GLORY OF ANNOYANCE

                "What a lucky wife my Tess is to be a sharin' date night mirror with such a gloriously handsome hubby." Ted smugulated.

                "The glory of annoyance," a wrapped in towel Tess cast smirk into mist clad mirror.  Her light almost blond hair still dark from shower, Tess dabbed dew from temple with fresh towel.

                "Annoying bliss, that's me," Ted beamed.

                "Yes dear," Tess gave peck to cheek, sighed and smiled.

                "So," Ted toweled neath arm, "am I?"

                "What?" Tess faked annoyance, smirked again.

                "Am I annoying?" The thought had taken tad a toll on Ted.

                "What," Tess patted water from hair, "what irks me the most is how much I love you." She giggled into fading mist on mirror.

                "Wow," Ted sighed relief, "but is that possible?" Ted mind teetered near overthought overload.

                "Do I detect insecurity?" Tess gently squeezed wet hair with towel.

                "So you feel my insecurity annoying?"

                "A bit, yet flattering, maybe even a little cute." In the looking glass, arms above head, Tess turbanized towel round hair.

                Ted grew quiet.

                "Ted..."

                No response.

                "Teddy..."

                No response.

                "Ted," in mirror Tess saw hubby rapt in trance, "Ted, are you ogling my underarms again?"

                "Whut?" Twas all Ted could muster.

                "You sick puppy," Tess giggled, "stop it," she weakly protested.

                Slowly toweling chest, face slightly a tilt, neath drooping lids Ted brown eyes reflected in the now clear mirror not lust, but adoration... peace... love beyond measure...

                "Oh Mister Annoying..." Tess touched tear neath Ted eye.

                "It's," Ted fought sniffle, "it's just that," he swallowed, "when love grows, by and by gratitude and admiration follow."

                "Awww, nice save, Honey."

                "I thought so." Ted wink begat nother tear down cheek.

                Arms round hubby neck, Tess kiss grew love the more, not swift, yet sweet.  And Tess  breathed past Ted ear, and into the ear of heaven, "Dear Lord, thank you for my Teddy."

                "The gloriously handsome Teddy." Ted regained smugulation.

                "The glory of annoyance, thirty-eight years today." Tess giggled.

                "Whut?" Ted chuckle betrayed playful ploy of forgotten anniversary.

                Tess bit his ear.

                 Cheek to cheek, Tess and Ted eyes rested on the wrapped in each others arms couple in the mirror.

                Ted chuckled, yet as led, so he said, "Once we saw in the mirror thru mist dimly, now we see love clearly."

1st Corinthians NRSV 13:12-13 and 2nd Corinthians NRSV 3:18, ...1st John KJV 4:16-21...

Exodus 38:8 NRSV