The rain softly drummed against her window screen. She'd slid the glass upward to catch the scent of freshly damp earth, rolled a towel along the sill to prevent puddling.
Outside, someone sat in their parked car with the lights shining directly into her bedroom. She sat on her bed, at a an angle to the light. In it, she could see the mist that flew through her window screen off each droplet as it hit. The sight had her mesmerized.
Anthony was in the bed next to her. His rough hand stroked her thigh as he read the book from her nightstand. His breathing was soft and even. Dani slid deeper under the blankets, pressing her bare body against his. He was warm. She was comforted.
"Can I get you something?" he asked. He kept his voice quiet, cautious of interrupting her thoughts. Dani still feared the word "love," but yes, she loved this about Anthony; He was gentle with her and aware of what was passing through her mind even when she wasn't.
Dani turned to prop herself on an elbow. "You want to get me something?"
"Sure. You know. Tea? A snack? A cup of water?"
"But you're in my apartment."
Anthony laughed. "Is that weird? I know my way around well enough." He threw off the blankets and stood naked in the light streaming through her window. "But I suppose if you want I can just run over to my apartment or maybe hit a drive-thru?"
Dani threw a pillow at him. He caught it and jumped back on the bed, slipping under the covers and pulling her into his arms.
She laughed. "I'm just surprised. That's all. I mean, I'm the hostess I guess."
"Well then! That changes everything!" He rolled onto his back and laced his hands behind his head. "In that case, I'm ready to order."
She hit him with another pillow, laughing as he wrestled with her. Just as quickly as the fun began, it stopped. A memory overtook her. She felt the pains bloom in her body just as if it was real, happening, now. The memory was a flood and she was drowning in those dangerous waters. Dani curled her arms around her head and pulled her knees up. Tears made tracks across her wrists. She gasped for breath but couldn't seem to catch it.
Anthony instinctively drew back to give her space. "It's okay," he said. His voice was soft again, all laughter gone. "You're safe." Then, "Do you need me to go?"
Part of her wanted to scream for him to get out but she shook her head no. This wasn't his fault. This was left over. A remnant of what she'd survived. What she was still surviving.
Eventually she caught her breath and the tears stopped. The fear that had initially gripped her faded. She was able to look at Anthony again, who suddenly seemed to remember his nudity. He picked up a pillow and held it in front of his crotch. Dani almost choked laughing at the absurdity. She reached a hand toward him knowing he wouldn't come back near her until she invited him. This wasn't the first time she'd had a flashback.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.
She didn't, but she told him anyway. It was an exercise in trust and one she needed.
*New to Dani's story? Read the previous installments:
Solitary Chill
Calculated Risk
Total Immersion
Promise of the Unexpected
image from pixabay.com
