Rated PG

I look up and finally realize where I am. I’m in front of Donna’s apartment. What does that say? I take a deep breath and then push the air forcibly from my lungs.  I should just go on home. It’s after midnight and I’m….I don’t know what I am right now. Before I realize it, I’ve pressed her buzzer.
”Yes?”

“Hey.” She presses the buzzer and releases the door. I climb the steps and she’s already standing in the hall.

“You okay?”

“No.” I follow her into her apartment and shrug my bag off my shoulder. I hate this bag.

“What’s wrong?”

“My shoulder hurts for one.”

“I told you that bag would pull on you more.” I toss it to the floor and promise myself to put everything back in my backpack in the morning.

“I know but…..”

“Amy gave it to you.” She finishes my sentence.

“Yeah.” I rub my hands down my face and look up to see her worried expression. Then I take in her appearance. She’s holding a toothbrush and is in a t-shirt and sweatpants.

“What are you still doing up?”

“Waiting for you.” She’s joking, I’m sure. But a part of me wonders if she didn’t know I needed her somehow. I’m sure she heard about what happened with the bill and Amy. She gives me an enigmatic smile before turning to walk down the hall toward her bedroom. I follow her into her room and spread out on the end of her bed as she goes into the bathroom and starts to brush her teeth.

“Tell me.” She calls through the open door. I close my eyes and force down the urge to break something.

“Amy made stew.” I hear her rinse her mouth and spit in the sink. She pokes her head out the door.

“And?”

“We were talking about the Working Towards Independence Bill.”

“And you told her about the incentives.”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, you told me that part. What happened between the two of you?”

“Once I told her, she threw my cell phone in the stew so I couldn’t call in and give a heads up.” I drape my arms over my eyes and try to calm my breathing. Just thinking about it makes me mad all over again. I hear the water turn on and off again and assume Donna is washing her face.

“Then she cut the phone cord on her phone with a pair of scissors.”

“What?!”

“You heard me.”

“What did you do?”

“I left.”

“So that’s why you didn’t even notice when I walked in.”

“Yeah. I'm sorry about that. Then the President reamed me out.”

“Why?!”

“He said my girlfriend and I should switch jobs.” I feel the bed shift as Donna sits next to me.

“I’m sure he didn’t mean that.” Her voice is soft and comforting. Donna’s always comforting to me.

“Amy said that we should be able to talk about it. But we can’t Donna. She’s too….too…..” I sigh again before I pull my arms from my face and open my eyes. My arm falls across Donna’s lap and she leans over me and rests her weight on her hand on the other side of my waist. She looks so concerned. Her face is scrubbed clean and I can smell the soft scent of her soap.

“I’m sorry you had such a horrible day.”

“It was good at one point.”

“When?”

“When you came back to me.” I watch her face split into a smile. It probably matches the one I’m wearing now. I brush the hair from her shoulder while my other hand rests on her hip as she sighs.

“Like I promised.”

“I missed you.”

“When did you find you missed me most?” We’ve had this conversation before. I know what she’s expecting me to say. I stare into her eyes and rub my free hand down her arm.

“Right now.” Her cheeks start to turn pick and she moves to stand up. I catch her by the hand before she can stand up and pull her back to the bed.

“Can we just sit here for a while?”  I ask. I must look pitiful. She reaches out and strokes my cheek. I close my eyes at the sensation and lean into her touch.

“Sure, Joshua.” She tugs at my arm and I slide up the bed so we’re both resting on the pillows. She pokes me in the side and points to my shoes.

“Sorry.” I mutter as I toe my shoes off and let them fall over the edge of the bed. I take a deep breath and Donna settles closer beside me. I gently squeeze her shoulders and I can’t help but place a soft kiss on the top of her head. This should seem strange. I’m in bed, holding Donna in my arms and there’s no place on this earth I’d rather be.

“Tell me about the trip.” I whisper as I slide my hand up to her hair and twist a few strands around my fingers.

“The chairman said I made my points well. He’s a friend of Sam’s.”

“I knew you’d handle yourself well.”

“Thanks.” We sit in silence a while longer. It’s a nice silence. She pulls a quilt from the bottom of the bed and covers us both up. I tuck the edge of the blanket under her chin and continue to play with her hair. The steady sound of her breathing calms me to no end. I finally reach up and turn the small bedside lamp off when I realize she’s fallen asleep. I should probably go home. I shouldn’t really be here at all. Donna shifts a little in her sleep, molding up against my side before tossing a leg over mine.  There’s no way I can leave without waking her. Besides, I don’t think I really want to leave. I look over at the clock and sigh at the time. It’s after one. Donna and I have to be in the office early tomorrow. I close my eyes and roll into Donna’s loose embrace around my waist. She stirs again and makes a little noise.

“Josh?”

“Hmm?”

“You okay?” I slide my arms tighter around her waist as she rolls over and puts her back against my chest. We spoon together and I rest my cheek against her neck.

“I am now.”

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