She stood back to appreciate her handiwork.
A mix of tidiness and lived-in disarray. The books. The pillows. The cozy afghans on the couch.
“She’ll love it,” he said from behind her, and she jumped. She hadn’t heard him enter.
She leaned against his chest. Felt the thrumming of his steady heart.
“How do you know?” she fretted.
“Because it’s not about perfection, but about having enough support so that no matter how you wobble,” his hand rose toward the bookshelves, “you’re bookended by love.”
She kissed his palm.
“Let’s go get our new daughter, then. Bring her home.”
For Rochelle’s FridayFictioneers
Photo: Dale Rogerson (thank you for the homey, inviting photo prompt inspiration! This room makes me wanna curl up with a good book on the couch. xoxo, your NYNF)
Na'ama Yehuda 
Lovely sentiment 🙂
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Thank you! (I hope Dale will still invite me to her house after I put words into her living spaces 🙂 – in my defense, it is very very inviting to my heart!) 🙂
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Aww, lovely
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🙂 Glad you liked! Didn’t it look like a room you wanted to hang out in? 🙂
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I think it’s a good mix of comfort and style
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Exactly! 🙂
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🙏🏼👍🏼
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Awww! What a lovely, lovely line!
“Because it’s not about perfection, but about having enough support so that no matter how you wobble,” his hand rose toward the bookshelves, “you’re bookended by love.”
And it tells us the whole story, too. Super writing, Na’ama! Kudos!
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Yay! So glad you liked! Yes, probably a longer story behind all of it! And, kudos to Dale’s loveliness that led us to an inviting home, eh!?
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A delightful story with a touching last line. She’ll love it, of that there’s no doubt.
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I think so, too! They sound like a nice couple with a sweet connection. 🙂
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Sorry for the multiple likes filling your notification panel. It was my way of saying I loved it all.
And this is such a touching and sweet story. I love that you see my living room as cozier than I do!!
I have zero doubt the daughter will love it. It will exude the warmth of her new parents, anyway.
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I like a lotta likes! You are welcome to like all the likes in my likes section! 😀
Love that you liked my little story, and, yes, “home” was my first association. This is TOTALLY a room I’d immediately feel comfy in, and it is inviting and real and no fuss while still giving space and ease. So there you go! And books, of course. Because it ain’t a real home without books to me. 🙂
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Of course you do. 😉 Especially when they are real ans not bots!
Yes, I really did. TOTALLY love that you immediately feel comfy in my living room. Lotsa books… Most are gonna be put into another room when I do my reno. Will still be a home, right?
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Yeah, me no like bots. Me no want bots. Bots like is no real like.
Yeah, books need to be in the HOME. It no matter if they not in the living room, as long as they are accessible in another room. One of my friends lined the stairs with book shelves. Another has the whole basement/den set up with book cases. It don’t matter as long as a home gots books. 🙂
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They are soooo annoying!.
Yes, they do. Can you imagine the nerve of my sister telling me I have too many? Who needs that kind of negativity?
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Too many bots, surely? Because there is NO WAY she’d meant you have too many BOOKS! There is no such thing as too many books. There is only such a thing as too little a space … but that can usually be solved by making more piles. 🙂
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Surely.
And yeah. She said it. And she reads more than I do. But she doesn’t keep any (or borrows mine!)
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Well, to each their own. I just sayin that for moi, a house’s home-feel requires a decent book fill. 🙂
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Obviously, I agree with you so this discussion is moot. 😁😉
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Maybe moot but still a hoot! 😉
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Toot! Toot!
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🙂
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Ain’t that the truth!
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😀
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Sweet story, Na’ama 🙂
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Thank you! 🙂
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“Because it’s not about perfection, but about having enough support so that no matter how you wobble,” his hand rose toward the bookshelves, “you’re bookended by love.” You win the internet today! Great writing.
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Yay! So glad you liked! 🙂
(PS what are the terms of internet winning? do I have to duck the paparazzi? asking for a friend … 😉 )
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Haha. Tell your friend I don’t really know the definition. It’s usually when someone replies or posts something incredibly clever or witty. 😀
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Ah, okay, very well then … 😉
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Na’ma Y’karah,
How could I not love this piece? I predict this little girl is going to grow up in the perfect home (even if it isn’t perfect by others’ standarts). Wonderfully written.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you, dear Rochelle! It was Dale’s lovely inspiration that had passed inspection! 😉 Yes, I think the girl will be fine with them couple, right? 🙂 No need for perfection. Need for affection. …
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I read your uplifting and wonderful story. Then, I immediately started down the comment path to find what Dale had to say. Fun stuff all the way around.
I recently read Larry McMurtry’s memoir, “Books.” Apparently what most people have is WAY too few books. If you’re not in six figures, you’re a book slacker. 🙂 Fun one, Na’ama.
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(wait … six figures? hold on … checking my slacker-risk … 😉 )
One MUST give some leeway to peeps living in small NYC apartments … but, e-books do compensate for some of the lack of 3D space …. so I’m okay. 😉
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Leeway given. Now that you mention it, I forgot to count my e-books. 🙂
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E-books are like broken pieces of cookies: You can have as many as you want and it doesn’t count toward taking up space, but is (almost) just as tasty. 😉
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That is brilliant. 🙂
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Lovely words. They’ll make good parents.
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I think they would, too! 🙂
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Sweet and touching story about the power of sharing the overflowing love
they have for each other with their daughter. Love it …
Isadora 😎
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Thank you, Isadora! I’m so glad you liked! 🙂
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It does look like a welcoming place.
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I know!! I told Dale exactly that! 🙂
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I enjoyed reading this, and I did not suspect the ending line
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🙂 Ah, I hope it was a good surprise. 🙂
Thank you, Michael!
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