When he came out of the tent, Zoe met him
"Hey, can't you sleep either?" he said.
"Juanma is awake, I'll get him a bottle of water. He blames himself for not being able to hold onto her and he dreamed something." Alvaro nodded. He looked briefly in Juanma and Zoe's tent and said "She was just awake, everything seems ok. Don't worry too much."
Juanma peeled himself out of his sleeping bag and went outside to see Alvaro. "I almost had her, but I couldn't grab her," he said.
"I know," said Alvaro. "But it wasn't your fault."
"I've been telling him that for at least 30 minutes." said Zoe, who came back with a bottle of water. She took Juanma in her arms.
"You would blame yourself too," he said softly.
"Maybe and you'd tell us it wasn't our fault," Alvaro said. He briefly squeezed Juanma's arm and then said "I'll lie down with her again. If something should happen, I'll wake you up, okay?" Juanma nodded and Zoe took Alvaro briefly in her arms.
"You see nothing bad happened," she said when they were back in the tent. "
"But more could have happened. I almost saw it coming and then I didn't get her." Zoe took Juanma in her arms and he put his head on her shoulder. " It will be alright." she said softly. "What if she can't ride tomorrow?" asked Juanma.
"Then Travis and Ruby will have an idea. You heard what happened to both of them." She gave him a kiss. "You should try to sleep again. We all want to be fit tomorrow and I'm tired too." Juanma nodded. He took Zoe in his arms and tried to concentrate on her warmth.
After a while he heard that Alvaro was pulling the zipper on the tent again. Zoe slept and Juanma tried to carefully move away from her and out of the sleeping bag.
Then he crawled out of the tent. Alavaro was sitting outside. "I needed some fresh air," he said.
"I can stay with her too. You have to drive tomorrow, you should sleep," Juanma said softly. Alvaro looked tired." We have to wake her up again right away, "he said.
" You can do that and then you crawl into Zoe's tent and I'll stay with her. "
Alvaro nodded." Are you sure? "He asked.
" Of course I am, come on a little rest, I can sleep in the car, with you it will be more difficult "
They both crawled into the tent. Alvaro caressed Mia gently and spoke to her. She moved and said "Do you want to know something again?"
"Yes. What happened today".
"I fell and Travis picked me up again. Then a handsome boy held me. Where is he anyway," she said, looking around.
Juanma started laughing and Alvaro laughed , too and nudged her. "Everything seems to be ok." said Juanma. Mia lay down again. Alvaro kissed her, but she was already asleep again. JUanma said "Come on. Lie down. I'm here and if there issomething I'll wake you up. I promise." Alvaro nodded. He squeezed Juanmas hand and crawled out of his tent and into Juanmas.
Juanma lay down. Mia's breathing was steady. He set an alarm clock for in an hour.
He couldn't sleep either. Shortly before the alarm went on , he woke Mia. She was quickly awake again.
"Who am I" he asked.
"My best friend Juanma," Mia said with a smile.
"How are you" he asked.
"My head hurts and I'm a little dizzy." Mia said.
"Did you feel dizzy before?"
"Sometimes." After a moment, she said, "Are you staying with me?"
Juanma nodded. He lay on Alvaro's side and Mia snuggled into her sleep bag. "Alvaro has to sleep a little, he has to drive tomorrow." Mia nodded. She took Juanma's hand and was almost asleep again. Juanma also dozed off and woke up when Mia was crying. He took her in his arms.
" What do you have "he asked.
" My head hurts, "Mia said." I woke up and I have the feeling it is about to explode. "
Juanma took her in his arms tighter." Try another drink, "he said and took the bottle of water and gave it to her. She took a sip and lay down again. Juanma could tell by her steady breathing that she had fallen asleep. It was half an hour until the next question. He stroked her hair. When the half hour was up he woke her up again. "What's your father's name" he asked.
"Ramiro" said Mia. "And he's with my godmother," she said with a grin.
"How are you?" asked Juanma. "Better" she said "But can you let me sleep now?" Juanma had to laugh. "Let's see," he said.
