Greaser

19. Bad Dreams & Comfort

N I A L L

            I didn’t want to wake her up, partly because I liked how she looked so peaceful laying there against my arm, and partly because I knew that if I woke her up we would be back to fighting, and I’m not sure that I wanted to deal with that. I checked into the motel, cheapest place I could find anyway, and it probably wouldn’t live up to Mary’s standards. But I guess I can’t complain, because she’s here, with me and I wouldn’t want to have it any other way.

            Anthony was already passed out on the queen bed in our room, leaving only the couch for either Mary or I. I knew that if Mary was awake, she would tell me to sleep on the couch, because it was way more comfortable than the floor, but that was the great thing about her still being asleep in my arms as I carried her into our room. Careful not to hit her head on the door frame. She had no protest on who slept where, and it made my life just a little easier right in this moment.

            As soon as her head hit the soft cushion of the couch, I could hear her shuffling around as soon as I turned my back. Freezing in my tracks when I heard her tired voice try to speak up to get my attention. “Niall?” she choked.

            “Yeah, Mary?” I whispered, moving closer to the couch to get within ear range with her voice being so quiet. She had sweat on her forehead, which I hadn’t noticed was there when I carried her in from the car, and her eyes were glossy and full of worry. “What’s the matter?” 

            “You think my dad will find me?”

            I raised my eye brows, taken off guard with the question. I guess I never really noticed just how worried she really was about this whole thing. Although, I thought getting out of town helped her relax a little, but maybe she still has just as much worry as when she was hiding out across town. “No, I mean we are at least two hours away at this point. It’s not like he can track anything either. He’s got nothing on you, Mary.” I took a seat on the floor beside the couch, resting my head near hers. “You know, even if he did I don’t think—I don’t think I’d even let him near you.” I mumbled, “I don’t think, actually, I know I won’t let him near you.”

            “It’s just—in my dream.” She trailed off, sighing as she shifted her body, her hand messing with the ungreased, dull hair I was sporting the past two days.

            “What, in your dream?”

            “You know, it’s not that bad now that I think about it—I guess… When did we get here anyhow?”

            “Twenty minutes ago, I think. I don’t know.” I mumbled, not wanting to get off the topic of her dream. “What was in your dream, Mary?”

            “I told you, it’s not that big of a deal.” She blankly let out. I shook my head, moving my body away from the couch so she could no longer distract herself by playing with my hair. Although, it didn’t bother me much, it bothered me that she wasn’t telling me what happened in her dream. A dream that was so obviously a nightmare, one that made her wake up sweating and on the verge of tears if I hadn’t been in the room, she would have been all alone, and scared.

            “You woke up sweating, and almost crying Mary.” I sighed, glancing over at my guitar in the corner of the room on the chair. “Listen, how about you don’t have to tell me right now, you can tell me in the morning, yeah?” Even though no lights had been on, I could see the silhouette of her head nod in agreement. “You want me to play a little something, until you fall asleep? Seemed to help that last time you were all worked up. You hungry? I know you like to eat when you’re scared.” I was rambling now. Just hoping that she was forgetting about her dream for the time being so she could fall back asleep again, because she had looked so peaceful and admirable. I could sense a smile playing on her lips at my ramblings of comfort.