After Eternity

Chapter 52

I.

San Francisco...

As the alarm clock started buzzing, James blinked a couple of times until he was able to open his eyes. He stretched an arm and pressed the button to turn it off, for the repetitive noise was making his head spin. The gigantic red numbers announcing 8 am almost blinding his eyes. Diana didn't even move. He turned his head to look at her, to find her sleeping profoundly. She didn't hear the alarm clock and he smiled acknowledging it. Her hair spread along the pillow, over her naked back and some covering her face. She was sleeping on her stomach and covered just a little above her waist. One of her legs on top of his and her arms embraced the pillow as if she was afraid it disappear. Her puffy lips a tad parted as she breathed deeply. James turned on his left side and watched her sleep for a few seconds. Then, with the tip of his fingers, he began to pull away the unruly locks of hair away from her face. When he could have full vision of her perfect face, he traced the line of her jaw gently with his finger.

"Di." He called her sweetly, while caressing her face and dragging himself closer to her.

Diana didn't move. She was glued to her pillow and deeply lost in her dreamland. James smiled and raised his head of his pillow and bent over her, beginning to spread soft kisses on her cheek, on her jaw, and finally at the corner of her lips.

"Hey..." He whispered quietly when he reached near her ear.

Diana moved there. Her eyes scowled a little at the realization of having her sleep disturbed, but she didn't open them. James continued spreading kisses over her, beginning to kiss her shoulders and he saw her lips changing to a soft smile. He smiled against her soft skin.

"Wake up, babe." He said quietly, kissing her right at the corner of her lips.

Diana moved an arm, still with her eyes closed and rested it on his chest. Her eyes started to blink and she opened just one to find him right above her face, looking down at her. His boyish smile made her smile too.

"Good morning." He kissed her lips softly, lingering there for a while. Then, he parted from her and looked down at her face again.

"What time is it?" She asked with her cute sleeping voice. Then, her eyes closed again.

"Hey... it's 8 am." He said rubbing his nose on hers.

"I want to sleep more." She said tucking the pillow under her head better.

James tittered while watching her. "Ok..." He said. "We have to be downtown at 10." He reminded her, running a hand over her cheek.

"Just a few more minutes, please." She asked. "It's good." She smiled with her eyes closed.

"What is good?" He asked still caressing her.

"You..." She said, sounding a bit distant. "You... pampering me."

"I thought so." He kissed her temple. "You stay a little more?" He asked still with his lips glued on her temple.

"Hum... hum..." She mumbled and nodded.

"Ok." He said. James placed a kiss on her shoulder blade and pulled the sheet away and sat on the bed.

"I am going for my shower, then." He told her.

That way, he would give her the few more minutes she was searching for. He looked at her one more time, before he got up. And then looked at her again when he reached the door of the bathroom. She was sleeping and he closed the door gently not to make a noise.

He went for his morning pee first, for his bladder was about to explode. After flushing the toilet, he turned to the basin and washed his hands, while contemplating his face on the mirror. James turned to watch his face from both sides, he needed to shave. First, he reached for his toothpaste and poured some on his toothbrush and started brushing his teeth. He sat on the toilet while doing so for a few minutes. Then, he got up and curved over the basin, spitting all the foam he had in his mouth. Then, he opened the faucet and cupped some water with his hand, drinking from there to rinse his mouth. He washed the toothbrush right after and put it back on the shiny black cup that Diana had bought that week.