When Bodies Collide

5

VINCE

I never got luck with getting sleep. Insomnia pleagued me like a whore. It followed me around and was always something I struggled to hide. I never once had a full night's rest and I have never gone a week without collapsing from exhaustion.

Despite this, last night I had slept more soundly and without disturbance from the endless thinking or the night terrors that Dawn witnessed on many occasions.

I woke up to small windows of the basement filled with soft warm light that danced along the couch and coffee table. The leaves of the trees made the light break and glimmer like a lake on the glass top.

I never noticed how little things could be so fascinating.

I stretched myself over the best before I realized Dawn wasn't there and it was cold where she normally slept. If she had even slept on the bed it would have lock in some of her warmth, but it was as if I was alone again.

I walked over to the couch to find Dawn asleep. Her slow breathing and relaxed fast were the exact opposite of how she looked last night. There was no red flush to her olive skin and she reminded me more of an innocent child than of the woman I knew she had grown into.

I reach for her face and ran a finger from her temple to her chin. I fought back the urge to climb on top of her and resume where we had left off last night.

She had been adamant about breaking the line last night, but in the sobering light of morning, I realized just what I asked of her and how this wasn't something to just play with. I didn't know the extent of my personal feelings for her and I doubt she knew either.

I refuse to ask her again to break anything without thinking further.

°°°

The breakfast table had been set with waffles and fresh fruits as my younger sisters came tumbling down the stairs. The auburn hair on their heads burned like flames as the morning light caught them at every step. They didn't resemble my parents or even me, but they had so much of my grandmother in them it was hard to not cry at the sight of them.

"Hey, Vinny, did you guys," Lisa indicated with her hands sex. Maria slapped her on the head so hard Lisa almost lost her balance and slipped.

"Shut the hell up Lisa."

Hearing the girls talk like this, my mother slammed the knife she was using to cut mangos on the counter. It sent chills down my spine and made the girls almost cry.

"You two do not use that language in this house or so help me I will throw everything out." She gave an icy stare "Including your equipment."

The twins froze at the base of the stairs. Mother had bought them sports gear as well as multiple consoles and PCs, which of course were the girls prizes possessions.

I walked over to my mother and patted her on the shoulder. I hadn't shown much comfort to her for a while so she did jump at my hand on her. "I think they get it."

Mother let herself calm down before picking up the knife and cutting the fruit again.

The sound of the knife scrapping against the cutting board accompanied Dawn's ascension from the basement. Long flowing dark hair danced along her neck and gently bounced off her breasts.

Facing her today was wasn't going to be a field day.