Warning: sappy story below. read at your own risk!

It’s been about 6 months now since Luke and I got married, and just over a year since we began living together. I was struck recently by how smoothly we’ve integrated our lives together.

Of course, there have been little bumps here and there, but mostly just two people who get along and are pretty mature and respectful of each other.

One thing I’ve learned in the last year living with Luke is that he has no self-control around a pint of ice cream. I eat small portions, even of my absolute favorite ice cream, Ben and Jerry’s New York Super Fudge Chunk. I can take six small bites and then put the pint back in the freezer until the next night.

Not so, Luke. He opens a pint and only when he sees the first sliver of white cardboard at the bottom does he stop and realize he ate the whole pint and didn’t save me anything. Guilt drives him to put the pint in the freezer at that point, with maybe one or two teaspoonfuls left. Inevitably, i see the damage, and turn to Luke with my saddest face and ask, Why?

The other night I apparently administered cruel and unusual punishment, because I bought a pint of chocolate almond brownie soy ice cream and left it in the freezer unopened for two — 2 — nights! On the third night, Luke pulled it out of the freezer and asked me if I wanted any. I wasn’t in the mood for it but I told him I would have a little, because, I said in my most petulant voice, if I didn’t get my bite at the beginning, I wouldn’t get any at all. And I gave Luke my pouty accusatory look.

He returned with his exaggerated wounded expression and thrust the pint at me. “You left it unopened — unopened! — for two nights and look at how much I had.” I took the pint and noted that it felt full.

When I opened the top, however, there were a few bites taken out, carved in the shape of my initial, J.

We shared a little laugh, and then I took a single bite, gave the pint back to Luke, and he finished the whole thing.