Good Morning, I'm Up

We fell asleep around midnight.  It is early for Firefly. The bedroom is dark. The door wall is open a crack. Cool fall air and the smell of rain fills the room.  I am lying on my back.  Firefly is lying half on me and my hand strokes the soft skin of her belly and arms.  I reach out to my left and grab my phone from the nightstand.  The screen lights up and tells me it is time to get moving. I slide myself slowly from beneath Firefly trying not to disturb her sleep. 

"Where are you going?" She coos. 

"I have to get ready for work," I tell her, a bit surprised she is awake so early.  "Why? Do you want me to come back to bed?"

"Just for five minutes and I will fall asleep again,"  she assures me.

I slip back under the covers and hold her close.  My hand strokes her soft skin.  I become semi-aroused and pull myself out of bed before frustration sets in.  I tuck the covers and pillows around her sleeping form and head for the bathroom.

After my shower, I open the bathroom door and gaze at her in bed.  She kicked off all the covers and is facing the opposite direction curled into a fetal position.  She is naked except for a nude-colored thong and is murmuring in her sleep. I resist the urge to grab her little butt and get back into bed.  Instead I put my clothes on give her a kiss and head downstairs to make a cup of coffee before leaving for work.

A few minutes later the Keurig is making coffee and I am sitting on the stairs putting on my shoes aided by the dim lighting from the kitchen.  I hear the familiar electronic notes telling me I have a text message from Firefly.  "Are you making eggs?"

I go back upstairs.  Firefly is still curled on the bed with her eyes closed.  Her iPhone is by her hands and it is hard to believe she just texted me.  "No honey, " I whisper,  "I am about to head out the door.  Why do want eggs?"

"Thought I heard you making eggs.  Never mind, I will make them later," she says.  She is as much asleep as awake, and I wonder if she is just dreaming of food.

The urge to get back into bed is strong. I give her a few more kisses and exit the bedroom before I can no longer resist getting back into bed.

She sends me a text later in the day, "Good morning,  I'm up!" 

"You were so cute this morning asking for eggs at  7:00 a.m.,"  I reply.

"I don't even remember that, omg!  I could not sleep for the life of me." 

"Yes, I know. You didn't even complain the third time we had sex.  Just kidding.....or am I?"

I tell her it is because of her sleep apnea.  She takes shallow breaths, because of the drugs, then a loud healthy gasp about every seven to ten seconds.

*     *     *

I think some of you are right.  Firefly doesn't want to leave.  She is comfortable.  I have not given her any false illusions though, she needs to make a plan.  

"I don't want to go to California anymore," she told me last night.  "The whole state is on fire."  

"Well you need to go somewhere,"  I reply.  Florida is her second choice.  Going to a rehab in Michigan is not an option to for her.  I am not going to force her to go to a rehab.  It won't stick if she doesn't want to go but I am going to sell the Silver Jeep.  She will not have a car to use.  I will consider buying a cheap car for her to use upon her return. She could get a regular job and buy it from me, but she needs to be clean first.