Chapter Twenty-Seven
John woke to someone shaking him, his body going into panic mode. "Hit! Don't!" He shook his head, attempting to clear the fog in his brain. "What… what's going on?" He asked, turning to the redhead by his side.
"Another nightmare." She rested her hands on his shoulder, dark circles starting to appear under her eyes. "That's the fourth one."
He pressed a kiss to her head, letting his hands loop around her waist his fingers drawing little circles on the skin where her t-shirt had ridden up. "I'm sorry." He rested his forehead against hers. "Maybe I should just sleep downstairs."
She clutched his hand. "No." She pulled him closer, kissing his chapped lips. "They'll just be worse if you're alone."
He leaned back into the pillows, pulling her with him and curling around her protectively. "Thank you." He whispered, kissing her face as she fell asleep.
The next morning, Mrs. Standish walked into John's room to see them both curled around each other, Claire with her arms and legs halfway on top of the much larger boy, and John with one purple hand from loss of circulation because of Claire's weight, and the other arm stretched over her waist. "Oh, my goodness." She smiled, waving her husband into the room. "Look at these two."
Thomas shook his head. "how many did he have last night?" He asked, knowing that his wife was more likely to have heard John than he was.
"Four, from what I heard." She sighed. "Maybe we should take him to a therapist?" The conversation was cut short by John stirring out of his slumber. "Good morning sleepyhead." She chuckled at his crazy bedhead.
He just grunted in response, looking over at the sleeping Claire at his side. "Sweets?" He poked the back of her neck, repeating the motion until she finally woke. "Outta bed." He stated, attempting to move his arm from under her.
"Mmmm…" She moaned, rubbing her eyes. "You're a pain." She yawned, crawling out of bed to get ready for school.
Mrs. Standish turned to follow her daughter. "I've got breakfast ready when you get dressed." She smiled, knowing that John would start moving faster when she told him what she'd made. "It's bacon and pancakes with eggs." She couldn't contain her laugher as she heard John fly out of bed and rush to get ready for the day. "I knew that would get him going." She laughed, meeting her husband's eyes.
He chuckled shaking his head. "He does have his good qualities." He looked back at John's room, catching sight of his guitar before a half-naked Bender stumbled in front of it while trying to get his pants on. "I'll bet you he could get on Star Search if we give him the chance."
Clarissa's brow furrowed, her lips parting in confusion. "In California?" She clarified.
He nodded, placing a hand on her shoulders. "They're starting casting right after school gets out, next month." There was another thud from John's room. "I think that if he doesn't kill himself in there, that he could make it."
Clarissa nodded, a huge smile spreading over her face. "I think that's a great idea."