paraflox.

      "Comfortable?"  I rubbed my hands surreptitiously together, making sure they weren't sticky, then placed an arm around her.  The low light of the carriage helped disguise my blush for a natural face colour.  Nothing to see, just, normal.  Yes.  She smiled and glanced at my face.  "Now I am."  I paused. "Oh."  That was positive, yeah?  Well.  "Anyway, nice to meet you."  Leaning over, she whispered into my ear, "We've been married four days.  But I knew you for twelve before that.  Twelve years.  Take a deep breath."
   
      In, out.  Deep.  I cleared my throat.  Her dress rustled on the floor as she shifted her legs.  Everything was just so acute.  I needed to calm down.  "Em, so I searched up belligerence the other day."  She looked up.  "Sorry, what?"  Speak in a higher register.  Just speak normally, relax.  You've done it before.  But you've never done this before.  Shut up.  "I... looked up a word you told me to yesterday."  My voice cracked.  She smiled.  "But that wasn't quite what you said the first time?"  "You didn't hear what I said the first time."  "How do you know that?"  My eyebrows folded.  "Well you said, 'sorry, what?'  Or something to that effect."  Again.  She smiled.  Oh, that smile.  Her head fell softly against my arm.  I felt tall.

      Her voice broke the silence again.  "Hey."

      "Yeah."

      "I love you.  You know that?"

      "Yeah."