"I completed the Close and Continuing just after talking to Joan. For that alone, you owe me." Auggie told Annie on the phone as soon as she landed back in DC.
"How much do I owe you?" Annie asked, with a tease in her voice.
"Do you know how inaccessible government forms are? I've had Stu convert most of the regular everyday ones to formats that are easy for me to complete. But for me to complete a form that Stu hasn't worked his magic on, without assistance, I'm not sure what that's worth."
Annie had a lump in her throat. Auggie was good at hiding the frustrations of his life, but every now and then there were details that she never considered. "Is it worth me picking you up, having a quick dinner, and letting you have your way with me?"
"That's the reason I went through the effort in the first place, my dear."
"I'll be there in fifteen."
...
They were at the small restaurant near Annie's guesthouse, waiting for their food. "So when you had to fill out the twelve pages of paperwork for the OCA position, was Stu involved?" Annie asked.
Auggie sighed. "That was the worst. I was stuck in a room with Gene, and we did all the paperwork verbally."
"I never thought about it."
"Don't worry about it. Excessive government forms are part of our job, and navigating them is part of my life."
"I would have been happy to fill out our form."
"Joan was not going to wait. It was a close call, and I'm glad that I had our relationship to reveal when she cornered me."
"Joan would understand if you waited."
Auggie's expression and voice changed. "Annie," He reached for her hand. "Somehow, you have always treated me as though my blindness is no big deal. But the truth is, there are many times on a daily basis where normal tasks become extraordinarily difficult. Call me stubborn, but sometimes I want to push through it, just to prove that I can."
"I understand." Annie replied.
"Yeah?" Auggie asked, a slight grin forming. "So when you spend more time at my place, and find out that there more kitchen tools that talk to you than in a Disney movie, you won't be freaked out?"
"Only if they dance around." Annie replied. "Otherwise, Auggie, I want to know about these things. I don't want you to feel completely dependent on me, but I don't think it's fair for us to spend so much time together, and you feel like you need to hide anything that makes your life easier. I won't freak out over a talking appliance, needing to fill out paperwork, or you wearing miss-matched socks."
He squeezed her hand and smiled. "All my dress socks are the same."
"So you think."
He started to lean forward to kiss her. "Our food is coming." Annie stated, so he lifted her hand for a quick kiss, instead.
That evening, Auggie helped Annie re-arrange her guest-house so that it was a little easier to navigate, and put little dots of glue on the stereo controls so that he could navigate the music selection before having his way with her.