Page 38 of Counted

She sounded so upset. Just as upset as he was. He reached up to try to touch her, and his fingers closed around her hair.

It wasn’t in a braid anymore. He squinted up and saw it was loose now, hanging down as she leaned toward him.

She was beautiful. Glowing in the faint light coming from the bathroom. Her features were twisted slightly, like she was trying not to cry.

She’d always been ethereal. Like a fairy or an angel. Floating above normal, carnal life.

Maybe she was one.

“Are you…?” He had trouble getting the words out. “Are you an angel?”

She made a little huff. “No. I’m Eve.” She paused and caressed his beard. “I’m your wife.”

“My wife.”

It sounded good. Reassuring. Needed.

He said it again. “My wife.”

“Yes. Now try to get some sleep. The pill should start working soon.”

“Okay.”

He closed his eyes. Relaxed his body. His head threatened to swallow him up in pain, but Eve was still stroking and petting him.

It was something.

It wasn’t long before he drifted into an uncomfortable sleep.

Time passed. A lot of it. He wasn’t conscious of how or why or how much. But he woke to a sense of urgency. It was enough to lever him up to a sitting position.

Still the hotel room. In Rome. The clock on the nightstand was dimly illuminating 16:47.

Afternoon. But the unexpected numbers confused him.

He shifted uncomfortably as he got his legs over the side of the bed. He needed to get up. Right now.

“You okay?” The groggy voice came from the other side of the bed.

He turned his head with a jerk and saw that Eve had been sleeping there beside him, on top of the covers, curled up under a small throw blanket. She was lifting her head, already starting to get up.

“I really need to pee.”

“Okay. Let me help you.” She quickly scrambled up and came over, helping him to his feet and then keeping an arm around his waist as they walked toward the bathroom.

He blinked in surprise when he discovered his legs were working. He didn’t have to lean on Eve very much. His head was still filled with cotton, but he wasn’t in danger of falling down.

“My head is better,” he announced when the reality finally penetrated the fog in his mind.

“It is?” Her voice wobbled, and her big eyes scanned his face anxiously.

“Yeah.” His chest clenched weirdly at the shattering relief in her expression as she processed his reply. She must have been so worried.

“I’m so glad” was all she said as she pushed the bathroom door all the way open.

He stepped in, getting a sudden flash of himself lying on the floor in here, barely able to get up. A dim nightmare now.

“Are you going to be okay in here? Do you need me to stay?”

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