already have. Look around you. Look what you've done. Would Clarissa of a year ago have been able to do all this? Clarissa from six months ago?"
"No?" she sounds unsure, not knowing where I'm going with the question.
I smile and kiss her on the forehead. "Of course, she could have. Shedid. You did. That was a trick question."
Her head rests against my shoulder and she looks up at me, giving me a grateful smile. "But it was really hard. Itishard."
"I know, darling. I know."
Thoughts still running through her head, she unwraps a Caramello Koala from the tray of snacks we pilfered from the kitchen. Breaking off the head, as is her ritual, she pops it into her mouth. Then she reaches behind her toward me. I open my mouth and she drops the other half inside.
"Hmmm, thank you," I mumble with a full mouth. "Wow, who are you? Is this an imposter? The Rissie I know would never share her Caramellos."
Her fingers reach back and to play with my hair as she says, "I'm just trying not to be a bitch, remember?"
I test the theory and reach for another koala from the plate.
She grabs a handful of my hair and yanks.
"Ow!!" I playfully yell, "I'm calling the police! Tell them I'm being attacked by a bitchy notbitch!"
"Go ahead, they'll side with me. I'm pretty, remember?" Her eyelids flutter prettily as she says it.
My arms come back around her middle and I hug her as tightly as I can. "Yes, darling. You're pretty."
She giggles happily, drunkenly, and does a little dance as she unwraps another chocolate.
My heart almost bursts with contentment.
