Sails and Styles (Completed)

Chapter 7

This time I feel the car tumbling down the embankment. I hear the eerie silence after the car finally stops. I'm aware of my heavy breathing and also that that's the only breathing I hear. Then it's the same sounds. Voices shouting. Sirens. Lots of sirens. "Hello?" "She's alive!" "Stay calm." "We're here to help."

Then it's a new sound but at the same time familiar: "Hi Maggie, I'm here to help." His accent is unmistakable, and I feel calm, before I remember why I shouldn't be.

"I can't leave them!" I shout. "Stop!"

"You have to, or you'll just be stuck in the past."

"I can't forget them!"

"You won't. They're a part of you."

I open my eyes and I'm gasping for breath in my bed. There's a quiet knock on my door.

"Can I come in?" he whispers.

"Yes," I whisper back.

He opens the door a crack, "Are you alright?"

I shrug at him and look down at my blankets.

"Can I do anything?"

"Lie with me."

He gulps, surprised by my request. "Sure."

He crawls into the small bed with me and he can't seem to decide what to do with his hands. I make the decision for him and inch closer pressing my forehead into the crook of his neck and put my arm around his waist. He follows my lead and wraps his arms around me, gently playing with my hair.

I interrupt the silence, "You were there."

"I was where?" he asks, confusion in his voice.

"In my dream."

"Oh," he pauses. "Is that good?"

"I think so."

"Go back to sleep, Maggie. I've got you."

And I do, because he does.

I wake up when the light starts to peek in my window. I feel the weight of Harry's arm around me, the sound of his breathing in and out. I carefully move his arm and crawl out of the bed without waking him.  I decide to do some yoga on the deck to start my morning and calm the nerves I'm feeling for inviting him into bed with me. I don't know what it means, I just needed him in that moment. I wanted to feel safe and he makes me feel that way. I have no idea how he's going to feel about it, so I had to leave him there to avoid any awkward morning greetings.

The water is calm this morning and I think it's trying to tell me to relax. But I'm a sailor so no ripples means no wind and no wind means no sailing. As I'm going through my last few poses, I smell coffee brewing and I know Harry is awake. I try to end with some deep breathing and mediation, but I feel eyes on me. I slowly turn my head and there is Harry peeking out at me from behind the dodger.

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt. It's hard not to watch you."

I can feel my cheeks blush and I look away from him.

"Oh god, I did not mean to say that out loud. What I meant to say was I made some breakfast if you'd like to join me?"

"I'd like that," I smile, realizing we both aren't really sure how to act after our close sleeping arrangements last night.

We sit across from each other at the table as we eat. A tension between us, but an electric type of tension. Like I can't stop thinking about how good it felt to sleep in his arms, and how I don't know if it'll ever happen again.