Paul Stared Blankly at his own reflection in the mirror. He had just shaved his face, little flecks of brown hair sitting on newspapers in the sink. 

The hair atop his head wasn't quite the same... His beard hairs weren't the same color - darker down near his neck & lighter next to his mouth. Why was this? Hormones?

Behind him was a bathroom scale. This freighted him. This morning he decided to check his new height, He was now 5'3" - Shocking, but something he could deal with.

His weight however was 118lbs. That was impossible. He must have been nearly 200 before. Maybe a little over. How could he have lost 80 Pounds?

Paul took a deep breath in front of the mirror, he watched his nose flare up as he breathed in. Perhaps he was exegeting - he was never the type to closely watch his weight. Perhaps he used to be heavier, back in high school - when he was on the baseball team.

Muscle is heavier than fat.

Maybe his weight had been 190? 180? 

But the thought the loosing 60 pounds in an evening was no better than 80 or 100.

The bathroom scale was something only Amber ever cared about before. Paul didn't know how heavy his wife was. It would be an incredibly rude question. He imagined it must be almost the same, or maybe more?

And if that anxious thought was true, did that mean she was stronger too?

Muscle is heavier than fat...

Amber came in the bathroom and pursed her lips to apply her lipstick. The red hue of her lips almost matching the red color of her socks. Except her socks were more purple, Paul wasn't sure what the name for such a color was... but it probably had one. Something like - "Everclear Sunset."

As Amber finished with her lips she tussled her brown hair letting the strands fall and land gently past her shoulders. "What's with the pout?" She asked.

"I'm not pouting," Paul said.

"Yes you are," Amber replied matter-o-factly. "I know that face, you're the man I married. You're mopping."

"I'm not pouting and I'm not mopping."

Neither of them said anything for a few minutes. Then Paul broke the silence with something he needed to know.

"When you lift..." Paul started. 

Amber turned to look at him waiting for him to finish.

Paul stalled, "I mean, like how much..."

After a moment, Amber answered, "I don't really lift." Then she offered, "Sometimes I used the rowing machine, but that's cardio.

Paul nodded, this was a helpful answer, as helpful as an I don't know can be. 

"I guess I meant," Paul continued, "How much you could, how..."

Amber walked over to Paul and took his hands to hold them in front of her. For a moment they were just high school sweethearts looking at each other. Paul's eyes in line with her mouth.

"Paul," Amber said softly. "I love you. Now I know things are different now, but I'm not going to stop caring about you just because you've gone all shrimpy."

As she said that Amber felt up Paul's bicep. He could feel her hand squeeze into his arm. He still had the muscle tone from before - but now Amber was just... she was just so much bigger.

Amber wasn't exactly packing guns, but that didn't matter.

Paul made a face as Amber squeezed. 

Amber let go, "Did that hurt," she asked. 

"No it it didn't hurt. Its just, I don't think you'd understand."

"Understand what?" Amber asked, "I wasn't trying to be mean."

"I don't thin you'd get it what this is like," Paul said.

"What? To be shorter?" Amber gaped at the question. "Paul I was 9 inches shorter than you for our entire lives. I was always..." Amber used her finger as air quotes, "Shrimpy next to you."

"But now you're not," Paul said. 

A third silence.

Amber nodded in agreement. 

"That is true," she said neutrally. "You are smaller. I did not change, but you did."

Paul also nodded in silent appreciation.

"But," Amber said looking sternly. "I did not marry a quitter."

Paul looked back at his wife who again sized him up. 

"If you need time to collect, that's fine," She said. "But I'm going to put on my shoes and go to work."

Paul breathed deep again. "So will I,” he said,"accepting this challenge. 

As Amber and Paul walked out of the bathroom into the bedroom Paul thought to change the topic, "What's happening for you this week?" He asked.

"With the Marketing team?" Amber asked as she fished a blouse out from her dresser. It almost matched her socks - but was a bit more purple. Smart looking, Paul thought.

Amber's eyes gazed into recollection, "We have some clients coming in for a visit, I don't remember where from. They want to know that our firm is a worthwhile investment."

Paul leaned in to kiss her on the neck - a bit intimate but it was easy to reach her nape. "Of course you are," he said.

Paul turned to walk away and finish getting dressed, but Amber stopped him.

"Wait," she said. "Turn around."

Paul did so, "What? We already made up."

Suddenly, Amber's arms went under Paul's armpits and he found himself airborne as she lifted him off the ground.

In Panic Paul froze - his mouth agape.

Amber gently set him down back onto the carpet of the bedroom. His toes holding meekly onto the fibers beneath him. Paul thanked whatever gods may be that his feet were again on solid ground.

Paul gathered the indignant courage to blurt out, "What was that for?"

Amber's only response was a giggle and a goofy smile. "I just wanted to see if I could," she said with teeth showing.

Then Amber kissed his forehead, "Have fun at the Agency, play well with the other lawyers."

"We don't have any others... It's just the intern and the rest are all accountants," Paul said. But he had missed the point.

_ __ 

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