Somnolence
2.
The second time it happens, Dori and Griffin are off on a mother-son bonding trip. Dori's idea, but Griffin doesn't want to hurt her feelings, and so he goes quietly, for the most part. Caitlin and Jim are left to their own devices.
Jim is in the living room when Caitlin comes downstairs in the morning, and she sits on the opposite end of the couch. She tries to watch whatever he's watching, but can't keep her eyes from peeking up at him every few minutes. The air is heavy between them.
'I'm getting some orange juice,' she says, standing awkwardly and walking behind the couch toward the kitchen. 'You want some?'
'Sure.'
And so, armed with two glasses of orange juice, she approaches him. Stretches her hand out carefully toward him. A peace offering. When their hands come in contact again, Caitlin can't help the puff of air that escapes her lips in a little gasp. Doesn't notice the glass slipping from their fingers until it's too late.
'I'm so sorry!' Her first reaction is to apologize like there's no tomorrow. Her second is to run away. Only this time, she just wants to get paper towels. But the hand wrapped around her wrist is preventing her, tugging her back toward him gently.
'It's okay…'
She turns around because she doesn't want to stop this time, wants him to know, wants to feel that hand in hers. They stand for a moment, looking in each other's eyes, before they lean in. And suddenly Jim is kissing her, but Caitlin doesn't care because she's kissing him back and for once she doesn't want to cry. Because his lips are setting her on fire in the best possible way.
Just as suddenly as they came together, they are thrust apart. Everything comes crashing in on their golden moment, and Caitlin wants to laugh and cry at the same time, and she wonders if this is really better, or maybe just a different way to die inside. So she runs, like she always does when things get difficult. Only now, she runs up into her room. Sits on the bed, staring at the wall in shock. Puts her fingers softly to her lips, and tries to breathe.