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The house was silent, stripped off any signs of life as you entered it. Of course, the feeling didn’t come from an actual break in, where your boyfriend and his son were dead in bed. Actually, both of them were sleeping, quite deeply too, as they didn’t hear the dramatic falling of your keys.
The metallic thud reasoned through the hallway, and you cringed, listening to the vibration of your key meeting the floor.
A few seconds later, your features eased, and you heaved a relieved sigh. Knowing no further damage was done, you kicked off your shoes and slipped into your slippers, feeling the ease instantly. After a day of constant buzzing in a busy hospital, making sure everyone and everything was in order, you were done for.
You didn’t try to tidy up the mass of gadgets that were scattered around the living room. It was obvious that the boys had a few friends over, as chips and joysticks were miss matched across the table. You did turn off the glowing TV, shaking your head at them in amusement as you did so.
After dropping your bag on the kitchen counter and flicking off the remains of the glowing lights, you padded across the house, stopping in front of Christopher’s door. The door was wide open, and you found yourself leaning against the door frame to watch him adoringly. With a soft smile against your features, you watched him sprawled over his bed like a starfish, with fists curled like he was ready to fight someone. He was snoring lightly, showcasing just how dead asleep he was. You walked into the room and turned off his bedside lamp, letting the darkness swallow the room whole.
You emerged into the dimly lit hallway a second later, excited about the fact that Eddie’s warm embrace was a minute away. The door of the bedroom was slightly opened and moonlight seeped through. Pushing the door open, you walked into the room and stopped in your tracks, your heart in your throat.
Sprawled across the bed, with sheets pooled at the feet, was your boyfriend. Sweat was covering his body and he trashed around every few seconds. He looked trapped. Trapped in his own mind, where his thoughts troubled him. It was a matter of seconds before you bolted toward him, jumped on the bed and scooted over. You shook him lightly, once or twice, feeling his sweaty arms under your palms. Eddie was breathing heavily, murmuring words you could barely catch on to. At one moment you could have sworn to yourself that what coated his face wasn’t sweat, but tears.
“Baby, wake up,” you said urgently, feeling as if cotton was clogged in your throat. You blinked back tears twice before he finally woke up. Your heart didn’t stop spinning in your chest.
It took his some time to get used to the liberty, but when he did, you exhaled in relief. A flood of soft, quiet reassignments escaped your lips when you brought his shaking head to your chest. You hugged him tightly, scooting over until you were almost in his lap.
Eddie’s hands were digging into your hips, holding onto you like you were his lifeline.
In a sense, you were.
“You’re okay, baby,” you whispered, kissing his head continuously. “You’re okay…”
Eventually, you lost count of how long it passed since you first found him.
But the longer he was in your arms, the better he seemed to get. “I love you.”
“I love you too, baby. So much.”
***
“You feeling better now?”
You looked him over as he leaned across the counter from you, a cold, iced drink in hands. After he took a shower and changed into a clean pair of PJs, Eddie looked somewhat okay. You doubted he would go to sleep after what had happened, even though he needed the rest more than anything.
Your boyfriend nodded, taking a large swig of water. Before he even noticed that he finished the glass, you ducked down into the freezer and pulled out several cold cubes. Your fingers burned under the ice, but you didn’t reflect on it as you took the tall glass from his hand and refilled it. With your front to the sink and your back toward him, you asked, “Mind telling me what dream had the audacity to scare you like that?”
You could see his shoulders roll, even with your back to him. Then a second later, two pairs of strong, muscular arms traveled around your waist. He hooked himself onto you like a koala, yet careful not to put too much weight on you. His embrace was so comfortable that you almost fell asleep.
“Life sucks,” Eddie told you solemnly, sounding convinced.
“No it doesn’t.”
The commanding voice that left no further room for arguments didn’t belong to you. It sounded two decades younger, and boyish. A voice that would belong to a boy for a short slice of his childhood, before his beard started to grow and his voice deepened.
Eddie detached himself only halfway, as a hand was still glued to your stomach even when the other one wasn’t. He looked at his son with adoration. “Oh yeah?”
Christopher nodded, padding across the floor of the kitchen. Eddie grabbed him wholly and almost threw him in the air. Laughter echoed in the room and the atmosphere felt light again.
Deciding then and there that you weren’t going to push Eddie’s bad dreams further, you leaned into the conversation, forgetting how tired and worn out you were.
“Hey Chris, what do you think about dream catchers?”