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For dexwebster, who requested my favorite couple of all time. The house is strangely quiet once Maggie's gone to college. The boys have been off for awhile, of course, and though there have been the occasional visits home for food and laundry, even those have tapered recently with girlfriends and graduations and blossoming careers. And Anne, little Anna Bannana who once held her brother in her arms and grudgingly said he could stay, at least until they had a girl, Anne is married. Britney doesn't feel old enough to be a grandmother, but there you are. She has a grandchild on the way, and her baby girl in college, and Kevin fiddling with the cd player. "Dance with me?" It's a request, because Kevin is a gentleman, but she's never been able to say no when he asks her that. His long fingers wrap around her hands, twirling her into his arms, and even now he is tall, stately, warm. She tips her head back to see the smile in his eyes, and is transported to their first dance, at AJ's wedding, when he swept her around the floor and off of her feet. "I love you." They used to say it all the time, drop it in between cleaning up juice and taking the children to soccer games or plays. Lately, though, it's been rarer, something they hold for special moments, because teenaged boys are easily embarrassed and as much as they love each other, they love their children more. Still, it sends shivers down her spine, as always, and she nestles closer, safe in his embrace. "I love you more." She can feel his smile, in the way his arms tighten about her and his nose dips into her hair. "Brit," he says, meaning "not possible." "Brit," and it occurs to her that an empty house is not so bad. "Kevin," she responds. As always, it means "I love you back."
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