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Trey stood up and softly shut the door, concentrating, as he left the two women alone, on remembering how to breathe.
14 Mayhem 2.0
Trey arrived with the assortment of pastries from the bakery for the three of them but to his dismay Maybelle was sound asleep on the couch.
His mom had informed him that Maybelle had slept the whole car ride, woke up to walk with Chelsea up into the house until the living room sofa and was once again out like a light as soon as her head rested on the cushions.
Trey tried to ignore his screaming stress as he and his mom ate a few of the baked goods. Chelsea soon left him, she had worked that night and needed to get at least some sleep in before she would need to get ready and head out for her next shift.
After she went to bed, Trey approached the sofa where Maybelle slept like the freaking dead, not like she hadn’t just slept for a whole goddamned year. He was so tempted to try and shake her awake, but he stopped himself, instead seating himself in the armchair right next to her.
Trey reclined the chair back and was lulled to sleep watching a few of Maybelle’s curls shudder from the small, even puffs of her breathing.
Trey started with a jolt, his eyes first darting to the girl who continued to sleep soundlessly on the couch, to the clock on the far wall that read 6:15PM, and finally his mother who was gently coaxing him awake.
“Hey honey, you can keep sleeping. I just wanted to let you know I am headed to work.”
Chelsea kissed her son’s forehead, “Call me if you or Maybelle need anything.”
Trey, still groggy with sleep, nodded bleary-eyed, then his mom was out the door. He sat up in the armchair, stretching his cramped body. The chair did not offer the most comfortable sleep, but it did the job.
He peered over at the golden, sleeping beauty who looked like a dream as she slept on his couch, in his home and not in a hospital bed surrounded by blank walls and machines.
The comfort of her in his world was fleeting because she was still sleeping, and watching her eyes closed and soft breaths continue to ruffle her curls made him nauseous with worry. Trey felt trapped back in those first weeks of waiting by her side, face mangled, tubes and wires everywhere.
His body viciously shuddered driving him upward and to her side. He knelt beside the sofa; Maybelle was curled in on herself on one side with her hands cuddled up under her chin.
He could acknowledge that she looked a lot more alive sleeping like this than she ever had in the last year which did fill him with an ounce of relief, but it was not enough to stop him from placing a hand to her shoulder.
Trey started by nudging her shoulder softly, when she didn't stir, he pressed against her and rocked her shoulder back and forth.
“Maybelle?’ He inquired softly.
When awake, Maybelle seemed like a brute force that was unbreakable but asleep she was porcelain glass he wasnervous would shatter under too much pressure from his big hands or crack if he spoke too loudly. So, he prodded on tentatively.
After calling her name out a couple more times Maybelle’s face tightened, scrunched and her whole body went taut. Trey paused his efforts and removed his hand from her. A soft breathy “no” left her lips hitched, with half a sob.
Trey lifted his other hand to the top of Maybelle’s head stroking down her frizzy curls from her face.
“You’re ok Maybelle, I’m here.” Trey spoke, unsure of exactly what to say, only knowing she seemed to be having a nightmare and needed comfort. They were face to face now, with him calmly brushing her hair with his fingertips.
At that moment a whimper escaped her.
“Maybelle.” He called with a bit more volume and force. Suddenly her eyes fluttered open.
Blue, green perfection.
Trey was so captured by those ridiculously beautiful eyes that he failed to see her body move until her knuckles were crunching up and into his nose.
“Oh, damn.” He cursed leaping away from the golden-haired ninja and sprawling across the floor onto his back.Trey held his face, vision blurry with trapped tears. In his watery sight he could tell Maybelle was now sitting up, her shoulders encasing her neck as she cringed with embarrassment.Good, she should be embarrassed, that could have been a cute freaking moment.
Trey abruptly paused his thought as he heard the damn woman giggling. He looked up at her from the floor, hand still over his nose, he prayed it bled so he didn't have to feel like too much of a wuss as a tear or two escaped to the tops of his cheeks.
“My bad, is your nose alright?” Maybelle’s inquiry was sandwiched between soft chuckles, she was obviously trying and failing to hide.
Trey only glared up at her, “What’s so funny?”
Maybelle shrugged, her full lips disappearing as she pinched them together. Trey dropped his red nose, sat up from the floor and blinked away his watery vision. He glimpsed up at her with a laughing smile before he snickered.
