Growing Pains [short story]

November 1985

"What about Italian?" Mira prattled on, flipping through the magazine. The phone propped precariously on her knees.

"Why don't we eat in? I can cook something," Daniel said. Although he took his coat off the moment he stepped foot into Mira's apartment, she could still see the tension he wore in his shoulders.

"You've had a long day, takeout is easy, and I'm paying," she teased. "Plus, I'm pretty sure the only thing in there that isn't expired or freezer burnt is butter."

"Why haven't you gone grocery shopping then?" Daniel snapped, hunched over the back of the couch.

Mira whirled for a moment, letting the sting of his abrupt mood swing wear off. "I haven't had much free time," she said, discarding the magazine in her lap.

"You work at a salon, Mira. You have plenty of time to get groceries." Daniel walked to the opposite end of the couch, throwing himself down. Mira paused despite her urge to rage first and talk later. Instead, she carefully plotted her response.

"You're right," she said sarcastically, not breaking contact with Daniel's inquisitive eyes that snapped toward her.

"I'm too busy spending my free time with you. Would you like it if I sent you off right now? I could get groceries if you left." Mira said matter-of-factly as she stood up. She pinned her hands to her hips, pretending to be the bigger person despite her childish desire to come out on top. Daniel looked at her, grimace relaxing into a frown. Multiple beats passed before he quipped up.

"You're right." Daniel grappled for his next words, "I'm sorry."

"I'm always right," Mira muttered, her forgiveness a silent language as she relaxed into Daniel's showering of kisses against her cheek –a prelude to the rest of their night.

"You know, I don't think I've ever had a meal with you that wasn't dinner." Mira toyed with the ends of his sandy brown curls.

"That can't be true." Daniel had moved, lying down on his stomach, cheek pressed against the pillow in Mira's lap. The tension from moments before trickled away with each pass of Mira's forefinger over his creased brow. If there was one thing Mira was better at than Daniel, it was winning an argument.

"No, it is. I've been thinking about it all day. I can't remember anytime we've eaten breakfast or lunch together."

"I'm here in the morning all the time," Daniel said, peeking up at her.

"Yeah, but you always leave after you shower."

"Well, I'm busy," he bristled.

"Too busy you couldn't eat breakfast with me in the past year?" Mira questioned, the precipice of another Daniel sized lash out hanging at the end of her words.

"It hasn't been a year."

"Next month."

"Oh," Daniel said, diffusing. Mira traced the path between his eyebrow to the tip of his nose in the moment of silence.

"Take me out for brunch for our anniversary," Mira said.

"Yeah. Sure." He lay back down, pressing a warm kiss against Mira's wrist.