As always on Happy Endings, this is a real story from my marriage. I wrote it inspired by many of you who’ve told me you read these stories aloud to your partners.

You can just read this yourself, or you can try reading it aloud together — one as me, one as Joe (can you tell who is who?).

The one who needed something said, “Hey, come over here.” They were lying on their back on the bed, with a knee up.

The one who had something to give said, “Here?” They knew to lie down beside them, but they wanted to be sure.

“Yes, beside me,” the one in need said, their hand rubbing a spot for the other.

The giver lay on their side, resting their cheek on their lover’s bicep, near the elbow nook.

“You’ve had a headache,” the giver said. “Right?”

“Yeah, it’s been throbbing.”

“That’s the wrong place for a throb,” the giver said.

“You’re a dork,” they laughed.

“But I’m right.”

“You love to be right.”

The giver made coy eyes. “Thanks for doing your best to love that about me.”

“Thanks for loving me.”

“Now, let me see how I can help. But first, kiss me?”

The one in need twisted their face to meet the givers. Their lips met. It was a slow kiss, but not deep. They both were inhaling the whole time. Their lips left with a smack.

The giver raised onto their elbow, then climbed atop their needy lover, straddling them. Their clothed crotches nearly lined up.

Lovers (Self-portrait with Wally) Egon Schiele (1914)

The giver said, “Can I touch you?”

“Please.”

The giver’s fingertips touched their reclined lover's hairline and slid their tips across their scalp, then kept their palms in place – fully covering the top of the one in need's head, who closed their eyes.

They stayed that way for some time.

Then the giver slid their fingers back in the direction they came, and brought their thumbs to the two corners of the eye sockets. They pressed their thumbs up gently along the sides of the bridge of the nose, moving the inner eyebrows up.

“Does it feel good?”

“Yes,” said the one in need. “Very.”

The giver continued touching their lover’s face. The palms of their hands moved their cheeks in a circle. Then pushed their hair back, flattening their ears. Then stroked down their neck, and finally rested their hands on their lover’s chest, their fingertips just below the collarbone.

“This feels great.”

“I’m glad to help.”

The giver moved their hands down the sides of their lover’s chest, and up the middle, and again down the sides.

Then, their fingers pointed inward as their hands moved down the one in need’s stomach.

For a long while, the giver kept their hands resting above their lovers' hip bones.

They both felt warmth between them. One of them twitched.

Now the rest is up to you.

Soundtrack: your slowed breathing

Tell me:

Am I the one in need, or is Joe?
Will you try? Did you try?

Tell someone:

What do you need?

Do Try This At Home