LOVE WITHOUT SLEEP

THE CHAPTER 14

All night long the vibrations of my phone ringing in it's silent state drove me insane. I looked down at Judith, who was fast asleep in my arms, with her head against my chest...I reached over for the phone as best I could, though unable to reach. I didn't want to move from the position we were in for anything in the world, though the noise was inevitable and from it she'd wake up sooner or later anyway. I slid my arm from underneath her slightly, rolling her over to her side gently.

She stirred around a bit as I froze, watching her. As she settled down I reached over to my phone, reading Emma. I sighed, getting out of bed and answering.

"Hello? It's four o'clock in the morning--"

Cut off by the shakiness of her cries, she spoke immediately, "George, I know you said its over between us but I need you so much right now--"

I looked over my shoulder at Judith as I found myself pacing the room. "what is it?" I asked.

"Rocky, he's sick i dunno what's wrong. I've tried everything and there isn't anywhere open for me to take him--"

Rocky was her old smelly German Shepherd. He was sixteen years old and meant more to her than anyone else alive, probably even including her own parents.

"Emma, what do you want me to do? I can't...fix him." I lowered my voice even more than it was already quiet.

"Can you just come over?" She asked, I could hear her falling to pieces on the other end. I couldn't bear it, but there was Jude...

"Emma, I have company...I can't just--"

"Bring your company then, I really just can't be alone tonight. George you know how much this hurts and how much I need you...you said we'd always be friends...don't do this to me." She said, I hated her voice when she cried. It was the worse. It was low, and squeaky, and it almost felt like if someone would punch her in the throat it would fix it...I never wanted to be the one to do it of course.

I sighed, giving in...because those were my words exactly, "I'll be there in a bit, lemme get dressed."

"Thank you..." she said, "I love...thank you." She caught herself.

"Yeah. See ya soon." I hung up the phone, setting it down on the bedside table and staring at Jude's back. I sat down, contemplating on whether it was smart enough to leave her or to bring her as Emma said I could. I went to the drawer, grabbing a shirt and throwing it over my head, turning around to look at her again after each and every action.

I left on my joggers, grabbing for a pair of socks and taking a seat on the chair, still watching her. Somehow, my heart raced at incredible speeds as I did so...as if I were already fucking everything up. Her eyes opened, looking at me tiredly.

"Where are you going?" She mumbled.

"Uh...erm...to a friend's house. Do you want to come?" I asked, hesitantly. I'd bombed the question already, sounding like a complete fool.

She reached over to her phone, the light of it shining against her tired face, "George, it's four in the morning." She said slowly.

"I know, I know. Her...my friend's dog is like...dying or whatever, it's an emergency." I said quickly.

"I dunno if I want to come watch your friend's dog die." She said throwing the blanket over her head.

Great, she doesn't want to come..."Alright, that's fine yeah he'll be dying and shit and there will be crying and it will be the worst scene. I might even cry too and like...yeah you don't--"

She pulled the blankets down from over her head, watching me, "you've always been the worst liar..."

"Liar?" I asked, tying my last shoe and praying internally that she hadn't caught on.