The 18 Year Old Bride

2.

T W O

I wake up hours later in an entirely different position. Eric is on his back and I am sprawled half-on him and half-off him.

Yikes.

I blink at the clock on the bedside table. It's seven after six.

I might be a late sleeper but I've never been able to sleep late. Even if I fall into bed at four a.m., after studying for tests, I wake up before seven. 

This causes me, over the years, to perfect the art of the mid-day Disco nap. Today is going to be a Disco Nap Day. I can feel it.

There is no way I can get back to sleep and no way am I going to remain sprawled all over Eric. 

I move to get up and the arm he has wrapped around my lower back tightens and his finger digs into my hip through the fabric of my shirt. 

"Jesus, what is it with you?" He grumbles.

"It's morning."

He opens an eye and glances at the clock. 

"Barely."

"I'm going to make coffee."

This is apparently an acceptable reason to move as his arm falls away. 

"Do you think there is extra toothbrush?"

"Probably."

That was a stupid question. I mean, whoever must have decorated this place and bought stuff for the house must have been smart enough to buy two separate toothbrush right? It's not like married couple share the same one. 

I jump out of bed, tying my hair into a bun. I locate a toothbrush that's still in its packaging and go down on my teeth. 

I take care of my teeth. I made a promise to myself that I'd die with my original set and that's what I intend to do. 

I open the door to the bedroom. "Do you know where the floss is?" I call.

"For Christ's sake, Alison!"

Obviously, Eric doesn't care that much about his teeth. That's okay though, Eric seems to be doing a very good job taking care of other parts of his body. 

I pad into the kitchen trying to be quiet for Eric. The living room, dining room, and kitchen are open plan in an L shape. The penthouse is on a corner, the entirety of it has a balcony wrapped around. French doors from the dining room which is across from the kitchen, French doors from the living room which is an extension of the dining room and French doors in the bedrooms. Big money for this kind of of location, the huge, airy rooms and the view afforded.

The kitchen is a state-of-the-art and mostly hidden from the living room. 

Still, I have to be quiet. 

Normally, I'd have the coffee ready to roll the night before so I could just open my door after I'd stumbled out of bed and get my coffee.

Normally, my neighbour Jack and his boyfriend, Sean take turns in making me my coffee. They are both coffee experts. Such a sweet couple. They offered to take me out every now and then even though I had to decline their offer. I knew they were inviting me only out of politeness. 

Normally, I didn't function properly until cup number two. Caffeine is my drug of choice. 

It takes me a while to find all the coffee paraphernalia. I luck out because there is a high quality bag of java. I make it strong. It's pretty clear from his Mr. Grouch impersonation that Eric isn't getting up anytime soon so I can be greedy and selfish with the coffee.