In life, everyone makes compromises. We give something to get something. It isn't often both sides get everything they want, or end up completely satisfied with whatever it is, once they've gotten it.
Ben and Gabrielle, however, had always been happy with each other, and with the little trade-offs their life together sometimes required.
The events that led to the compromise, which in turn led to the fulfillment of Gaby's number one unfulfilled fantasy, began with an innocent remark.
"I'm thinking about getting my hair cut," Gaby said.
They sat at the kitchen table, enjoying a lazy Saturday morning brunch; she wore a tight, white cotton wife beater, and blood red boxer shorts; he a black t-shirt and baggy gray sweatpants.
"Any particular reason?" Ben asked, figuring she probably meant nothing more than a trim.
"I'd just like a change," she answered, munching a piece of toast.
"Hmmm," he mumbled, then fell silent.
He let the silence hang in the air, while counting the seconds in his head.
"Well?" she asked, finally.
"Well, what?" he teased.
"What do you think?" she asked.
He looked at her and thought for a few moments.
"I think you should get a pixie cut," he suggested.
"Really? A pixie?" she asked, scrunching her nose. "I wasn't thinking of going that short."
"Yep, like Anne Hathaway got after 'Les Miserables,'" he said, horribly mispronouncing the title of the movie. "I think it's very sexy."
Gaby put her hand to the side of her head, and tugged at a long strand of dark brown hair.
"She is gorgeous," Gaby agreed. "But, my hair has never been that short."
As long as he'd known her, Gaby's hair had fallen to the middle of her back.
"I'm not sayin'," Ben said. "I'm just sayin'."
"I was thinking of taking off a few inches," she said, quietly. "Nothing crazy."
"OK," he said, indefinitely.
More silence passed between them.
"You'd like my hair like that?" she asked, a minute later.
He smiled before he answered.
"Gabrielle; my muse; my love; light of my life," he began, seriously, "I love you as you are. I would love you if you were bald. I would love you if you were as hairy as the abominable-ble-ble snowman."
She laughed at him.
"OK," he said, with a grin, "maybe not if you were bald."
She threw her last bite of toast at him and stuck out her tongue. He reached out, grabbed her arm, and pulled her to him, holding her sideways on his lap.
"Dear," he said, looking into her deep, brown eyes, "I love your hair the way it is.
He used his right hand to sweep her hair away from her neck. He leaned in close and she felt his hot breath wash over her dark olive skin.
"But," he whispered, "if you cut it short, I'll have greater access to your pretty little neck."
He kissed her neck, and trailed his tongue across her jugular.
"Ohhh," Gaby moaned, "you know what that does to me."
"Mmmm, hmmm," he murmured, not removing his lips from her skin.
She struggled to turn herself. Finally straddling him on the chair, she put her hands on the sides of his face and pulled his lips to hers. She kissed him deeply, pushing her tongue against his.
Ben wrapped his arms around her and slipped his hands inside the fabric of her shirt. He let his fingers caress her back.
"You're starting trouble," she whispered, breaking the kiss.
"You noticed, eh," he said, and kissed her again.
She pushed herself away from him, breaking free of his grasp, and stood up. She looked down at him in the chair, then held out her hand.
"Come on," she demanded. "Let's go."
She led him out of the kitchen and turned toward the bedroom.
He followed willingly, squeezing her hand gently. Of course, he knew better than to believe she had completely abandoned the subject of her hair.
It took two days.
Monday evening, after arriving home from school, she brought up the subject again.
"I'll make a deal with you," she said.
"OK," he said, tentatively, "let's hear it."
"I'll get the pixie cut, if you do something for me," she said.
"Gaby, you know I would do almost anything for you already," he reminded her.
"We'll see," she said.
"What is it?" he asked.
She looked at him for a few moments, but remained silent.
"Well," he prompted.
She hesitated another moment, then explained what she wanted.
When she finished, he remained silent for nearly a minute.
"Where did that come from?" he asked, finally.
"I don't know," she answered. "It's been a fantasy of mine for a long time."
"And, you've never done it?" he asked.
"No," she said. "I've never even told anyone about it. It's probably my number one unfulfilled fantasy."
He took another moment to deliberate. She watched him as he weighed her offer.
