THE MOMENT
“Babe,” Wylma broke the pleasant silence as the two relaxed on Peter's large sofa. He turned his attention from the TV to her and she continued. “Would you love me if I was a worm?” She asked. Peter panicked. There had to be something behind that question.
“Babe I know you're a wyrm, that's one of the main reasons I'm dating you,” he smiled. Was this it? Were they finally going to talk about moving in together? He hoped she'd want to move into his place; she already spent most of her free time there even if he wasn't home.
“No, I meant the pink kind,” she said. That answer confused Peter even more. She couldn't mean…
“Well you're already red, so you're not that far off,” he replied. He was still smiling, but a fog of confusion started forming in his mind. Where was this conversation going?
“NO, I meant the ones who live in dirt,” Wylma said.
“But don't you already live in a cave?” Peter chuckled with a broad grin; it looked like the expected conversation after all. “Unless you're thinking a cave isn't enough anymore?”
“I mean the kind used for bait!” Wylma ignored the conversation Peter wanted to have and continued explaining what she meant. Now, Peter was doubly confused. Was it just a game?
“Well, you've certainly hooked me…?” he replied with a dimmer, unsure smile.
“The kind that birds eat!” she said.
“You're… my…. chick?” Peter asked, then shook his head. “Honey, I don’t know what you're asking.”
“WORM!” she said. “Would you still love me if I was a W-O-R-M, WORM!”
“Oh,” Peter went quiet for a moment. “Why didn't you just spell it the first time I got it wrong? Or the third?”
“I just didn't. So, would you?” she replied. To be fair, her single-mindedness was another trait of hers he found adorable.
“No, not at all,” Peter shook his head. “Worms don't even know how to comprehend that kind of relationship. They don’t know a thing about the needs of others; didn't I tell you about my Ex?”
“Huh? Oh! Wait, that clingy bitch was a worm? I thought she was a W-Y-R-M.”
“Nope,” Peter smiled. “You're my first one of those.”