Just Between us

Chapter 35

Josh:

I could feel something poking me, but I couldn't figure out what. I was more than half asleep and it was probably about 3 in the morning. There was that damn poking again.

Poke. Poke. Poke.

"Josh?" Someone whispered my name. It was Riannah. "Josh?" She repeated. "Are you awake?"

I groaned and covered my eyes with my arm.

"Yes," I mumbled. "I am very much asleep. Go away."

Riannah stopped poking me, but I could feel her looking at me. I tried to ignore it and go back to sleep, but the intensity of her stare kept me awake.

I moved my arm ever so slightly and peeked at her. She was sitting cross legged on the bed beside me, staring. Not moving, or saying anything, just looking.

I sighed in defeat and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. She looked at me very seriously as I propped myself up on my elbows.

"Alright, what's the matter?" I asked sleepily.

"I want cheese strings." She informed me. I gave her a look that let her know she was crazy.

"That's it? The fact that you wanted cheese strings was so important that you felt the need to wake me up at three in the morning?" Riannah shook her head.

"No, I woke you up because we are OUT of cheese strings."

"What do you want me to do about it?"

She was silent as she waited for me to draw up my own conclusion. I rubbed my face and looked at her again.

"So, let me get this straight." I said, trying to make sense if the situation. "You woke me up -at three in the morning, let me remind you- because you want me to somehow find a grocery store that's open at this time of night, so you can have cheese strings?"

Riannah nodded as if this made perfect sense.

"Woman, you are crazy, you know that right?" She stuck out her lip out and batted her doe eyes.

"Please Josh?" She begged. "I feel like I'm going to die without them." This made me chuckle.

"You said the same last week about pickles."

"Pleeeease Josh?"

Her hands instinctively spread across her slightly ballooned stomach. Riannah was about four and a half months pregnant and her baby bump was just starting to show.

I sighed heavily as I gave in and sat up.

"Fine," I told her. "you win. I'll go get your damn cheese strings."

A smile a mile wide broke out across her face.

"Thank you honey. Did I ever tell you I love you?"

I rolled my eyes as I stumbled out of bed and started getting dressed.

"You better love me after all this." I joked. She only giggled in response.

I pulled on my jacket and headed out into the frigid Vancouver air. As I stepped into the darkness, I felt the need to carry a knife with me for protection. In every alleyway there were glowing eyes, staring intently at me like I was a piece of fresh meat. I couldn't believe I used to actually walk these streets at night willingly.

I walked cautiously down the street until I found a seven-eleven open eight blocks over. I went in and paid for the well overpriced processed cheese.

There was snow just starting to fall as I was heading back. The slushy flakes added to the already thick blanket of white mush on the ground.

I shivered as I burrowed deeper into my coat, trying to keep out the cold. I walked as briskly as I could without slipping, wishing I had brought a warmer jacket.

The warmth of the lobby was quite welcoming as I stepped inside and shook out my wet hair.

My teeth were still chattering as I rode the elevator up to my floor and opened the door to the apartment.

Riannah was sitting exactly where I'd left her; sitting cross-legged on her side of the bed, patiently waiting for me.

"Here you go." I proclaimed, tossing her the plastic bag. "There's your damn cheese."

Riannah tore into the bag like a kid opening presents on Christmas. Once he got to the actual cheese, she didn't even bother pulling it apart; she just ripped open the wrapper and bit off a huge chunk. A look of pure elation crossed her face.

"Thank you so much Josh." She said as she looked at me. She then realized that I was soaking and shivering.

"Is it snowing out there?" She asked. I nodded as I took off my jacket.

"Uh-huh, that's what happens in January."

"Was it cold out?" I nodded again.

"It's Canada, of course it's cold."

"How far did you have to go?"

"About eight blocks."

"I'm sorry Josh, I didn't know it was that cold out."

She looked slightly guilty now. I sat down on the bed and placed a cold hand on her shoulder. Goosebumps ran down her arm.

"It's fine." I said, giving her a crooked grin. She returned it as she took my ice hands in her warm ones.

"Are you going back to bed now?" She asked. I sighed and shook my head.

"No, I'm up now, I think I'm gonna stay up." Riannah bit her lip as she considered her next words.

"Well," she said slowly. "If you're up and I'm up, and you're still really cold, maybe we could take a bath?" I looked at her quizzically.

"You're pregnant, remember? You can't have sex."

"I know." She replied innocently. "I said nothing about sex. I'm just thinking you'd be warm, and I'd be naked, and you'd be naked..."

I grabbed her hand and started tugging her toward the bathroom.

"Say no more."