In the white light of the afternoon, the window was saying there would be a snow. Tetsu had checked the weather early in the morning, and they were predicting six to eight centimeters, if it would stick. His mom was a little worried about his papa, being on the roads in the evening. Tetsu had assured her that the snow would not stick, and it would just be a light sprinkling, and not to worry. Still, she looked out the window.

Tomorrow was going to be Valentine's Day. Early in the morning, a package arrived addressed to me. His mom had given this to me, and I'd secreted it away in our bedroom closet. It contained a watch with rose gold Roman numerals and hands, a white face, and a rose gold colored matte band. The watch was advertised as unisex, and I hoped Tetsu would like it. It was to be my gift for him on Valentine's Day, as well as homemade chocolate strawberries if I could manage it. His mom would be going to the grocery store today to get strawberries and melting chocolate, if the roads were okay. Still, if I could not melt the chocolate the traditional way, I could still melt it in the microwave, I thought, and Tetsu and I could dip these together in a bowl, and I thought that could be very romantic as well. So, it could work out either way, if the roads were okay today.

Late in the morning, my legs had gone numb again. It was a strange feeling. I could still feel them, it wasn't as if I'd sat on them and that numb feeling you get from that. It was more of a profound weakened feeling, and a pins and needles feeling with an absence of the pins and needles. I could not walk like that, so I'd been wheeling around in my wheelchair. Tetsu was quite worried about this new symptom. He thought it could be a circulation problem, and I wondered if it could be from my diabetes. Either way, we'd soon have to go to Yokohara-sensei about it. I was hoping we could go after Valentine's Day, so we didn't disturb that. It was our first Valentine's Day together, after all. However, I'd noticed over the past couple of days it was happening more frequently, and to both legs at once now. It was worrying, but I didn't let this on to Tetsu. I didn't want to worry him more.

In the late morning, I'd gotten a good idea. I wanted to make a simple bread and some olive oil and Italian herb dip. We had new olive oil that was very flavorful in the house. I told Tetsu about my idea, and he agreed to help me. He was very enthusiastic, and told me he was excited that I wanted to cook. Ah, that smile of his. I'd do anything when he smiled at me like that. That big grin.

So, we set about making it. He got out the ingredients, and I set to start mixing things in the bowl. I was mixing the flour into the yeast mixture, and Tetsu's hands joined mine in the bowl, mixing with me. Seeing his strong hands there filled my heart with a warm feeling. Felt so normal. He was standing behind me as I sat in my wheelchair, and as we mixed together, he rested his chin on top of my head, and I sighed in the pleasure of it. 

The dough was completed, and we let it stand in the bowl to double with the plastic wrap on top. As we waited, I mixed the olive oil and the herbs. I'd bought rosemary, thyme, oregano, and basil last night. I used a cooking brush for this, and as soon as I was done, Tetsu stuck his finger in it like an adorable child. I looked up and watched him put it in his mouth, and his eyes closed and that smile was back. "Taste good?" I asked, my smile joining his.

"Tastes like dreams," he said, his tongue swiping across his bottom lip to get it all. 

I felt myself blush and I couldn't contain my smile, my sour mood from my legs going numb all gone. "Should I put some garlic in it?" I asked.

"No, it tastes fine. A light flavor."

"It will intensify the longer it sits." I couldn't stop looking at him as he smiled like that.

"Mmm. Good. I look forward to it." He sat down next to me, and put his chin in his hand, watching me. Smiling at me. Such a contented look.

"Should I flavor the bread with garlic and black pepper?" I asked, dearly valuing his opinion.

"N-n..." He thought for a second, his big eyes looking upwards. "No. A simple flavor is best."

"Okay." I was freely smiling now, completely forgetting about the sadness of the morning. 

He took my hand, and rolled it back and forth on the table. His lips pursed, and I felt a whole ripple in my body from my toes to the top of my head at it. His face became a very cute expression, and I was transfixed. 

"Ne," He said, clearly in thought. I leaned in to him, closer to his cute face. He'd said a word to get my undivided attention, but he already had it. "Ne," He repeated, "I had an idea for tomorrow, but I don't know." He smiled, bashfully it seemed. 

"Hmm? What is it, my darling?" I put my other hand on top of our hands. He looked at our hands, that same thoughtful expression never leaving.

"Well, it was supposed to be a surprise, but... Well... I suppose we could try..." He was rolling our hands on the table again. He was be being so adorable I could cry. His lip was poking out in a pout. 

"What is it?" I wanted to poke his cheek.

"Well, they're showing a very romantic movie at the local movie theater tomorrow, and tickets are still on sale. But I don't know..." He was looking down at the table now. "If you feel good enough, do you want to go? I'd love to take you there. I used to go to that theater a lot with my sisters when we were kids. I'd love to show it to you." 

