Head Over Heels

"Where'd you get that coat?" He asked as I made my way down the stairs, toward him. He grinned as he watched me descend, knowing full well the answer to his question.

"Oh, some really hot guy got it for me," I responded as I stepped down onto the first floor.

"Oh, really? And why, may I ask, did he get it for you? What was the occasion?" He turned to face the mirror in the hallway, messing with his curls.

"No reason at all. Just because, I guess." I buttoned the coat over my scarf and pulled my gloves out of the pockets.

"He bought you a coat for no reason?" His eyes were wide in feigned shock.

"Yes. Can you believe it?"

"Wow. A guy bought you a coat that beautiful for no reason at all? He must be head over heels for you to do something like that."

I smiled and wrapped my arms around him. A month or so ago, he'd come home from a long day at work, and scurried up to his room. I'd been having a bad day, full of frustration and annoyance. All I wanted was to curl up with him. He was the only person I wanted to see, and he noticed my sad eyes as soon as he walked into the door. He hugged me and asked about my day. After I explained why I was so forlorn, he kissed the top of my head and told me he'd be right back. He backed away from me and ran upstairs. I sat at the computer, absentmindedly clicking away on blogs, not really reading anything, just occupying my time until his return. From the second floor, I heard him call me.

"Babe, come up here."

Slowly, I closed out of my many open windows and made a sluggish trek up the carpeted stairs. He was in the bedroom, an empty shopping bag resting on the floor and a handful of ties spread out on the bed.

"Check out the ties I bought today," he said, spreading them out for me to see. He held each one up to his dress shirt, modeling each bold accessory for me. I smiled, approved, then collapsed back onto the bed. "Oh, there's something else," he said to me, grabbing my hand.

He pulled me upright. "Stay right here, and close your eyes." I did as he instructed, feeling silly standing in the room with my eyes shut tight. I heard him walk through the door, then his voice from the other room: "Are your eyes closed? Keep 'em closed." I giggled.

"They're closed," I said, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

I heard his feet make their way into the room, I felt his body right behind me. "Put your arms out, behind you," he instructed. I obliged.

And he guided my arms through the arms of a coat. He pulled the collar up and rested the jacket on my shoulders. I opened my eyes, even though he hadn't told me to, and looked down at it. It was the pink and black tailored coat I'd casually mentioned that I liked weeks prior.

"Do you like it?"

What do you say when someone does something so wonderful, so unexpected, that you feel like you might burst if you so much as move to thank them? I turned around to face him, looked at him, then down again at the coat, then back at him. "Like it? Baby, I love it. Thank you so much."

"I was going to give it to you later tonight, before bed, but you look like you could use a little pick-me-up."

I threw my arms around him and hugged him. "I love it, Billy," I said into his shoulder.

Every time I put it on, I think of him and that moment. I delight when someone asks me where I got it, because I get to announce that he gave it to me. For no reason. I get to brag that he's thoughtful, that he pays attention. That he loves me. That, apparently, he's head over heels.