we keep this love in a photograph

Chapter 37

"No!"

The yell tore Jennie from her sleep, shooting up in bed, wild-eyed and her heart racing as she immediately became alert. Rubbing at her eyes, she blinked and looked beside her, Rosie propped up on her side as she turned away from Jennie, head bowed and shoulders tense as her quick, shallow breaths sounded ragged in the ensuing silence.

Jennie was hesitant to touch her for a moment as panic settled in, but she slowly placed a hand on her shoulder, feeling her pulse race beneath the cotton. This was something Jennie didn't know how to fix, something she'd only seen the surface of when Rosie sometimes jerked away, a cold sweat covering her as she breathed quickly. This was more.

"Hey, you're okay," Jennie murmured, a concerned look clouding her face.

Rosie didn't shrug her touch off, and after a few moments, Jennie felt the tension unwind and she rolled back onto her back. With a subdued sigh, Rosie ran a hand over her face and then blinked, her poor vision making her squint as she reached out and fumbled for her glasses before jamming them on her face.

"Good morning," Rosie said, her voice thick with sleep and slightly scratchy as she smiled tiredly, cheeks pink and creased with the seam of the pillows.

It was a clear morning, the sky a pale blue as the early morning sunrise slanted in through the windows. Her hair, her skin and even the freckles on her nose seemed to glow golden as she leaned over and kissed Jennie slowly before flopping back down onto her back and holding her arms open.

"Rosie-"

"I'm fine, baby. It was just a bad dream," Rosie evasively murmured, unconvincing but her tone firm, broaching no further arguments from Jennie as she cuddled up beside her, throwing an arm across her tanned stomach.

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

"No. Not right now."

There was an undercurrent of pain to her whispered words that made Jennie's throat constrict, but she didn't push her. She listened to the steady drum of her heart as Rosie idley trailed her fingertips over the satin skin of her back, touching her distractedly as she let her fingers drag over her back in a featherlight, ticklish touch.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, warm and comfortable and reluctant to leave their bed. It would have been enough for Jennie to stay there for two weeks, her eyes half-lidded as she luxuriated in the feeling of Rosie's warmth surrounding her, the smell of her on the sheets, her slowing breaths as whatever panic had gripped her slowly retreated.

Absentmindedly running her fingers through Jennie's hair, Rosie let out a soft sigh. "We need to talk," she slowly said, wariness curling around her words as she stared up at the ceiling. "About me reenlisting."

Jennie closed her eyes, swallowing thickly as her stomach swooped. "Can't we just have breakfast first?"

"You can't keep avoiding the conversation," Rosie said with thin amusement, reaching up to press her fingertips to Jennie's cheek.

Rolling away from her touch, Jennie sat up and ran a hand through her hair as she swung her legs off the edge of the bed and hunched her shoulders. Rosie's hand reached across the mattress for her, urging her to come back into her embrace, but Jennie didn't see, head bowed as she rubbed at her forehead.

"I'm not avoiding it; I'd just prefer not to have it right now."

"Jennie-"

"Rosie."

"I'm not reenlisting!" Rosie softly exclaimed.

Jennie stiffened and whirled around, eyebrows rising in surprise as her mouth fell open and she found herself speechless for a second. Quietly laughing at the look on her face, Rosie shrugged and grinned goofily at her, although there was a subdued quality to it. A prickle of guilt, if Jennie wasn't mistaken.