I look down at her peaceful sleeping face for a moment. There is a dirty streak across her cheek and her hair is still tied up in a tangled mess on top of her head.
Turning away from her sadly, I walk up the steps to the immersion closet. I pull a thick comforter from the top shelve and then when I am standing next to her again, I drape it over her gently. She murmurs softly as she snuggles into the blanket. I turn to the television and I switch it off.
Quietly I make myself a toasted cheese sandwich. I carry the plate with my sandwich and a glass of Cranberry Juice up to my bedroom. Fluffing up my pillows, I lean them against the wall behind my bed, and then when I sit down on my bed, I lean my back against my pillows and bring my knees up. I take a bite of my sandwich as I select Shannon's name on my phone.
She answers after the second ring, her voice sounds groggy.
I ask, "Did I wake you"
" Uh, duh." I hear her fumble with something. "Gawd, Heather. It is like two in the morning." Sleepily she asks, "What's wrong then?"
Apologetically I say, "Sorry. I just needed to speak to someone."
She groans as she stretches. "Bout what?"
" Kieran." I actually hear her sit up straight on her bed.
" Yes?"
" I kissed him."
She laughs softly. "Heather! You are such a slag! I swear you only met him yesterday."
Insulted, I defend myself, "Not yesterday. Friday."
" Well, then it is okay then. You met him two days ago."
" What's wrong with kissing him, miss high and mighty? Besides, he looks at me in this funny kind of way. I can't really describe it, but it is as if he knows me since forever."
" Did he say he loves you?"
" No! Why would he? Really, Shannon, you are being daft."
She laughs. "Did you then say you love him?"
" Please, Shannon! I do not have to love someone to kiss them, or do I? When did I fall into this alternate universe, where you think you have to love someone to kiss them? Besides, you know how I feel about love, more so now that my dad upped and left."
" Yeah, yeah." She says mockingly, "I will know when I love someone, and only then will I ever say it to anyone."
" Don't use my own words against me!"
" So?"
" So, what?"
She giggles. "Is he a nice kisser?"
I smile. "Yeah, kind of."
Seriously, she asks, "Were you there when your dad fetched his things?"