Full Count

seven

"Why do you have all these clothes if they don't fit you anymore?" Annabelle asks me as she's choosing what she wants to wear to sleep.

"My parents and I were saving them." I admit.

"For who?" She asks as she decides on a pair of shorts and a big shirt.

"Nobody really. We kept them for times like these. Just in case we ever needed them." I lie.

She nods her head, "I'm going to go change in the bathroom."

I nod and start picking up all the clothes off the end of bed and putting them back into the bottom drawer of my dresser.

"What's the real reason you and your parents were keeping the clothes?" AJ asks from my bed.

"My parents wanted to keep them for my little sister." I say quickly.

"But you don't have a little sister." AJ points out.

"No shit. I was supposed to."

"What happen?"

"The baby died the same way my dad did." I tell him.

He starts to ask something, but because of Annabelle's perfect timing, he doesn't get to ask.

"Where am I sleeping ?" Annabelle asks.

I smile at her. "Well you can either sleep in my bed with me or you can sleep on that big pink couch over there." I say pointing towards the wonderful velvet couch that I practically begged my parents for when I was twelve.

"You let people sleep on the pink couch?"

"I mean it's not in here to just look pretty."

"I wanna sleep on the couch."

"I think we can make that work. I'm pretty sure I also have some really soft blankets you can sleep with."

Her eyes go wide and she gets a big grin on her face. "You mean like the one on the couch downstairs?"

"I mean I have one even softer." I tell her as I walk over to my closet and grab the blanket from the shelf. "We have it like we do all the clothes. Just in case."

Annabelle smiles as I hand her the blanket. I watch as she makes her way towards the couch and lays down and makes herself comfortable. I then look at AJ.

"Do we just leave her be?" I ask.

"I mean we say goodnight and then we get in bed." He says .

"You think I sleep at eleven? That's cute."

"I know you don't, but it takes her a while to fall asleep sometimes and lately she hasn't been able to sleep unless I'm in the same room."

"Okay then get off the bed and say goodnight." I comment as I walk towards Annabelle.

She's laying there all wrapped up in the blanket. She honestly looks like she's ready to pass out right now.

"Goodnight gorgeous." I say to her and rub her head.

"Goodnight."

I walk back to my bed and sit down, but still carefully watch AJ as he says leans over and kisses the top of Annebelle's head and tells her he loves her.

Eventually he makes his way back to the bed.

"How long will it take her to fall asleep?" I ask quietly.