The Retribution Chronicles

M i r i a m | t w e n t y - f o u r | p t . 1

Miriam woke up first. Wes' hand was strewn across her mid-section, pinning her to the mattress, while his head brushed against her shoulder, leaving her skin sticky with breath. She stroked his face and smiled when he woke up and kissed the crease of her elbow.

"Morning," he said, voice husky with sleep.

"Hi."

"I thought you would've snuck back into your own room," Wes admitted.

"What?" she snorted. "Like how we snuck out of Daniel's?"

"It was for the best," Wes said rather decisively. His tone was enough to send a tingle running down Miriam's spine.

"I agree," she said before turning to face him. "And, in the spirit of full disclosure, I did consider going back to my own bed," she said with a laugh. "But you were too cute to leave."

Wes leaned close and kissed the tip of Miriam's nose. "That's what I like to hear." His mouth migrated to her cheek then her neck before retracing its steps to her lips.

"Don't get used to this," Miriam murmured between kisses. "My bed's much comfier."

"Is it now?" Wes pulled her flush against his body.

"Oh, a hundred percent."

"Well, then I guess we'll just have to move in there."

"Maybe we will." Miriam reached for Wes' face and held him in place, eyes skimming up and down the features she'd committed to memory and adding the feel of his mouth pressed against hers to the vault right alongside her most treasured memories.

"There's no maybe about it." Wes kissed Miriam so softly it felt like a dream. One which was interrupted by a ringing phone. Miriam's ringing phone. She rolled away from Wes' warm embrace and groped along his bedside table until she found the vibrating device.

"Finally." Esther's face, smeared eyeliner and all, filled Miriam's phone screen. "I've been calling you all morning," she said.

"Sorry." Miriam angled the phone away from Wes. "I slept in."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Look, are you—"

Wes sneezed, earning him a wide-eyed glare from Miriam and a questioning frown from her sister.

"Are you alone?" Esther eventually asked, her face somehow taking up more of the screen as she either leaned in or brought it closer for inspection.

"Yes, obviously I'm—"

"Don't bullshit me Mer." Esther's left eye twitched. It reminded Miriam of their mother; of the way she seemed like she might explode if she didn't receive the truth the instant she asked for it. Sometimes she did, shouting for hours at a time in a fizzing ball of rage. Flashes of explosions past caused Miriam to cast Wes a helpless glance. A glance which saw him sigh and slide into frame.

"Hey Essie," he said almost as if he and Miriam woke up beside one another every morning.

Esther's face blanched, if only for a second, then it was full of unabashed glee. "Fucking finally," she cheered. "Darren! Come here, I've got—"

"Would you calm down," Miriam hissed just as Darren climbed into bed beside Esther.

"Look," Esther said, ignoring Miriam's pleas. "They're together."

"Finally," Darren grinned while handing Esther a mug. "Took you guys long enough."

Wes laughed and kissed Miriam's shoulder. "Thanks man."

"So, I guess we can count on you both coming down Friday night?" Esther said, emphasis on the both.

"What's happening Friday night?" Miriam asked.