My husband and I visited my parents over Christmas break. I hadn't been home in over a year and I was excited to be there.
My parents live in a two-bedroom condo in Rhode Island. Christmas time is the only time I enjoy the cold weather. My husband and I moved to Mississippi a little over a year ago, and I have found that I enjoy the southern climate a lot better.
The only negative to visiting my parents is that their guest room is not set up for actual guests. It's a combination of an office area with a desk and a stationary bike, neither of which gets any use. That first night on the air mattress was terrible; I awoke the next morning with an ache in my lower back, and it seemed to be spreading to my shoulders throughout the day.
The second night we were there, after I thought both my parents were asleep, I went downstairs to get some water. As I passed my parents room, I could hear my mother snoring loudly. I thought to myself that some things never changed. She's been snoring as long as I can remember.
When I walked down the stairs and into the living room, now dimly lit by the glow of the Christmas tree lights, I saw my dad sitting on the couch. "What are you doing just sitting here?" I asked, as my eyes were adjusting to the lesser light of the room.
With a smile he replied, "I can't sleep with your mom snoring. Sit with me and let's have a chat."
I sat down by him on the couch. I pulled the blanket off the back of the couch to cover my bare legs, as I was only wearing my sleeping shorts and t-shirt. The heat was on in the house, but seeing the snow subtly fall outside the living room window sent a slight chill throughout my body.
My Dad and I have always been close, but as the years went by, he was more nostalgic. He often reflected on the brevity of life and made sure that I was doing fine.
Grabbing my hand, my father said, "Leigh, I want you to know how proud I am of you. I am so thankful that you and Jay found each other; you two are perfect for each other. And I am proud of the woman you have become." At 32, it still means everything to get compliments from my Dad!
While my Dad always loved me, he wasn't always pleased with my choices in men. And if I'm being honest, all of my choices were horrible, except for my husband, Jay. Jay accepted my faults, loved me for me, and had truly become my soulmate. It made me so happy and thankful that my Dad saw Jay as the man he was.
As I shifted on the couch, I grimaced. My aching back was getting worse. Noticing my face, my Dad asked me what was wrong.
"Well for starters, Dad," as I began speaking in a playfully sarcastic tone, "as I've gotten older, I think I've inherited your bad back because it hurts more and more. Not to mention sleeping on that air mattress was awful. Please don't tell Mom I said so, but it is just so uncomfortable."
"Why don't I give your back a little massage?" offered my Dad. I didn't hesitate to accept his offer, and I turned to the side, allowing him better access to my back. As he began to massage me, he couldn't quite get the angle, so he told me to sit in front of him. He opened his legs and scooted back. I sat on the edge of the couch between his legs.
My Dad put his hands underneath the bottom part of my shirt and started to massage my bare lower and middle back. It felt amazing and I asked him to rub my shoulders. He complied and moved his hands up my back, obviously now realizing I wasn't wearing a bra.