Chapter Twenty-One
David "Hi." I spoke uneasily. I'd never been 'married' before. "We'd like a room, please." "Anything special?" "Well, the bridal suite, if you have one." The clerk looked at the pair of us. Anya was grinning wildly, pretending to be as cocky as most other brides after their wedding. The clerk directed his eyes to Anya's ring finger. Luckily, I'd thought of that. I'd given her Nicole's ring from its previous hidden location in my pocket, which would serve its purpose. "Names?" The man really didn't talk much. "Jason and Melissa Driver." "I. D. please." I opened my wallet. In there, I had five I. D. s. You know.just in case. You never can be too careful. There it was, Jason Driver. I handed it over. The attendant looked at me, then, seemingly satisfied, slid a clipboard toward me. "Sign where it says.um." "'Signature'?" "Yep. There. Okay, you're room fourteen." He informed us, handing over a key. "'Night." "Thanks." Anya replied. And then we went to find our room. We went down a long, white hall until we finally found number fourteen. Inside, I looked around, memorizing the layout and making a mental blueprint for myself. Then, satisfied with the place, I took off my jacket, shirt and shoes, and then got a spare blanket that was folded at the foot of the. Next, I went over to a lounge chair, sat down, and covered myself with the cloak of warmth. Anya walked over and sat on one arm of the chair, yawning, so I had to sit back to see her face. "What are you doing?" "Anya, I am tired. I want to sleep." I moaned. yawning also. "And?" Blinking, I sighed. "There's one bed." She shook her head. "David, it's a king-sized bed, for one thing. And for another, I'm not going to sleep yet, so you might as well take it." "I'm fine where I am.dear." A smile brightened her drowsy face. "I'm sure you are, darling, but.oh, never mind!" "What?" There was silence. I repeated earlier word inquiry. "Nothing. It's just.arguing with you is so aggravating! You're impossible to contend with. And I'm done in as it is, without trying to defend myself against you." Comprehending what my friend meant, I reached out and took her in my arms, only to ease her back off the arm of the chair and softly into my lap. And I then began gently rubbing her back. Beneath my fingers, the muscles in Anya's back were stiff and tense. "Just relax. You've had a long day.we both have. All you need is some rest and everything will be fine. I'll take care of it." She turned her head to me, her drowsy eyes pouring into mine. Her dark hair fell gently about her shoulders and shone radiantly in the light. "I'm sure you will." She started. ".but who'll take care of you?" Anya sighed stressfully. She blinked a few times. I hinted the concern in her soft voice, and suddenly the answer came to me, though pronounced in the form of a question. "You?" I made a smile form across my face, however sullen it may have appeared. But it was a smile. "You'll take care of me, won't you?" Not quite knowing what to say at first, Anya silently agreed. "Yes."
* * *
For a few more minutes, I held my friend., for whom my feelings were deepening, in my arms. There was silence as neither one of us knew exactly what to say, but it was a peaceful silence, and a welcome one after all that had happened back home, in New York. Eventually, Anya left my warm refuge and went into the bathroom for a bath that would help her settle into the night. After an hour or more, Anya re- entered the room. She was on tiptoe so as not to wake me, as if I were asleep. Silently, she pulled the blanket enveloping me so it covered me more thoroughly, then went to the bed and climbed beneath the covers. My eyes flicked open a centimeter, but then shut completely after I'd glimpsed Anya.
David "Hi." I spoke uneasily. I'd never been 'married' before. "We'd like a room, please." "Anything special?" "Well, the bridal suite, if you have one." The clerk looked at the pair of us. Anya was grinning wildly, pretending to be as cocky as most other brides after their wedding. The clerk directed his eyes to Anya's ring finger. Luckily, I'd thought of that. I'd given her Nicole's ring from its previous hidden location in my pocket, which would serve its purpose. "Names?" The man really didn't talk much. "Jason and Melissa Driver." "I. D. please." I opened my wallet. In there, I had five I. D. s. You know.just in case. You never can be too careful. There it was, Jason Driver. I handed it over. The attendant looked at me, then, seemingly satisfied, slid a clipboard toward me. "Sign where it says.um." "'Signature'?" "Yep. There. Okay, you're room fourteen." He informed us, handing over a key. "'Night." "Thanks." Anya replied. And then we went to find our room. We went down a long, white hall until we finally found number fourteen. Inside, I looked around, memorizing the layout and making a mental blueprint for myself. Then, satisfied with the place, I took off my jacket, shirt and shoes, and then got a spare blanket that was folded at the foot of the. Next, I went over to a lounge chair, sat down, and covered myself with the cloak of warmth. Anya walked over and sat on one arm of the chair, yawning, so I had to sit back to see her face. "What are you doing?" "Anya, I am tired. I want to sleep." I moaned. yawning also. "And?" Blinking, I sighed. "There's one bed." She shook her head. "David, it's a king-sized bed, for one thing. And for another, I'm not going to sleep yet, so you might as well take it." "I'm fine where I am.dear." A smile brightened her drowsy face. "I'm sure you are, darling, but.oh, never mind!" "What?" There was silence. I repeated earlier word inquiry. "Nothing. It's just.arguing with you is so aggravating! You're impossible to contend with. And I'm done in as it is, without trying to defend myself against you." Comprehending what my friend meant, I reached out and took her in my arms, only to ease her back off the arm of the chair and softly into my lap. And I then began gently rubbing her back. Beneath my fingers, the muscles in Anya's back were stiff and tense. "Just relax. You've had a long day.we both have. All you need is some rest and everything will be fine. I'll take care of it." She turned her head to me, her drowsy eyes pouring into mine. Her dark hair fell gently about her shoulders and shone radiantly in the light. "I'm sure you will." She started. ".but who'll take care of you?" Anya sighed stressfully. She blinked a few times. I hinted the concern in her soft voice, and suddenly the answer came to me, though pronounced in the form of a question. "You?" I made a smile form across my face, however sullen it may have appeared. But it was a smile. "You'll take care of me, won't you?" Not quite knowing what to say at first, Anya silently agreed. "Yes."
* * *
For a few more minutes, I held my friend., for whom my feelings were deepening, in my arms. There was silence as neither one of us knew exactly what to say, but it was a peaceful silence, and a welcome one after all that had happened back home, in New York. Eventually, Anya left my warm refuge and went into the bathroom for a bath that would help her settle into the night. After an hour or more, Anya re- entered the room. She was on tiptoe so as not to wake me, as if I were asleep. Silently, she pulled the blanket enveloping me so it covered me more thoroughly, then went to the bed and climbed beneath the covers. My eyes flicked open a centimeter, but then shut completely after I'd glimpsed Anya.
