Carter's POV
I anxiously fiddled with my key, which stubbornly didn't want to fit in the lock. It was the right key, that much I knew.
So why wouldn't it just fit in the damn. . .
Got it!
I opened the door and found the dark stillness that I knew would greet me. It didn't bother me. It was sort of a surprise that I was even here.
The room smelled like vanilla, it was calming, inviting. I closed my eyes.
I put my bag down by the door, not wanting to disturb the silence by carrying it through the apartment.
I run into the couch and mutter curses that should have been yelled. I don't remember the couch being there!
I make my way into the kitchen with the intent of getting a cup of water. I don't bump into the table, always a good thing.
I make my way towards the cabinet and as I open it I almost laugh at myself for not turning on the light. Oh well, that would require walking back towards the door. So I'll just get my water.
I move to grab a cup, and succeed in knocking down another. The plastic makes a loud noise as it hits the floor, immediately disturbing the stillness.
I await movement to approach me, but the apartment is once again covered in still quietness.
I'm slightly disappointed.
I get my water, and finish it quickly before I begin walking slowly towards the other side of the apartment.
I stop in the doorway of her bedroom and watch her peaceful form sleep. I love watching her sleep. She's just as beautiful in the dim moonlight that leaks through the window as she always is.
She's lying on her side facing away from me. Her long tousled hair is spread around her.
I smile and continue to just stand there watching her. I want to wake her up, but I won't.
However, maybe if I stand here long enough she'll wake on her own.
I look over at the alarm clock and for the first time realize just how early it was. 2:34 AM the red lights glare at me. I didn't realize my plane got in that late.
She turns in her sleep onto her back, and I think that maybe she'll open her eyes. But she doesn't.
Again, I'm slightly disappointed.
A gust of wind blows through the window and I watch her shiver and pull the blankets closer to herself.
I move towards the window, wanting to close it. The sparkling stars catching my attention temporarily.
Someday I want to go watch the stars with her out in the country, away from the bright lights of Chicago. They're much more captivating out there.
Shifting blankets bring my attention back to her, and my intent to close the window is forgotten.
She tosses and turns and I approach her side. As I sit down on the bed her eyes flutter open.
She closes them quickly and rubs them with her hands before looking at me again.
"Hi," I say quietly, smiling at her. I love being able to look into her dark brown eyes again.
I missed her.
"You're back," she half asks-half states.
I nod, "Yup, I'm back."
She smiles at me. I missed that too.
"I missed you," I tell her.
She sits up and hugs me tightly and whispers, "I missed you too."
"Go back to sleep," I tell her as she lays back down and I kiss her forehead gently.
"Okay Daddy," she says as she yawns and closes her eyes. "I love you."
"I love you too Emma, I love you too," I whisper as I get up from the bed and leave the room.
I have another brown-eyed girl to not wake up.
~~~
I anxiously fiddled with my key, which stubbornly didn't want to fit in the lock. It was the right key, that much I knew.
So why wouldn't it just fit in the damn. . .
Got it!
I opened the door and found the dark stillness that I knew would greet me. It didn't bother me. It was sort of a surprise that I was even here.
The room smelled like vanilla, it was calming, inviting. I closed my eyes.
I put my bag down by the door, not wanting to disturb the silence by carrying it through the apartment.
I run into the couch and mutter curses that should have been yelled. I don't remember the couch being there!
I make my way into the kitchen with the intent of getting a cup of water. I don't bump into the table, always a good thing.
I make my way towards the cabinet and as I open it I almost laugh at myself for not turning on the light. Oh well, that would require walking back towards the door. So I'll just get my water.
I move to grab a cup, and succeed in knocking down another. The plastic makes a loud noise as it hits the floor, immediately disturbing the stillness.
I await movement to approach me, but the apartment is once again covered in still quietness.
I'm slightly disappointed.
I get my water, and finish it quickly before I begin walking slowly towards the other side of the apartment.
I stop in the doorway of her bedroom and watch her peaceful form sleep. I love watching her sleep. She's just as beautiful in the dim moonlight that leaks through the window as she always is.
She's lying on her side facing away from me. Her long tousled hair is spread around her.
I smile and continue to just stand there watching her. I want to wake her up, but I won't.
However, maybe if I stand here long enough she'll wake on her own.
I look over at the alarm clock and for the first time realize just how early it was. 2:34 AM the red lights glare at me. I didn't realize my plane got in that late.
She turns in her sleep onto her back, and I think that maybe she'll open her eyes. But she doesn't.
Again, I'm slightly disappointed.
A gust of wind blows through the window and I watch her shiver and pull the blankets closer to herself.
I move towards the window, wanting to close it. The sparkling stars catching my attention temporarily.
Someday I want to go watch the stars with her out in the country, away from the bright lights of Chicago. They're much more captivating out there.
Shifting blankets bring my attention back to her, and my intent to close the window is forgotten.
She tosses and turns and I approach her side. As I sit down on the bed her eyes flutter open.
She closes them quickly and rubs them with her hands before looking at me again.
"Hi," I say quietly, smiling at her. I love being able to look into her dark brown eyes again.
I missed her.
"You're back," she half asks-half states.
I nod, "Yup, I'm back."
She smiles at me. I missed that too.
"I missed you," I tell her.
She sits up and hugs me tightly and whispers, "I missed you too."
"Go back to sleep," I tell her as she lays back down and I kiss her forehead gently.
"Okay Daddy," she says as she yawns and closes her eyes. "I love you."
"I love you too Emma, I love you too," I whisper as I get up from the bed and leave the room.
I have another brown-eyed girl to not wake up.
~~~