In a soft and gentle voice, he asked, "How are you holding up, Sweet Pea?"
In response, I made my request, speaking quietly, "Could you do me a favor?"
In his usual casual manner, he replied, "It depends."
As expected, I thought to myself.
"Well," I continued, "if you ever find yourself in a house that's been firebombed, could you please take a moment to put on a shirt and slip into some shoes before bravely charging into the blazing inferno?"
I stood close to him, my gaze fixed on his face as he broke into a grin, revealing those captivating dimples of his. His raised eyebrows suggested he was amused and intrigued by my peculiar choice of words. "Sally forth?" he repeated, his playful tone matching the twinkle in his eyes.
"Well, maybe not exactly 'sally forth,' but you get th
