Page 41 of Tiger's Voyage

Mousy manes

Tangled tendrils

Love’s chap-lipped, ear waxy, prickly bearded,

and jagged nailed

It’s a back scratching, hairy legged, there’s something

between your teeth, Dear, feeling

Real love

Is plucking hairs from your husband’s back

Emptying Grandpa’s bedpan

Wearing sweats on a Friday night

Saving money, not spending it

Wiping feverish faces with cool towels

Lionesses lick clean their cubs

Monkeys pick bugs off backs

Humans wash dead mothers’ hair before burial

Love is about grooming

Ren sat silent for a time as he stared at the paper. My foot tapped nervously.

“Well? Might as well get it out.”

“It’s a bit … morose. But I like it. Though technically, monkeys don’t pick bugs off for love. They do it for afternoon snacks.”

I snatched my notebook back. “And that kind of snacking dedicationislove, a dedicated love for the snack.”

He looked at me curiously. “You’ve experienced all these forms of love, haven’t you?”

“Most of them, I guess. Though I have to admit I’ve never emptied a bedpan.”

“Or plucked hairs from your boyfriend’s back, I assume.”

“Nope, your back is perfect.”

He studied me under his long, sooty lashes. “You have a great capacity for love, and you’ve been hurt. I’m sorry I added to that.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Ren touched my hand briefly before withdrawing. “It’s the only thing I ever think about. See you tonight.” He turned before he disappeared into the hall and grinned. “And save me a dance.”

After he left, I walked over to my bed and pulled back the gift’s tissue wrapping. Inside was a gorgeous silk Chinese dress. I carefully held it up to me. It was Ren’s favorite color. The dress was a blue gradation that started with a soft royal tone from the neck to mid-chest and changed to a dark zodiac blue—the color of the sky at night.

Stars, moons, planets, and fierce dragons were embroidered in gold and silver threads all over the dress. The symbols were interspersed with looping vines and flowers, also in silver and gold. The neck was mandarin style with a small keyhole opening and a silver frog clasp. The dress stopped at mid-calf, and I was just raising my eyebrow at its incredibly long side slit when I noticed the tag.

Ren bought this. He didn’t make it with the Divine Scarf.