"You know this is what they do in pretty woman." Susan ran her fingers in circles across the back of his hand where it rested on her stomach.
"Fall asleep in public?" He lifted his head to look at her.
"Cop a squat under a tree."
"Oh. Well I might fall asleep anyway." He rested his head back on her shoulder.
"Go for it." she massaged his scalp with her fingertips while he moaned blissfully.
"We've got an hour right?"
"Forty minutes. Go to sleep." She kissed his forehead and lay back against the tree while he snuggled into her. She wished she could sleep too. But not a chance. Half an hour ago she'd left the hospital and in forty minutes her specialist would be sitting across a desk from her, changing her life.
Mark wasn't sleeping either. Dozing at best, he couldn't relax. The wind seemed to find every gap in his clothing and made him shiver so he pulled her closer.
The day seemed to be getting colder. They didn't speak at all between the time they left the doctor's office and when they got back to Susan's apartment. She unlocked the door and dropped the keys and her bag on the floor, her jacket across the back of the sofa. Mark hung his jacket up on the back of the door, levered off each shoe with the opposite foot and followed her into the kitchen. She was watching the kettle boil.
He found two mugs and tea bags.
"Echinacea or English Breakfast?"
Susan took a deep breath and turned to face him. "Echinacea. Thanks." She left the kitchen.
Mark poured the tea and warmed his hands in their steam while they drew. He heard her turn the shower on as he stirred a teaspoon of honey into each mug.Licking the spoon,he carried them into the lounge.
Susan put ona thin woolen sweater, pajama pantsand big socks. Toweling her hair she went and sat beside Mark cross-legged on the sofa.
"Feel better?" he sounded like he wasn't sure if he should speak.
She nodded and smiled a little. She picked up her tea and thanked him for making it. After a couple of sips she broke the silence.
"It's a good prognosis, I mean, as far as cancer prognosis's go. But I feel awful."
"You're probably tired."
Susan nodded and put her mug down. Mark had finished his and instinctively reached his long arms around her as soon as the hot tea was out of the way. She went to him, determined not to cry. He was right, she was exhausted. She had come to the end of herself. If he hadn't been there… she hated to think.
"Maybe you should go to bed. I mean, as much as I love your couch…"
Susan looked at him and yawned and smiled.
"Please, don't go."
"I won't. I'll sleep here – it's really only made for one person though."
"Oh, so you're kicking me off."
Mark just smiled, glad they'd shaken the solemnity for the moment.
Susan stood up. "Don't be ridiculous. It's a big bed."
He looked really unsure of himself.
"I don't want to be alone right now. Don't misunderstand me. I'm only asking for your company."
Mark stood up beside her and took her hands, kissing one then the other. "It's not you're intentions I'm concerned about."
Susan grinned then let her eyes drop to the ground. She really couldn't bare to be alone.
He ran his hands down her arms then enveloped her in an embrace.
"Maybe I'll just sleep here." Sherelaxed her headagainsthis chestand pretended to snore.
He picked her up in a moment as if she weighed no more than a child. "If you snore I'll be going back the couch." he kissed her quickly.
Susan laughed and told him to put her down. He, of course, ignored her, until he could put her down in her bed.