Beauty in Repose
“Good morning, sleepyhead,” she said to me. I didn’t open my eyes, but I smiled and stretched on the expensive sheets, making a happy kitty-cat noise. I had slept well–as I always did, in her bed–but I was so perfectly comfortable that I just didn’t want to get up. I could smell her perfume. She waited patiently for me to rouse myself. She was always so good to me. She lifted my arm and kissed the back of my hand. I finally opened my eyes to see her sitting on the edge of the bed looking down at me. I had felt her get up some time earlier, but she was still wearing her lavender silk nightgown. She always looked so well made up. I don’t think I had ever even seen her without makeup on. I guess that was just how she was brought up. It wouldn’t have mattered to me if she didn’t look like some retro icon of femininity. I would have loved her, anyway. ...