COFFEE A DRIP

                Lured by coffee a drip, one off kilter and half asleep hubby stumbled into kitchen.

                As Ted sat down to waiting mug of fresh coffee, Tess hid smirk with fingers. "Ted, that faded maroon tee shirt is nearing pink. Plus it's inside out. And what' happened to your hair?"

                "Ted felt atop twisted mop, mumbled, "Um, mass hairsteria?"

                Thus triggered, even her index finger neath nose could not stop, non-stop Tess piglet snort-a-rama. That is until inspirational one-upmanship burst out, "I thought mass hysteria was like, when the priest tells a joke... giggle, giggle, snort-snort."

                Ted groaned, "That was a good one, Honey. Almost woke me up." Ted hoisted mug, missed mouth, thumped rim to chin.

                Tess grabbed napkins and corralled steaming hot coffee at table edge. "Almost had a tad a lap hysteria there, Ted Boy."

                Thank you Tessie." Ted rested head gainst her, hugged arm around her.

                Tess almost kissed his forehead, halted, nervously giggled, "That hair looks like a rat nest. I almost expect one to stick his head out any moment and..."

                "Eeeeeek!!" Ted squeaked, tickled her ribs.

                Tess gasped, tried to wiggle free.
             
                "I'm Mr. Tangles. Want to hear me sing rat-acapella? Eeeek-Eeeeeeek!" Ted tickled Tess all the more.

                 Panicked at even the thought of a rat, Tess broke free, caught breath. "You dirty rat! I get up early, fix you coffee, save your naughty bits from scalding, and get scared out of my gourd in return! Ted, I am sick up and fed!"

                "Uh Honey, that's not the correct..."

                "Oooh!" Tess bobby socks spun on dark tile floor, scooted her green and red plaid boxer short bottom near out kitchen door.

                Even while appreciating wife's walk away wiggle, Ted still teased, "Hey while your up can you fetch Mr. Tangles a spot a cheddar?" He smirked, near choked on sip of coffee.

                Moments passed, then a few more. Still sitting at table Ted began to faintly remember something about an old and often misquoted idiom, "Hell hath no fury like a woman without cheddar." He chuckled to himself, but then the dawn of consequences almost prodded, "Did I go like a bridge too afire?" He punctuated snierk with slap of leg, just as Tess re-entered kitchen brandishing mirror, comb, and sharp scissors a snipping.

                Ted gulped.

                Tess advanced, grabbed kitchen towel along the way.  She set the instruments of torture before Ted on table.  She draped towel round Ted neck and shoulders, and while roughly massaging, near choking that neck, uttered thru askew clenched teeth, "This won't hurt a bit. Well, maybe just a little. Ya know when, like when the hair isn't quite cut all the way thru and I pull, maybe even yank just a little too soon to go to the next snip." Tess snatched up comb and scissors.

                "Uh Tess, Honey, Sweetie, maybe you should relax a bit before you start trimming? Take a load off? Enjoy a cup of honey lavender tea?" One wide eyed Ted attempted spousal smoozaliztion. "Ya know, ah, that way we might avert hair-tastrophy." His neurotransmitters misfired into unappreciated, "Hee-hee."

                "Oh, don't worry about that. I'm a regular hair-nado at ultra close trims." Glint of scissor steel echoed midst Tess left eye a twitch. "Why don't cha just hold that mirror, Ted Boy, so you can witness the slashing, I mean expert styling."

                Ted braced for hair massacre. Yet, a little miracle seemed slowly taking place. For as Tess combed and snipped away, her facial tic subsided, her eyes relaxed, filled with forgiveness, even adoration. For in taking care of her Teddy, Tess was taking care... love to repair?

                As Tess combed and snipped one last tangle from Ted hair, she asked, asked as women do, "Why did you pick me?"

                "What?" Ted took sip of coffee. Fought urge to tease Tess. But try as he might a smooth sailing reply eluded him, and that urge to continue tease-athon persisted. "No doubt," he thought, "the result of overdosing on Saturday morning obnoxious cartoon characters as a kid. Maybe I need therapy, or better yet simply ask in Jesus name for guidance in a little prayer..."

                Still combing his hair, Tess eyed hubby, "Quit stalling, Teddy. Spit it out. I am short, little,  certainly no super model. Why did you pick me?"

                Ted scooped Tess to lap. "Not by ruler nor scale be the measure of love, but by what the heart is made of."

                Tess brushed her lips to his, "So, you're sayin' I am not so pretty, but have a pleasing personality?" Tess played coy.

                Prettiest female loon in the whole lagoon," Ted gave his Tess kissy peck.

                "So now I'm crazy?"

                So followed one long and lips a giggle kissy kiss kiss...

                Ted unaware of from mirror hidden... one back of head blotch of hair a missin'...

             
Neither by ruler nor scale be the measure of love... but by what the heart is made of...
Inspired by 1st Samuel 16:7 (How God sees us,,,)