Of 13 Candles

[Excerpt from my Blog, Written for our 13th Anniversary]

April 27th, 2011

I have been told I am good at picking up mannerism. I love how you stand in front of the mirror every morning working on your hair, making sure each strand is in place. How you apply those manly talc on your body, even on your back. I think that is quite a feat but somehow, you managed it.

I love staring at the arsenal of hair and facial products in your bathroom. I am ashamed because all I have is a comb. You taught me how to tone and moisturize my face, and I was there when you were thinking of getting a face steamer at Watson. That was super bitchy, but I know you relish in that.

You sing in the shower when you have the time. It is out of tune and makes me want to throw your cat at the bathroom door. Nevertheless, I tried to guess what makes you so happy. I guess I will never know. But I hope it was me.

Sleep. I lost count on how many nights I stare at you when you were sleeping, drawing out your side profile with my fingers, remembering it like a map. You grind your teeth at night too, I think it is called bruxism. In the morning, I would fix your coffee and wait for you to stir in bed. When you shake your feet, that's when I know you are ready to come out from under the sheets. 
I love how organized you are. You would make your bed every day, even when you are late. The intensity in your brows when you iron your shirts, making sure they are folded the right way. How when you get in your obsessive compulsive disorder cleaning mode, even a naked Brooke Burke could not stop you. 

People seem to think I bully you. I would like to think we bully each other. They do not know that you make me put dirty clothes in your dirty clothes hamper (when I think they look good draping the couch), how you always wanted to eat at Nasi Kandar Beratur even though you know I hate to wait for my food, how you made me walk around TWO malls for TWO hours just to find ONE jacket. 

But I love you in spite of it all. Because we can be naked in spirit and still be calm. I would fly to the moon and back just so we can see more anniversaries. I know whatever I am today is only possible with you in my life. 

I cannot imagine living without you.