Chapter 106 - The Morning that Came (1/2)

”Oh, my God! Gabriel?” Claire couldn't believe her eyes. ”Oh, my God!”

She throws her arms around the still groggy Gabriel, who starts trying to explain why he's being creepy and sleeping here beside her. But there's something about the way she hugs him, a sense of desperation, a neediness, that he has never felt come from her before. He returns the embrace, feeling the softness of her skin, the hair on his cheek, until he realizes she's crying.

He holds her on the shoulders and gazes at her face. It's all wet with tears, and she tries to hide it with her arms, like a child who doesn't want to admit she's crying.

”Why, Claire? I'm here. There's nothing to be upset about.”

And like what happened in the hospital, when she sat there waiting for him to wake up, Claire sobs finally, openly, like a dam that is unleashed.

Gabriel lets her cry. He sighs. Watching her like this causes an ache in his heart; he realizes nothing bad must happen to him. He must never do anything bad. Because if he does, look at how broken it makes her. She seems like a child, so pure and innocent in her fear of losing him.

Quietly, he touches a tendril of her hair—fake blond hair, for now, but it doesn't matter—and gently tucks it behind her ear. He whispers, ”It's okay, Claire. I'm here. I'm here,” over and over, waiting for her sobs to die down. And when finally, she calms down, when her sobs have turned into sniffles, it is his turn to lock her in an embrace. God, how much she missed this woman, and it has been only a couple of days. How he missed the way she looks, the feel of her, the way she makes him happy deep down inside. And she lets him; she even runs her hands on his back, feeling him.

They stay like that for a long moment, enjoying each other's company, quietly, without words, afraid to take it further. They would have stayed like that forever if the bedside phone didn't ring. It trills so loudly it jolts both of them from their reverie.

”Yes?” There's irritation in Gabriel's voice. ”Oh, Dale, I'm fine. We're fine. And while you're at it, how about sending up breakfast?” He glances at Claire. She smiles. ”You know that's breakfast for two, Dale, right? Okay.” He hangs up.

”So what's today's plan?” Claire says, taking his hand and plays with it.

He smiles at the gesture; it's all so innocent. Sex doesn't even get in the picture; at least not yet. ”Plan? I'm not sure. How about let's plan on having no plan at all?”

She giggles. ”I like the sound of that. It's like my life's entire plan.”

”Don't be too hard on yourself,” he says. ”Sometimes the best laid plans are the ones you don't articulate or say out loud, but it's just there in your heart, solid and clear regardless of anything else.”

”I love the words that come out of your mouth,” she says and giggles.

”Really? Is it not because you thought I was dying?” He laughs.

She's about to say something but the phone rings again. Gabriel reaches over to answer it. ”Miguel, how is it?” He mouths out ”your suitor” to Claire, which makes her slap him playfully on the shoulder. ”I'm fine. I'm in bed with Claire right now.”

Claire's eyes go huge. ”What did you just say?” she scream-whispers. ”He might ȧssume it's about the other thing!”

Gabriel rolls his eyes. ”Oh, Miguel, Claire wants to make it very clear that being 'in bed' with her does not mean having sėx with her.”

”Jesus, Gab!” she scream-whispers. ”You're killing me.”

”Yes, yes, I'm also glad to have made it clear. We don't want people misjudging us, do we? This is all a clean, wholesome relationship. No sėx at all.”

Claire is pulling at her hair in frustration; she couldn't make him stop.

”I imagine Claire is pulling at her hair right now,” Miguel says on the other end, trying to stifle his laughter.