"I have a few conditions," he said. "And, one request."
"Go ahead," she said.
He explained, and she quickly consented to all.
"OK, then; let's do it," he said, simply.
"Really?" she asked, surprised.
He looked at her.
"You thought I'd say no without even considering it, didn't you?" he asked.
She didn't reply for several seconds.
"I..." she began.
"Too late," he said, cutting her off, "the deal is made. You can't back out now."
"I didn't think you'd do that," she said, quietly.
"Have I ever said no to any sexual request you've made?" he asked.
"No," she answered.
"This will require a trip to the toy store," Ben said.
"Why?" she asked.
"To get the necessary...equipment," he said.
"You don't think what we have is adequate?" she asked.
He shook his head.
"So, when are you going to get your hair cut?" he asked.
"I don't have class Friday afternoon," she said. "I'll try to get an appointment for then."
"Cool," he said. "I think I'm free. I'll call Giuseppe's. We can go to dinner afterward, and then to the toy store."
"Deal," she said, not completely sure about her end of the bargain.
Late Friday afternoon, Ben drove Gaby in his Jeep to her hairstylist.
She wore black leather pants; a tight, black, backless top, and four-inch strappy black heels to enhance her 5'2" height. She'd painted her finger and toe nails blood red. He could see her toes peeking out through the front of her shoes. She'd accessorized her appearance with blood red lipstick.
He walked to the door of the salon with her. He pulled the door open and waited as she walked in. He moved to follow her.
"Oh, no you don't," she said, turning toward him. "This will be hard enough without you sitting there watching."
"What are you talking about?" he asked.
"Why don't you go browse around Barnes & Noble," she suggested, waving a hand in the direction of the bookstore two doors down. "I'll come find you when I'm done."
"Why?" he asked. "Don't you want me to meet your hairdresser?"
"Get moving," she ordered.
"She's really hot, isn't she?" he asked.
"She is a he, you idiot," Gaby said.
"A he?" Ben asked.
"Yes," she said, loudly, "and he'd be more interested in your ass than in mine. Now go."
"OK, if you insist," he teased, as he turned toward the bookstore.
She shook her head as he walked away.
Ben spent nearly an hour in the bookstore. He wandered the aisles, finding several books he wanted; then sat down to flip through one of them while he waited for Gaby.
He laughed at the myriad people sitting around with laptop and tablet computers.
Bunch of hippies, he thought, why don't you actually buy a book instead of sitting here for hours using the free wi-fi?
He happened to glance at the entrance as Gaby walked through the door. A man exiting the store at the same time nearly walked into the door as he turned his head to stare at Gaby. Her hair looked fantastic. The cut was precisely what Ben had envisioned, and he told himself he'd have to thank her stylist.
Gaby didn't see him, and began walking toward the other side of the store. She had her right hand up at her neck, and she trailed her fingers along the bottom of her new hairstyle. Ben chuckled as he stood up and followed her. He crouched slightly, to avoid being seen by her.
He moved quickly and caught her near the back corner of the store.
"Excuse me, Miss," he said, quietly, "but, how'd you like to go out and have a good time?"
"I don't know if my fiancé would like that very much," she said, turning slowly to face him.
"Is he bigger than me?" Ben asked.
She glanced down at his crotch.
"Hmmm, probably," she said, dismissively.
"Well, I'm pretty good with my fingers and tongue, too," he offered.
"My guy has magic fingers," she said, turning away from him, pretending to look at the books on the nearest shelf.
"Really?" he asked.
"Really," she confirmed. "He is a master at making me cum."
"Must be a great guy," he said.
"Well, he's not too bright sometimes," she teased, "and he's insanely jealous; not to mention built like a gorilla."
"Huh. I guess I'd better leave before he shows up," Ben said.
"I guess you better," she echoed.
Ben turned to walk away, but Gaby grabbed him.
"What do you think about it?" she asked.
He reached up to touch the side of her head, letting his fingers run through the short hair.
"I think it looks fantastic," he said. "No, that's not even close. I think it looks incredibly fantastic. Or, even, terrifically, incredibly, fantastic!"
"So, you're saying you like it?" she laughed.
"Do you like it?" he asked.
