A Little Story About Love

Part 18

Chance - March 9, 2010, around 8:30 pm

Max's body relaxed, his breathing growing heavy. His small chest rose and fell slowly. His eyes had been closed for a long time, but he had been awake. I looked at his face now. He looked more peaceful than I had ever seen him. He spent so much time awake, that his face seemed years older than he was, dark circles were permanently visible below his eyes. But now, he looked young and healthy, the wrinkle between his eyebrows had vanished, the dark circles fainter in color. A smile just barely remained on his lips. He looked like an angel as he slept. I stroked his hair slowly, resting my chin on the top of his head.

I sat there as Max slept for hours, drifting in and out of sleep myself. Around 11:00 I found myself still weighed down by Max's limp body. He had turned on his side, his ear pressed against my chest, just above my heart. His right hand rested next to his head, his left arm wrapped around my waist, hand lying limply on my hip. His soft breaths made a few stray pieces of hair flutter off his forehead. Max looked more angelic and beautiful than ever. I pressed my lips to the top of his head and shifted under his weight, careful not to wake him. I settled back into the cushions and closed my eyes. But right as I began to drift off again, Elle returned, flopping her keys loudly onto the table by the door.

"Hey-" she started to speak, then spotted Max's sleeping figured. She clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes growing wide. "How long has he been asleep?" she whispered.

I shrugged gently, "A few hours?"

Elle's mouth hung open, she sat down slowly on the edge of the coffee table.

"What?" I whispered, trying to sit up slowly.

"No! Stop! Don't move," Elle whispered frantically. I froze, waiting for Elle to explain. Elle sighed deeply, "Max..." she hesitated, "Max hasn't slept at night, or for more than an hour at a time, in over... six years."

I stared. I couldn't understand how that was even possible. I knew Max had insomnia, but this was beyond my comprehension. I stared down at Max, still sleeping deeply on my chest. "Why... why now?"

"I don't know..." Elle shook her head, "One thing's for sure, Max really trusts you."