"Tuck me in."(Kevin Hughes) “Tuck me in.”

I would smile.

“You are twenty two years old…aren’t you a little to old to be tucked in?”

“I will pout all night if you don’t tuck me in.”

I sigh, but not a heavy one. A pretend one that makes her laugh at how “hard done by” I am.

I go to her side of the bed, I tuck her in…tight. Only her tiny nose, sparkling eyes, and forehead- stick out from under the covers.

Then I bend and kiss her softly on what little bit of her cheek is exposed.

“Thank you..I love you.”

She whispers. I go back around the bed to my side. She is already snoring.

*****

“Tuck me in.”

I would smile.

I already tucked in our two children (ages five and six).

“You are a Mother now, with two beautiful daughters. Aren’t you a little old to be tucked in?”

“I will pout all night if you don’t tuck me in.”

I sigh. Dramatically this time. Like I really was hard done by. It makes her laugh.

I go to her side of the bed, I tuck her in…tight. Only her tiny nose, sparkling eyes, and forehead- stick out from under the covers.

Then I bend and kiss her softly on what little bit of her cheek is exposed.

“Thank you. I love you.”

She whispers. I go back around the bed to my side. She is already snoring.


*****

The kids are gone now, both married... and raising their own children. It is our first night alone since way back in the beginning of our marriage.

“Tuck me in.”

I smiled, as she knew I would.

“You are fifty years old now, Honey, isn’t that a little to old to be tucked in?”

“I will pout all night if you don’t tuck me in.”

I sigh. She laughs out loud. It was a pitiful sigh. No oomph to it at all. Not an ounce of complaint or “hard done by” in it at all.

I go to her side of the bed, I tuck her in…tight. Only her tiny nose, sparkling eyes, and forehead- stick out from under the covers.

Then I bend and kiss her softly on what little bit of her cheek is exposed.

“Thank you. I love you.”

She whispers. I go back around the bed to my side. She is already snoring.

*****

I am seventy two years old now. I hear her voice.

“Tuck me in.”

“Honey, you are seventy years old now. Isn’t that a little to old to be tucked in?”

I hear her voice, old, frail, but loving.

“I will pout all night if you don’t tuck me in.”

I sigh. It is an old person’s sigh. One that carries the weight of all the love we carried for decades.

I can feel the smile form on her face.

I pull the sheets back. I fluff up her pillow. I tuck the blankets in... as if she was there. I bend over and kiss where her cheek would have been.

I hear her voice:

“Thank you. I love you.”

I go back around the bed to my side.

I can’t sleep.

I hear her snoring.

I smile.

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