Middle Class Love #Wattys2015

Longing and Belonging (Ending 2)

A night had passed since Nikki and I spoke for the first time since my visit. I was hoping to see more of her. She remained holed up either at her workplace or in her bedroom. If I could see her one last time before we left, I would consider myself lucky. 

"Da" Maureen poked me in the ribs. Taken by surprise, I massaged the spot and turned around to face her.

"Maureen!" I gasped " There are better ways to draw your poor old dad's attention." She giggled and threw her arms around me in a bone crushing hug. My fatherly instincts took the better of me as I ruffled her hair and pressed a kiss on her head. She raised her head to give me her little mischievous smile.

"What is it that you want, Momo?" I addressed her using the name she used to call herself as a little toddler. "Talk to Mama for me." I smiled at her and nodded. "Oh, and convince her to come home. Otherwise, we'll devise a plot to kidnap her!!" she said with a sly smile. "Deal!" I yelled and watched our fists slam.

Rochelle came running inside the room with her blanket about her. "What happened?" I asked her. She frowned and gagged before spitting out her complaint "Grandad is snoring too much. I am afraid that the wall will fall on my face. It was just getting unbearable!!". I laughed at that "Well, ain't I better?". She pulled the blanket away from her shoulders and paused for a moment "Da, you are...." I waited for her to pronounce her judgments on my snoring skills ".....undoubtedly the lesser of two evils." That being said, she couched her complaint with a Nikki-like diplomatic hug.

"Where are the two of you going to sleep tonight?" I asked

"Uhm...just don't tell grandpa that he's the reason we're huddled on the sofa tonight!!" Rochelle whispered

"First thing tomorrow morning, I will let your grandpa know your kind feedback." I said with a chuckle. "Noooooo Dada!!! Nooooo" they protested.

"Are you going to sleep inside the guest room, Da?" Maureen asked.

"I guess so." I said plainly.

"Well then, Goodnight Dadabrain!!" Rochelle exclaimed.

"Sweet dreams, Da!! Remember our deal."

I shook my head and kissed both of them good night.

I was yet to make up my mind. The bed in the guest room was the cardboard version of porcupine spikes. Sleep evaded me even if I were to trade the rock hard bed for the plush sofa in the hallroom that the girls now chose to occupy. My feet took me to the first room I saw, Nikki's. I longed to curl up near her form and fall asleep to the pattern of her breathing. If the door were locked from inside, all this would be reduced to wishful thinking. Nevertheless, I wanted to try my luck.

I pushed down the handle, anticipating the door to be firmly locked. To my surprise, it opened without a noise. On entering the room, I shut the door slowly and softly so as to not wake Nikki. She lay on the right side of the bed and had forgotten to turn off the night lamp. A diary lay open near a ballpoint pen. I mused awhile and turned off the night lamp. As I climbed onto the bed, positioning myself by her side, she turned to me in her sleep, muttering something incomprehensible. When she had sunk into deeper sleep, I lifted her head and put it on my outstretched arm. My free arm found itself secure around the curve of her waist. If we were to go our own separate ways, I wanted just this one night to sleep with the woman I swore to never abandon: my own. This was my penance for all the wrongdoing.

Oh, the doctor was right. It was not insomnia that cost me my sleep; it was longing. I knew that this wasn't the longing of a sexual kind.