Oh. A small tornado was starting up in my chest. My heart started to beat a bit faster at this. If you feel good enough. If... 

I found the room turning slightly blurry, but I caught it before it could get worse. I blinked away my tears. He hadn't meant it in a mean way. I was staring at his expression. It was still curious, and adorable. He hadn't meant anything mean. He'd just meant... I breathed deeply. I felt my lips press together, and he went blurry. 

"Oh no... No, don't cry, my sweetheart. Don't cry. No, no." His warmth surrounded me, the familiar weight of his arms. 

"I want to feel good enough," I said as loudly as I could muster, but it came out quiet. 

"I'm sorry. I was trying to phrase it better. That's not what I meant." He was kissing my hair. So sorry, but he had nothing to feel sorry about. 

"There's nothing to be sorry about. I know what you meant. But, I want to go. I want to. I just don't know if I'll feel good enough. I'm sorry."

"If you don't feel good enough, it's okay. I just wanted to put it out there as an idea. I was going to buy tickets, but I didn't want to pressure you. So, I thought I'd ask first." He made a small tsking sound to comfort me, into my hair. "I'm sorry. I should have thought about it longer to phrase it better. It's not your fault, my sweetheart."

I sniffled. "I shouldn't be crying about it, either. I don't know why I'm crying. I'm sorry."

He rocked me back and forth gently. "It's okay to cry. Don't worry about that." His words were so gentle, too.

"I want to go. Buy the tickets. I'll try my best."

He kissed my hair again. A long, sweet kiss. "Okay, my darling. I will. But if you don't feel good, don't worry. We can find something fun to do. Or, anything. I just want to spend time with you. That's what Valentine's Day is about, anyway. Spending time with each other. It doesn't need to be going out."

I sniffled. He kissed my hair again, rocking me still. His strong arms were so comforting. 

"I'm sorry I made you cry," he whispered. 

I shook my head to best I could in his tight embrace. "It's not you. It's not you... Honestly, I hadn't been feeling good all morning, and... I think it just came out."

"Oh no, sweetie. What happened?" He parted from me, and his face was so full of concern close to mine. I stared at the dark irises of his eyes. Their dark brown color, suddenly so fascinating to me. 

"It's..." I sighed. I wanted to look down in shame, but I didn't want to stop looking at his eyes. "It's my legs. They're getting worse. I just feel like... If it's not one thing, it's another with me. My breathing has been better, and now it's my legs. And I'm sure if my legs feel better, it will be something else. One right after another. It doesn't stop. It doesn't stop...and I'm putting you through all of this, and we can't even go to a movie together without... Without..." My eyes were filling with tears again. He took me into his arms again. Without words. 

He held me for a long time. I sniffed back my tears, and he remained so stable, not moving an inch. His warmth was like a blanket around me, soothing my heart. I closed my eyes, and my mouth was pressed to his shoulder the whole time. His chin rested on my shoulder, and his breaths were a steady rhythm, steadying me as well. 

The egg timer went off, and we parted slowly. It was time to knead the bread to get the air out. He smiled at me, and that broke any tension I had left in my body. "I'll help you," he said, with that reassuring smile. He stood up, and undid the plastic wrap on top of the bowl, and I saw the dough had more than doubled. He lifted it out of the bowl, and I sprinkled flour on the table. He set it down like it was a precious thing. 

"Ready?" He asked. I nodded. 

Together, we began punching at the dough. Both of our fists moving in steady motions, making all the air escape from the sides of the dough. We were left with a flat, bumpy mass. He started to laugh. 

"Hmm?" I couldn't help but smile. His laughter was always infectious.

"I'm happy," he said simply, his smile increasing. 

I wrapped my doughy hands around his waist. I pressed my head to his side. I closed my eyes, my smile never leaving my face. His arm wrapped around my shoulder, pressing me closer to him. 

And this, without words, showed my thanks and love. My gratefulness to him. 

In about an hour, the bread was baking in the oven. It was now early in the afternoon. We were watching out the window in the kitchen together, holding hands. 

"Ah!" He gasped, pointing. I jumped a little, looking hard at what he was pointing at outside the window. Suddenly, I saw it. 

"It's snowing!" I gasped, too. 

He started to giggle, and I started to giggle, too. We were giggling like children. He began rocking his body back and forth in his chair, his face with that same cute expression from earlier, a small pout on his lips.

"What?" I giggled. 

"N-n. I want to eat bread with you and watch the snow falling outside." Said so adorably. My heart filled with warm honey.

I squeezed his hand and he looked at it. "We will. Very soon." I brought his hand to my mouth, and kissed the back of it as gently as I could. I watched his face, and the most beautiful smile bloomed.