Quiet. In the dark of the night, Charlie stares at his bedroom ceiling and longs for the feeling of Thandi curled up against him. Her leg hitched over his side, her head on his shoulder, her arm over his chest. He longs to feel her against him because without her it feels so fucking empty. Rev snoozes on his other side, yes, but it isn’t enough to sate his needs.
It’s been a week of nothing. They had slept together so reliably for years and he put his foot down. She doesn’t need him. So he needs to pull back and let her live her life.
And so he’s been nearly sleepless for nights on end because he feels the ghost of her snug against him and aches to really feel it.
So he stares at the ceiling and longs.
Thandi is stressed and a bit miffed. It’s been a week s8nce Charlie had his little revelation and she is being driven mad. He made such a decision on his own as if he knew what was best for them both!
She doesn’t want to sleep alone.
She wants to sleep with her boy!
It isn’t fair that his ego is next to nothing and so he has to try to play a martyr for their relationship.
She has been so! Tired!
That’s it.
She pulls out the key to his room and slips it into the lock.
The door doesn’t open.
She tugs and the door tugs back. She removes her key and the door flies open, Charlie on the other side. He stares at her and then throws his arms around her.
“I can’t stay away. I miss you. I need you so that I can sleep.”
Thandi can feel her anger melting away as her noy buries his face into her neck as he always does. She feels his tears on her skin and she wraps her arms around him. “I didn’t want you to.”
“But I do nee—”
“I didn’t want you to leave.”
He pulls back, looking ruddy and surprised. “But… you have your own life to live.”
“During the day. But… imagine! Never seeing your family! Does a husband and wife sleep apart?”
Goodness, she adores that blush that shows in force now. “Husband and wife…?”
Thandi reaches to grab his left hand, pressing it to hers. Their matching rings. His eyes flick over her hand with his.
“Ah… I. I suppose they don’t…”
“I do want to do things separately sometimes but I don’t want to sleep without you. Come to bed.”
He nods and follows after her, slipping into bed beside her. She assumes her spot at his side, curled up and hitching her leg over him while using his shoulder as a pillow. His arm bolds her steady.
Finally. They’re both at peace.
