A warm shower & a warmer bed

You take a short shower, cleanse away the worries of the day, and pat yourself dry in the bathroom. Fog coats the mirror, which you wipe away with your hand. You stare at the man within the polished metal. He stares back, tired but eager. Not that you can blame him, after everything that has happened to you recently. You shoot him a wide grin and wrap your towel around your waist, as you leave the bathroom.

You return to your bedroom to find Nadia already in bed, rolled over with her back to you as usual. You slide on some sleeping shorts and ease underneath the covers, finding her dressed in another nightgown. Normally, you would stop there, but you decide to push it, just a little. You slide closer to your wife and wrap your hand across her waist, pulling her into a loose spooning position. You pause, waiting for the resulting storm with held breath, but it never comes. In fact, she nestles closer into your, until her back rests against your chest.

You lean into her, enjoying the unfamiliar sensation. How long had it been? In one night, you had managed to reverse so much damage. So much hate. The Affection Multiplier is a wonderful thing, truly. The sexual encounters it seems to elicit are enjoyable, of course, but the love - the love of your family! It means more than what sex could ever offer. Karina, your daughter, eager to see you. Nadia, your wife, snuggled against you in bed. Before, these ideas were only fever dreams. Now, they're real.

You begin to drift off to sleep, sad to dream dreams that you know cannot compare to the wonder you now feel. In a sudden moment of tenderness, you plant a soft kiss against the back of Nadia's hair, enjoying the silken threads against your lips.

"Goodnight, dear."

To your surprise, she whispers back: "Goodnight, Lev."