Monika laughed and walked into my apartment. "How could I forget. And that's not what I'm here for."
I closed the door the door and sat on the couch. "Oh? Just here to borrow some tea?"
Monika had finished filling the tea pot and set it on the stove to heat up. "No. Well, that too. I just thought I'd come over and hang out." She plopped down on the couch next to me and put her feet up on the coffee table.
I smirked. "Okay, that's fine. Good to have you all here this time."
"Ha! Yeah, yeah. Just don't get any ideas. It's me and not your 'girlfriend'" she said with a wink while indicating her legs.
I raised my eyebrow at her. "She's not my... They're... Nevermind. What do you want to do?"
She shrugged. "Netflix? You know of anything groovy we could watch?"
My turn to shrug. "Maybe? I watch a lot of comedy and action stuff. Sci-fi too. Any of that sound good?"
She thought about it. Probably not as long as she made it look like, but I appreciated her being polite about it. "Nah. Nothing action packed. Not in the mood for... noise."
"Okay... how about quirky? You like Bill Murray?"
She looked at me like I had two heads. "Who doesn't like Bill Murray?"
"Fair point. Have you seen 'Moonrise Kingdom'?"
She furrowed her brow in thought. "I don't think I've seen that one. Let's watch the trailer first."
YouTube brought up. Trailer watched. Monika's seal of approval given.
I turned to her and asked "What do you think?"
"Looks good! Let's watch it."
I then realized something. "Didn't you put some water on for tea?"
Monika nodded. "Yup. But I put a lot of water in the kettle. It may take awhile to boil."
I have a gas stove that can boil water pretty quickly. Maybe she didn't turn it up on high? I mentally shrugged. "Okay. I'll take a cup of Orange Pekoe when it's ready" I said while I brought up Netflix on the TV.
She turned to me and said with a good-natured smirk "Oh, I'm bringing you tea now? What are you going to do for me then?"
"Wait, what? It's my tea you'll be drinking while watching my Netflix account on my TV. I'm already doing stuff for you."
She smiled. "The Netflix is already paid for and I bought the tea for you as a gift a couple weeks ago after you helped me. Remember?"
She had me there. "Fair point. What am I doing for you?"
Monika lifted her legs, pivoted in her seat and then reclined on the couch, placing her feet in my lap. "Rub."
I looked at her with an arched eyebrow before looking down at her feet. I shook my head and laughed before taking one foot in my hand and massaging the arch. "Fine. Want to start the movie?"
Monika grinned as she used the remote control. "Done."
About ten minutes into the movie, the tea kettle started whistling so I stopped massaging. Monika looked over at me. "Hey, I didn't ask you to stop."
"You need to go make the tea. You do hear the kettle, right?" I reasoned.
"Well, duh." She pointed at her feet. "Take them off."
I looked at her like she wasn't too bright. "Okay. I can. But how will you walk without them? Kinda necessary for balance and whatnot."
"True" she replied. "But I used to dance and learned to balance and walk using pointe shoes. It shouldn't be that hard."
I thought about it for a second. Hard to do with a teakettle whistling in the background. "Alright, fine" I said as I popped her feet off of her legs. "But when you fall I reserve the right to point and laugh."
Monika swung her legs over the side of the couch and sat up. "There will be no pointing or laughing. I got this." She then stood up on her foot-less legs and tested her balance. After a few seconds, she was gingerly making her way across the carpet to the kitchen. A few minutes later, she was sitting cross-legged next to me on the couch, sipping her tea.
"Alright, I admit it. That was impressive."
"I know," she said between sips. "I am impressive." She winked at me. "And you're not rubbing."
I set down my tea and returned to massaging her left foot. "Deal is a deal."
*************************
I woke up the next morning, still on the couch. The TV had Netflix's 'Are You Still Watching' screen displayed and sunlight was beginning to creep into the apartment through the window shades. I sat up and started to stretch when I felt a weight shift on my chest. As the weight started to roll, I reached down and caught it before I realized what it was. Monika's left foot. I stared at it for a couple seconds until I remembered last night before lowering my head and slowly shaking it. Absentmindedly, I used her toes to scrach the top of my head until I realized what I was doing and then set it on the coffee table. I finished my morning stretch and then looked around for her other foot. I quickly found it buried halfway between the cushions, heel just poking out. After setting it next to it's mate, I picked up my phone and walked to the kitchen where I started the fire under the kettle. I figured the best way to let her know where her feet are is to send a text as I didn't want to wake her by knocking on her door.
Monika
7:52
You left your feet over here.
I set down the phone and made breakfast. Eggs, toast and tea. I set the plate and mug next to her feet on the coffee table. I arranged her feet just so, took a picture of them next to my breakfast and sent it to her. Why? Oddness amuses me and I like to share oddness. Especially when it involves someone. Or part of someone.
Monika
9:07
yeah I know
nice pic. you had my
feet for breakfast?
9:08
Good morning!
Ha! No. I didn't eat
your feet for breakfast.
They were still here so I
figured I could use the company.
9:10
I hope they weer good company
they can be very disruptive
9:11
No, they were very welll behaved.
Pleasant breakfast company.
They didn't hog the conversation.
9:14
oh good
they can be quite noisy
if you let them
9:17
When do you want them back?
9:22
whn youre done with them
9:23
Huh? What do you mean?
9:25
they need pedicure
easier this way
9:26
I've never done one before
9:36
google it
9:51
Ok. Watched a video.
Doesn't look to hard
Might be a bit before
they're done though.
9:53
thats fine
don't want them back
until theyre extra pretty
9:54
um, pretty feet?
9:54
you saying my feet arent
pretty?
9:55
Of course not!
They're very pretty!
Great arch! Love the toes
9:55
thats right
ay, best toes ever
10:08
Um, this might take longer than
I thought. I'll have to run
out to get supplies. I don't
keep pedicure stuff at home.
10:10
groovy
take yur time
Sometime mid-afternoon, I knocked on Monika's door. "You look shorter for some reason." I said when she answered.
"Har, har." She looked at what I had in my hands. "Nice red velvet pillow. Did you get it for me?"
"Yes. I thought you might like a pillow. I hope it's to your satisfaction."
Monika raised an eyebrow. "Um, yes. It's perfect for displaying my, um... feet."
I walked into her apartment and set the pillow down on her dining table and made sure her feet didn't fall off of the pillow in the process. "So, is the pedicure to the lady's liking?"
Monika walked over. I noticed that she was pretty good at getting around with stubby legs. She picked up her right foot and inspected it. "I like the pink nail polish, even though I never wear any. You do good work!"
I shrugged. "I know. I thought it looked nice. Besides, you weren't there to say no."
"True." She handed her feet back to me. "Okay. Please put them back on. It was fun but my ankles aren't used to being walked on and they're getting kinda sore."
She sat down in one of the chairs while I bent down and reattached them to her legs. Monika then stood up and took a few steps. "How do they feel?" I asked.
"Like feet. But softer. Very nice." She turned back to me. "Thank you."
I grinned at her. "Happy to be duped into taking care of your body parts. Again."
Monika giggled and guided me to the door. "Okay. I gotta get ready for a thing I have to go to tonight." She opened the door to her apartment to let me out. "Oh hey, next time you go to the store, get a waxing kit. I'll need it for my legs in a couple weeks."
I turned around in the hall and faced her. "What? A waxing..." I furrowed my brow. "You're using me, aren't you."
"Maybe..." Monika said with a coy grin before closing the door.