Chapter 33 - Sweet Dreams

 

After a long, exhausting day that found Emma in tears more times than she’d care to admit, her ‘stuff’ was settled into Trent’s place. They’d gone back and forth on sleeping arrangements, Trent more than happy to give up his bed for her and to take the sleeper sofa. But in the end, Emma won the battle, convincing Trent that she could sleep well in Grandpa Connelly’s chair – that she’d done so many times before.

 

The problem she encountered at bedtime though was one she didn’t expect. Every time Emma closed her eyes, started to settle into sleep, she saw images of Ryan sacked out in that same chair instead of herself. It was distracting, and more than that, it made the tears start anew once more.

 

After a handful of hours just trying to push past her mental block, to try to keep the ghosts at bay, Emma gave up and climbed out of the chair, wandering into Trent’s open bedroom door and finding Trent splayed across his king-sized bed. With a brief hesitation, she moved to climb in alongside him, surprised to find the bed was a waterbed, and tucked in against his side.

 

And even though she wasn’t sure how he’d feel about the arrangement once he woke up – come morning or sooner – his unconscious reaction was to wrap an arm around Emma and tug her closer. Closing her eyes once more, it wasn’t long before Emma found the restful sleep she’d been lacking in the chair.

 

~*~

 

He wasn’t sure what woke him up – the urge to empty his bladder, or the arm circled around his bare chest. One wouldn’t have been a surprise but the other, quite a bit! In either case Trent carefully eased out of the bed, trying not to rock it too much, and even offering up his pillow for Emma to snuggle with as well, which she did. Watching her for several long moments, and hoping that his staring wouldn’t wake her up, Trent was left with quite the problem.

 

Go to the bathroom, then go back to bed, knowing full well he’d wake up in the morning ‘happy to see her’? Or find someplace else to sleep that didn’t involve waking her again? Wandering off towards the bathroom, he paused when he noted that Emma’s chair was still reclined out, and after a brief detour in the bathroom, he moved off towards the chair. Hoping she’d understand and appreciate his absence when she woke, Trent climbed up into the chair, settling himself in, surprised by how comfortable the ragged chair was.

 

Before long, Trent drifted back asleep, ankles dangling over the edge of the recliner, but comfortable nonetheless.

 

~*~

 

The lack of body warmth was the first thing Emma was aware of when she woke in the middle of the night. And while she was in the possession of a pillow that smelled of Trent, she found herself lacking Trent himself. Where had he wandered off to, she wondered?

 

Easing out of the bed and stretching out, aware of a dull ache in the small of her back, Emma went investigating, soon enough finding Trent sacked out in her grandfather’s chair. And like it had been so many months ago with Ryan, Emma found the tug to be closer hit her harder than she expected. As careful as possible, she moved to climb onto the chair with him, head tucked under his chin and body draped over his. And once again, his arm wrapped securely around her, holding her in close, making her smile.

 

Maybe she’d found a way to erase the demons of the chair, after all.

 

~*~

 

It was the light of the morning casting in through his kitchen window that woke Trent up, rather than the warm body curled across his chest. Realizing she must have joined him at some time during the night, Trent bit on his lip, before stroking a hand through Emma’s hair, trying to wake her up.

 

It took several minutes, but soon enough those gray eyes blinked open to gaze up at him, giving him a shy smile that momentarily took his breath away. “Good morning, sweetie,” he said in a soft voice, watching her blink the sleep from her eyes. “Are you feeling any better today?”

 

“You’re here.” Emma murmured at him, settling her head back against his shoulder before admitting in a quiet voice, “Stomach is off though. Can only assume it’s the last 24 hours hitting me.”

 

Shifting a bit to be able to press his hand against her forehead, Trent told her, “You are a little bit warm. Why don’t we get you settled back in the waterbed, and I’ll get you anything you need or want, okay?”

 

Shyly, ducking her head down so that she was looking up at him through her lashes, she asked, “Will you stay close? I rested best when you were nearby, I could tell when you were gone.”

 

Nodding his head at her, Trent nonetheless told her in a soft voice, “So long as it’s like this and nothing more, sweetie. I’m going to do everything in my power to not take advantage of you, to try and help you heal and get better.”

 

With a sad smile, Emma nodded, agreeing, “That’s for the best, I think. Because I don’t know who or what I want at this point, but I know I need time to recover, to put the pieces of my heart back together again.”

 

Giving her forehead a quiet kiss, Trent murmured, “I can’t guarantee I’ll behave. Lord knows my reputation with your ex precedes me there, but if anything comes between the two of us, I want it to be when you’re ready, not because I pushed you.”

 

Rubbing her cheek against his neck, Emma nodded once more, telling him, “I know. All of that. And I respect that you’re trying to respect me.” And after another moment, she asked, “Can we go back to your bed? Curled up here is good, but I think we’d both be more comfortable there.”

 

“Only if you let me feed us both first. Scrambled eggs and toast sound okay? Should be light on your stomach.”

 

Smiling up at him through her lashes again, Emma agreed, “That sounds good.”

 

Carefully pulling himself from beneath her, and adjusting himself when he hoped she wasn’t looking, Trent wandered off to the kitchen to make their breakfast. He didn’t think today was going to be much of a productive day, but if it was what Emma needed to start feeling more like herself, then so be it.