She didn't hear him the first time he called. She was wrapped in the blankets like a cocoon and the blue light from the television was floating beneath her eyelids, aurora patterns against the black. Somewhere at the base of her neck she could feel the prick of waking. It crawled up into her brain and invaded her consciousness.
He called again. Soft.
It was her favorite way to wake, in the middle of the night, swathed in an electric blanket and cramped on the couch in the den. She drew the blanket back up over her head and laughed.
“I’m so comfortable.” she groaned.
He called again, this time closer, showering her in his warm breath. She let her head sink back into the couch, sighing, willing herself to open her eyelids and leave sleep behind. His fingers traced the length of her jaw. It was every night like this, every night waking up where she shouldn’t be, him bringing her back to bed. She laughed again.
“I must have fallen asleep.”
He answered in a low murmur, drawing her further and further from her repose. He called once more. She pulled down the blanket, let the full wave of light from the TV hit her, and slid open her eyelids.
And to the room she gave one hollow sigh. She shuffled across the room, shut off the television and went back to bed, twisting his wedding band around her finger.
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