Page 53 of Scorched Hearts

“Do you remember anything specific?” Maya prompted.

“I remember one memory of the sea. It was very peaceful. I’d completely forgotten about it until then. When I was a little child, my family and I used to camp on the beach for many days during the summer. When I was six or seven, I started sneaking out of the tent to walk along the beach in the early morning when my parents were still asleep.” Elle ran her fingers through Maya’s still wet hair, wishing they could visit the sea themselves.

“That sounds beautiful,” Maya said dreamily. “We rarely know what happens to patients during a coma. It’s still a bit of a mystery. Some wake up saying they don’t remember being in any state of dreaming, while some wake up saying they had nightmares in repeat. I’m glad that for you it was rather calm. The way you describe it sounds pensive.”

“It was, in a way. I felt completely alone with myself. In a good way.” Elle fixed the sheets around them. “I also dreamed of our fight, the one that ended our relationship before.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Maya looked up to find Elle’s eyes. “How did it make you feel?”

“I think I understood your emotions better than ever. In the dreams, I didn’t fully remember people. I don’t think I knew your name when the scene was replaying in my mind, but I was very attuned to the feelings floating around the room. It prompted me to form a proper apology to you.”

For a while they remained quiet, not knowing what to say. Maya’s thumb traced along Elle’s arm, and Elle enjoyed the slightly tickling sensation.

“I’m glad it brought us closer in the end,” Maya finally said, yawning a little. “I’m grateful for whatever has led us here. I wouldn’t change anything. Besides your injury, of course,” she added quickly.

“Fuck my injury. I’ll get out of it.” Elle kissed Maya’s head. “I’m glad to have you here. It’s the perfect place for you to be, I think.”

“I agree,” Maya said, yawning again, and Elle could feel her drifting off to sleep.

Soon, she felt her chest rise and fall in the steady rhythm of sleep. Elle didn’t want to follow, afraid of losing the sensation of Maya asleep against her body, wrapped up in her duvet. She embraced her, looking up to see the starless night sky through her window. From time to time she watched an airplane pass. She knew that her house was on some flying route, the airport being south of the city. She didn’t feel sleepy at all, instead soaking in the intimate night, bathing in the calm atmosphere. She tried matching her breath to Maya’s, holding it in after each inhale to even it out.

She felt good as a quiet observer, watching the clouds roll about the sky, listening in to the peaceful silence. Breath in, breath out, she tried keeping up with Maya’s sleepful rhythm. When she finally succeeded, the sky was becoming more purple with each new drop of sunlight, and her eyes closed with the first signs of dawn.

“Get up, Darling, the sun is shining and I’ll have to go soon,” Maya sang to Elle, touching her shoulder.

“Hi.” Elle sat up, slightly disoriented. “I thought you’d be gone by now. You said you had an early shift today?” She looked at the clock, which read clearly 8:20 a.m.

“I’m a liar though.” Maya laughed. “I start later. I’ll be working through the night. I made you breakfast, can you smell it?”

“Are you kidding me?” Elle inhaled a faint scent of something floury and sugary rising from downstairs. “I love you, but what the hell.”

She delighted in the way the words I love you could comfortably roll from her tongue now, so fitting and effortless. She put on some clothes that came flying to her from the top of the drawer, then let Maya help her descend the stairs.

“What’d you make?” she inquired, impatient.

“Crepes. You had all the ingredients, so I thought why not.” She kissed Elle’s forehead. “Bon Appetit. We need to eat them fast. I still need to go by my house before work.”

They sat down and began assembling their crepes, honey and chestnut spread, fig jam and cottage cheese. The sweet smell decorated the entire kitchen, and Elle couldn’t believe this was now her life. The warm crepe almost dissolved in her mouth.

“You’re a master crepe maker,” she mumbled around a mouthful of food.

“Don’t exaggerate.” Maya waved her hand. “You deserved it after yesterday’s masterful dinner.”

Maya finished eating and collected the plates, then began gathering up her things. They both knew she wouldn’t get all of them, and it wouldn’t matter, because she’d be back in no time. This comfort relaxed them both.

With the corners of her lips still full of jam, she laid a sticky kiss on Elle’s cheek.

“I need to get going. I had a lovely time with you.”

“Wait a second.” Elle removed the jam with her finger. “There you go, doctor.”

“Very funny.” Maya rolled her eyes. “I’ll be back with you in no time, you know that?”

“I know.” Elle nodded.

“Now don’t get cocky.” Maya kissed Elle’s lips tenderly. They got stuck in an embrace for a moment, then pulled away.

“I really need to go.” She picked up her back and put on the autumn coat. At the door, she turned to add, “I love you!”

---