Syrtis

III.

April 28th, 2018

Saturday, 3:27am

Amin woke up rather abruptly when the action of stretching his hand by his side didn’t produce a Jessica. The tug of war began almost immediately—torn between closing his eyes and finding her. He knew that she was probably and not abducted but if Jess wasn’t sleeping, she was working. It was either black or white with her, which he understood.

“Great,” he muttered and placed his feet on the cold tiled floor, before standing up. “Jess.” No answer reached his ears as he left the room, and flicked the hallway lights on. “Where are you?”

“Here,” her voice came from the kitchen and he followed the sound, rubbing his eyes sleepily. He met her hunched over the stove and taking golden brown plantains from the oil in the frying pan.

“Why—no, I don’t want to know. Come to bed, please.” He took the plate that she was using to hold the plantain out of her hand, placed it on the table and pulled her into a hug. “Come with me.”

She giggled, pushing him off. “I can’t. I have a ton of work to do. Why are you up anyway?” The stove got turned off and she sat at the table, in front of her laptop. The plate littered with plantain was pulled closer and she speared one with a fork.

“You weren’t where I left you when I closed my eyes.”

She stifled a laugh and focused on her laptop, he watched her alert eyes dart from left to right. “And what position was that?”

“I,” he started then paused in amazement. “I don’t…I don’t remember.” He sat in the seat beside her and propped his elbow on the table so he could lean against it.

“I know. I was showing you all of the work that I had to finish reviewing before Sunday night, and when I was finally done explaining, you had already nodded off. I was talking to myself,” her hand was on the mouse and a sly smile played around her lips.

“You’re kidding.”

She shook her head, laughing. “Nope. You’re exhausted. But when I say it, you won’t hear. Go to sleep, Amin.”

“Not without you.”

That made her look at him. “How do you sleep when I’m not around you?”

“I don’t. I work till morning or until sleep decides that she’s had enough of my nonsense.” He placed his head on the table, while Jessica gazed at him fondly.

“That’s not healthy, babe. If you don’t stop, I’ll have to make you sleep here every night.”

“Is that supposed to be punishment?”

“Goooo sleep. I’ll join you when I can. You know you have work in five hours.”

He looked at her for a moment, then stood up. “Fine. Please don’t do this all night.” He kissed her cheek, then looked at her. “You smell like plantains.”

“Good,” she responded, stuffing another plantain in her mouth. The plate was emptying at an abnormal rate and he raised a brow at her. “What? I’m hungry.”

With one last look, he left her and went into the room. His phone was buzzing away into the silence. Only two people would dare to call him at such a time. And one was in Beirut. He groaned and reached for the phone, but got his first shock of the morning.

“Bassam.”

“Why am I not surprised that you’re up?” The jovial voice came over the phone and Amin couldn’t believe his ears.