London 15 - 17 March 2024 - Part 15
[b]Cold Coffee[/b]
Dan rolls off me. Onto his back. Onto his side of the bed. I feel his breathing slow down.
Without the weight of him, my body rises. I stretch my legs. My arms. My lungs, deep, slow breaths.
There is more light. Grey, still. The Acne air sodden. Another sodding Sunday.
I don't care.
I roll to my right. Follow Dan, until I am berthed alongside him again. Curled around him. His left arm pulls me closer. My head on his shoulder. The rise and fall of his ribcage against my breasts. My left arm down, across his chest, his abdomen. My hand…
He has already removed the condom I insist he wears. He stirs. Turns his head to kiss the top of mine. He purrs.
"Sleep, now."
I say nothing. Adjust my breathing to his.
Later still, he wakes and I resurface. As he reassembles his constituent parts, I get up. Use the bathroom again. Get my robe and collect the cold coffee cups. I go down to the kitchen. Throw out the earlier batch of coffee. Make fresh.
I bring the two mugs back to the bed. Put mine down on my side. Bring Dan's around to him.
"Are you getting up?"
"Thanks. Yes. In a minute."
"I'm hungry. I'm going to take a shower now. Then go hunting for some breakfast."
I'm not really hungry. I'm never really hungry. But it is already after nine o'clock and I don't want to waste my last day here.
I quickly drink half my coffee. Replace the mug on the beside cabinet.
I take off my robe. Toss it on the chair. Walk to the bathroom.
I know Dan is watching my back.
Dan rolls off me. Onto his back. Onto his side of the bed. I feel his breathing slow down.
Without the weight of him, my body rises. I stretch my legs. My arms. My lungs, deep, slow breaths.
There is more light. Grey, still. The Acne air sodden. Another sodding Sunday.
I don't care.
I roll to my right. Follow Dan, until I am berthed alongside him again. Curled around him. His left arm pulls me closer. My head on his shoulder. The rise and fall of his ribcage against my breasts. My left arm down, across his chest, his abdomen. My hand…
He has already removed the condom I insist he wears. He stirs. Turns his head to kiss the top of mine. He purrs.
"Sleep, now."
I say nothing. Adjust my breathing to his.
Later still, he wakes and I resurface. As he reassembles his constituent parts, I get up. Use the bathroom again. Get my robe and collect the cold coffee cups. I go down to the kitchen. Throw out the earlier batch of coffee. Make fresh.
I bring the two mugs back to the bed. Put mine down on my side. Bring Dan's around to him.
"Are you getting up?"
"Thanks. Yes. In a minute."
"I'm hungry. I'm going to take a shower now. Then go hunting for some breakfast."
I'm not really hungry. I'm never really hungry. But it is already after nine o'clock and I don't want to waste my last day here.
I quickly drink half my coffee. Replace the mug on the beside cabinet.
I take off my robe. Toss it on the chair. Walk to the bathroom.
I know Dan is watching my back.
