“It should be hot, smooth skin,” Mr. Alpha Male stated as he read further into the scene we were editing. “There needs to be a comma after thigh. …her right thigh, as his tongue traced…”
You would think that having a sex scene that you wrote read back to you in slow motion by your significant other would be a romantic way to spend your anniversary. But, you would be wrong.
Yesterday was my 15 year anniversary with Mr. Alpha Male. There was a time, 10 years ago, even 5 years ago; when I would have wanted an exotic vacation, jewelry, or a fancy night out on the town to celebrate such an occasion. However, with our little boy asleep upstairs, and the remnants of his toys strewn across our living room floor, there we sat together on the sofa, diagramming every sentence of a spicy scene I wrote for A Matter of Time. We laughed. I turned an unseemly shade of red. Was it erotic or even sweet, the way we spent our anniversary evening? No, unless you consider the willingness to correct grammar all night sweet- which fortunately I do. Then it occurred to me, as I cringed at my use of the word turgid, real life and fictional life, are exactly opposite concepts to one another.
In fictional life, all heroes smell nice even after a day of riding horses. They never have bad breath, gas, or any annoying habits. The heroines never have to use the bathroom at inconvenient times; and they are never grouchy in the mornings. The timing of changes in life like: career moves, marriage, and children, always come together perfectly to create a happily ever after. There is always plenty of money for ball gowns and London Townhouses. The bad guy gets what he deserves in the end, while the good guy reaps the rewards. And I’m certain that they celebrate all anniversaries in extreme style.
And then there is real life. Bills, stress, stinky feet, crying babies, colds, dirty dishes, and work all seem to punctuate our daily routines, leaving no room for the sweeping romances I like to read and write about. However, I wouldn’t have it any other way. It was a perfectly un-perfect way to spend my anniversary with Mr. Alpha Male.
I am thankful for the gritty, real life that I’m surrounded in everyday, even if I would rather be wearing a ball gown while I write this. How real is your real life? Would you rather be wearing a ball gown?
2 comments:
I'd rather wear the ball gown!
Sure, I'll take the ball gown, but more importantly, I'd like to see my DH in a waist coat and riding boots. Oh, or better yet, dressed like a gladiator! Oh, or a captain in the British Royal Navy. Or in black leather pants. ...You see where I'm going with this?
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