Chapter 19 - A NEW APPOINTMENT PART IV
After making sure Layton had something to eat, Melanie finished cleaning up in the kitchen before heading for bed herself.
Despite how long the day had seemed, a smile crept over her lips as she stepped into the bedroom and saw him sitting up in the bed reading.
Over the past week, what had bothered her the most were the hours from sunset to sunrise. For someone who had only slept alone most of her life, she couldn't believe how quickly she acclimated to having him sleeping in her bed. And not just used to his presence now, but missing him when he wasn't there.
In the days he was in the medical clinic she found herself hardly able to sleep at all. Which was what eventually led to her late night trips to the drawers each night. Since she wasn't able to sleep, she reasoned with a slight smile, why should he?
And so she had managed to fill most of her night hours sitting outside his drawer talking to him. For some reason it comforted her, watching the readings on the monitor while she rambled on about anything she could think of until the sun chased her back to the cabin.
Finishing up with brushing her teeth, Melanie came back into the bedroom to find Layton already turned in for the night, laying on his side as he tightly hugged a pillow. Carefully looking over the pillow to make sure he hadn't stolen any of her's, Melanie finally got into the bed on her side. But this time she didn't stay there. Instead she determinately worked her way under the covers until she was easily curled up against his back with one arm wrapped over his shoulder.
For several moments Layton lay in the bed considering the situation. While it was true he regularly violated the 'bed boundaries' agreement, especially on nights when the person he had come to refer to on those occasions as 'Knoxy the snowman' would cut down the heat, Melanie rarely ever came over to his side. And if she ever did, she never stayed there long. Even in her sleep, she steadfastly held to her side of the bed. But tonight she was all but pushing him over the edge.
"Melanie?" He carefully asked.
"Um...hmmm?"
"You're in violation, lady." He whispered to her. "Plus, you're about to send me over the edge of the bed."
The body behind him retreated a bit.
Taking advantage of the additional space offered, Layton rolled over on his back. But the body next to him quickly curled up against him again.
"Is the heat getting cut again tonight and you forgot to tell me?" He asked with a small smile.
Melanie buried her face into his side. "Like you never sleep on my side." She murmured.
Layton gave her a soft chuckle, but then nudged her. "Out with it. What's wrong?" He asked.
A hand gently laid itself over his chest.
"It was lonely when you weren't here." She whispered to him. "I never realized just how much I would miss you being here until you weren't. All I did most nights was lay in the bed and worry. I knew how much you hated being in the drawers. And so since I couldn't sleep, every night I would even go down to the medical car and stand outside the drawer you were in and just talk to you."
Layton gave another soft laugh. "That must have looked incredibly normal to anyone passing by."
"I hardly ever even saw anyone. Which just made me hate it even more that you were put there." Pulling a little closer to him, her voice became quieter and a little more forlorn. "I'm sorry I ever did that to you, Layton. I really am. Like so many things, I only thought of the results, never the person."
"You're starting to get morbid." He gently warned her.
"Sorry." She replied and started to retreat.
But Layton quickly reached over and wrapped his arm around her, gently pulling her closer. Pausing for a moment, Melanie finally readjusted herself, then settled back down in the bed with a contented sigh.
"Besides, I thought we agreed the past is the past."
"The past is the past." She echoed quietly.
They lay like that for some time before Layton gently nudged her with his shoulder.
"You want to know a secret?" He asked.
"Hmmmm?"
He smiled down at her. "I always knew you were there."
Melanie turned slightly to look up at him.
"Not in the conventional way." He added. "It was more like...being more asleep than awake. Pelton said it was because I was used to the Kronole from my years in the Tail."
"I'm sorry about that." Melanie quickly put in. "About telling them about that. But because of the problems you were having, I thought it might be important that they knew."
Layton shook his head. "Don't worry about it." He told her. "It probably was something they needed to know. No real harm done." He added before going back to what they had been talking about. "But still, at times I used to think I could hear you. It was like a waking dream. You're too tired to open your eyes, but you know you're not entirely asleep."
"If I'd have known that, I'd have come earlier."
Layton smiled down at her. "I would have liked that. Knowing you were there." He gave her a broader smile. "Next time can you come and read to me?"
Melanie tucked her head into his shoulder. "Hopefully there won't be a 'next time'."
A short silence fell between them.
"I was really scared, Layton." She finally whispered softly. "During the day I worried if you were all right. Then at night, I would lay here and wonder if you were ever coming back."
Layton sighed as he reached over to the nightstand, switching on the light again. "All right," he gently chide her, "You're just dwelling on the worst case scenario, and I'm not going to have it tonight."
Melanie watched him pick up a book off the nightstand.
"Oh, not that silly story again." She stated in mock disdain.
But Layton was already flipping though the pages. "It's not 'silly'" He replied. "It's a classic. And you need to broaden your horizons." He added, turning to her. "Are we comfy?"
Melanie gave a dramatic sigh as she started to pull back over to her side of the bed.
But Layton stopped her as he tighten his arm around her and held her against his side.
Melanie looked up at him to meet his smile.
"The story sounds a lot better right where you are." He gently told her. "And just so you know...," he added, "...I missed you, too."
Melanie returned his smile as she settled into a more comfortable position, pulling the covers up to her chin as she closed her eyes. "Read on." She finally replied.
Layton settled in against his pillows as he began to read.
"'The Infinite Improbability Drive is a wonderful new method of
crossing vast interstellar distances in a mere nothingth of a
second, without all that tedious mucking about in hyperspace.'"