He's a hard man to buy gifts for. His wants are few, his tastes exact, and he doesn't exactly drop any hints. But it's Walter's birthday and so I'm making an effort.
I decided that a variety of smaller gifts would have a better chance of success. A couple of hits and a couple of misses, maybe. And dinner. I'll never be the cook he is, but I'm capable of roasting a chicken and buying cheesecake.
It smells good. He should be here in half an hour or so. I put the potatoes on to boil and sit down to wrap up the presents. I have a box. I'm too lazy to wrap each one and I know Walter would make snide remarks about all the wasted paper.
First, two novels. The latest Le Carre, boring in my opinion, but he likes them. And I took a chance on "Memoirs of a Geisha." I haven't read it, but I have a hunch it will be his kind of thing. A bag of salted licorice. I didn't even know such a thing existed until Walter. Tickets to a play. Another iffy item -- I'm not sure he'll enjoy it. I sort of don't think I will.
And finally, the album. I've been working on it for a couple of weeks now. I can't resist taking one more look at it before I wrap it up. The cover is an old photo of Lucy, sphinx-proud on the sofa. Pouring myself a glass of wine, I start to leaf through it.
There are pictures we took of each other in the park: Walter in a ball cap, sitting with his back against a tree; me looking very uncool in sunglasses. A snap I took of Walter napping on the couch, with Lucy snoozing slit-eyed on his chest. It's one of my favourites. I had it made into a mouse pad, too, for me. It makes me smile every time I look at it.
And here's one of Lucy when she was a kitten, chasing dust mice.
Shots from Christmas at my mother's. Us standing stiffly together in front of the tree. Walter in an apron, peeling vegetables with my mother. Me ladling punch for the party guests. A copy of a picture one of the neighbours took, of Walter kissing Lisa's jerk boyfriend under the mistletoe. I laugh every time I remember. I forget his name. Should have kept this one out for blackmail or something. I can just imagine what Walter is going to say when he sees it.
Lucy watching the fish and gerbil habitat. She's got such an inquisitive mind.
This one is priceless: a duty shot of Walter in the stocking cap Grandma knitted for him. He's doing his best to look grateful, but I can feel the invisible scowl rays pouring off the page. I didn't realise she still had some of that blue and orange wool mix left. I remember how Lucy kept trying to jump up and bat at the tassel.
A few normal looking pics of me and Walter sitting on the couch at the New Year's Eve party. Azie's a good photographer. Good thing she finally gave up pestering us to pose some "more artistic" shots for her.
I flip past the picture Walter took of me the next morning. I know he likes it, but I get hangover flashbacks just looking at it.
Here's a really cute one of Lucy sleeping on Walter's pillow. She does that when he's not here.
This one of me he hasn't seen before -- from the lab at work. From when we made that Mad Scientist A Month calendar in 95. I love the diabolical expression on my face and the electrodes on JC's temples. I should put it up on my website too.
How many shots of Lucy did I put in here? Three in a row of her chasing butterflies in the back yard!
Oh, I love this one: from just before Easter, when I made Walter colour eggs with me. He didn't know about that green food colouring on his face until hours later. He looks so cute.
And here's Lucy with the bandage on her leg. Her being lost was so awful. Thank God Walter found her.
Maybe I should have put in more pictures of her.
Walter will love these canoe trip pictures. Him glowing and happy, me cranky and with dirt on my face. It was fun, though. Not that I'd be too eager to do it again.
And the last page: taken with the tripod and timer, from a funny angle, Walter and I as Batman and Robin. Those were great costumes. I wish I had a better shot. I wish Walter would become a super hero so I could see him in tights more often. I wish he hadn't sworn me to secrecy about our caper that night. I could dine out on that story for the rest of my life.
I put in the album and close the box. I forgot to buy wrapping paper so I have to make do with an old piece I found in the closet. With balloons on it. I think it will be enough. Yes, just barely. Holding the paper down with one hand, I try to tear off a long strip of tape.
The potatoes boil over. Damn. Jumping up, I turn down the heat and wipe the stove off. Lucy leaps onto the table and swipes at the tape. It sticks to her paw. Damn again. She can't get it unstuck and she takes off, running crazily with the tape dispenser dragging along beside her.
I hear the door bang and soon Walter is in the kitchen, holding a tape-free Lucy in the crook of his arm. He comes over to me. I kiss him. He smiles. He's beautiful.
I wish I had my camera.
FINIS