Chloe.

It was now dim. A modicum of stars was barely visible in the sky. I shut the laptop on the table in front of me and gave my eyes time to adjust to the darkness. I was getting cold through the flimsy fabric of my silk nightdress that I had flung on once Noah had fallen asleep. Maybe I should have skimmed harder to scan if I still had a sweater in his closet.

I figured that I may as well search for something warm to put on before I die of frostbite in this winter weather. I peacefully opened the door to the sundeck and stepped into our room.
The light on the side of Noah's bed was turned on. His side of the bed was empty. The bedding was hurled everywhere. All my ears could detect was his silent cries.

"Noah," I called.

He sat at the edge of the bed, holding on to a pillow, trembling like somebody who had just woken up from a nightmare.

"I...looked everywhere for you...but I did not find you." He spoke with his eyes shut as a stray tear rolled onto his bare chest.

"I...I ..." I stuttered.

I felt as if my legs would give in under me as I took a step closer to him. The moment he felt I was close enough, he released the pillow between us and pulled me into his embrace.

"I thought you had left me and that if I held onto your pillow you'd...," he whispered into my belly as his tears leaked through my night dress. I tried my best to clasp my tears but I flunked terribly.

"I am right here Noah," I whispered even though my mind knew otherwise. I swallowed a huge lump in my throat and held onto him tighter.

"You promise?" he asked as he eventually let me catch a glimpse of his eyes. They were red and sore from crying. His usually ocean-blue eyes looked like a storm, as he searched for a hint of sincerity in mine.

"I promise," I said and it was as if my heart knew the predicament I had put myself into by how it beat rapidly in my chest.