Chapter 36
Simeon rolled over to check the time, wincing as the air mattress creaked. It was still dark, and his phone said it was only five in the morning, but he couldn’t lie in this uncomfortable contraption any longer. After sleeping on it the past few nights, he wasn’t sure his back would ever recover.
Carefully, he pushed himself off the mattress, cringing every time it creaked or groaned or—somehow—growled. In the bed, Abigail rolled over but didn’t seem to awaken.
Simeon tiptoed to her side, a powerful surge of love for his wife hitting him as he watched her sleep. Aside from the air mattress, everything about the past few days had been perfect. They’d biked to the area’s many waterfalls, soaked in the hot springs, shopped at the markets, and taken a day trip to the Amazon. They’d talked, they’d laughed, they’d kissed. Every day, he could feel them growing closer together. Every day, he hoped it would be the magical day when she said she loved him again.
Be still, he reminded himself. Be patient.
He blew her a quiet kiss, then tiptoed out of the room and down the stairs. It was still dark, but Simeon had become comfortable enough with the layout of the house to maneuver through the living room toward the small kitchen.
“Hola, se?or.”
Simeon jumped at the small voice that came out of the dark.
“Mariana. What are you doing here in the dark?” He could just make out the silhouette of Mateo and Linda’s granddaughter at the kitchen table.
“Coloring.” The girl held up a crayon as if for proof.
“In the dark?”
She shrugged. “I can see. Where’s Abigail? I made a picture for her.”
Simeon’s heart squeezed. He’d been worried, when Mariana had first arrived, that some part of Abigail might still find it difficult to be around children, even if she didn’t remember all they’d been through. But Mariana and Abigail had become fast friends. Every time he saw them together, Simeon was reminded yet again of what a wonderful mother his wife would make.
“She’s still sleeping,” he said to Mariana. “Like you should probably be too.”
“You’re awake,” Mariana pointed out.
“Well, yes, but I’m—”
“A grown-up.” Mariana sighed. “That’s what grown-ups always say.”
“For your information—” Simeon pulled out a chair and sat across from her. “I was going to say I’m weird.”
Mariana giggled and held out a crayon to him. “Want to color with me?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” Simeon took the crayon and paper she passed him and set to work.
Mariana was nothing if not a chatterbox, and by the time Pastor Mateo and Linda came down for coffee, Simeon had learned all about her school, her favorite animals, and her baby brother.
“Well, look at you two early birds.” Pastor Mateo grinned at them. “Are you excited for VBS today?”
“Yes,” Simeon and Mariana answered in unison, then laughed and gave each other a fist bump.
“I’d better go wake Abigail up.” Simeon pushed back from the table and filled two mugs of coffee to take upstairs. He’d been completely taken by surprise when she’d suggested they help with VBS—but in the best way. It was where they’d made their first connections, after all.
He pushed the bedroom door open to find Abigail lying in the middle of the air mattress, eyes wide open.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
She struggled to turn to her side. “This thing is horribly uncomfortable.”
Simeon laughed. “Tell me about it. So why are you lying there instead of in the perfectly comfortable bed?”
Abigail shrugged and ducked her head so that her hair covered her cheeks—but not before Simeon spotted the blush that had arisen there. “I woke up and you were gone, and I missed you so . . .”
It really didn’t matter what the next part of that sentence was. Simeon hurried across the room, only remembering at the last second that he was carrying two full mugs of coffee. Carefully, he set them on the floor. Then he lowered himself to sit on the edge of the air mattress. The movement made Abigail roll toward him, and he bent to catch her lips in a kiss. “You missed me, huh?”
“Maybe a little.” But she pulled him closer for another kiss. “Where did you go?”
“I couldn’t sleep, so I went downstairs and colored with Mariana.”
Abigail laughed. “I didn’t know you colored.”
“Oh, yes.” Simeon put on a serious expression. “I’m a very well-known crayon artist.” He kissed her one more time, then begrudgingly got to his feet, suddenly wishing they had the day to themselves. “We’d better get ready for VBS.”
“I almost forgot.” Abigail tried to push upright but fell back onto the mattress. “Seriously.” She giggled, rolling to the edge of the mattress to try again. “This thing is terrible. No wonder your back has been hurting.”
Simeon turned to her. He’d thought he’d done a good job hiding the back pain that had plagued him for the past few days. Apparently not.
“You can’t keep sleeping on this,” Abigail announced as she made it to her feet.
“It’s only another week.” Simeon bent to pick up their coffees, careful not to groan as his back twinged in the process. “I’ll be fine.”
“No, you won’t,” Abigail said firmly. “You shouldn’t be the one who always has to make sacrifices.”
“It’s not a big deal. I would sacrifice a lot more than a good night’s sleep for you.”
“I know you would.” Abigail took a sip from her mug. “But I have a better idea.”
“Abigail.” Was she asking him to share the bed?
“No arguments,” she insisted. “From now on, I sleep on the air mattress.”
Simeon swallowed his disappointment along with his coffee. It was okay that she wasn’t ready. “There’s no way I’m going to agree to that.” He kissed her lightly. “But thank you for offering.” He moved to his suitcase and grabbed some clothes. “I’m going to go get ready.”
“We’re not done with this conversation,” Abigail called behind him.