We Don't Have to Feel Alone

Chapter 16 (Explicit Content)

Chris awakes to the sound of the alarm on his phone going off. Beside him, he feels Sariah's alarm clock watch begin to vibrate. Sariah's eyes open and she switches off her watch. Chris shuts off his phone alarm and turns to Sariah.

"Morning, beautiful," He signs.

Chris loved waking up next to Sariah. In the mornings when her hair was messy, she wore no makeup, and she still appeared to be in a daze, she was raw and imperfect. Chris loved seeing her that way.

"Good morning," Sariah signs.

"Go back to sleep, I've got Nova."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Plus, I need you plenty energized for later on today."

Chris kisses Sariah's forehead, then slips out of bed to start his day. Sariah ponders his words for a moment, then sets her alarm on her watch for 8:30 before shutting her eyes and laying her head back down.

x

"Daddy, why does Sariah sleep in your room now?" Nova asks as Chris drives her to school.

Chris's eyes widen, "What?"

"Does she have nightmares too?"

Chris laughs, "No, no, we, um...After you go to bed, we just like to stay up and talk and hang out, you know? And sometimes in the middle of talking, we fall asleep because its late at night."

"Oh."

Nova doesn't say anything else on the subject. Chris wondered when it would be the right time for him and Sariah to tell Nova that they were together. Were they together? Yes, they were in the process of getting rid of some sexual tension, but Chris had never referred to Sariah as his girlfriend, and Sariah had never called Chris her boyfriend. All of Chris's friends and bandmates knew that he and Sariah were making out behind closed doors, but no one was sure how to label it. Maybe that was something that Chris could talk to Sariah about on their date today.

That was just the thing, they were calling it a date, so surely that meant that they were dating, right?

"Daddy, when are you gonna get another girlfriend?"

Chris laughs, partly at Nova's upfront bluntness, but also at the fact that her question made it seem as though she'd been reading his mind.

"Why do you ask that, goober?" Chris asks.

"I dunno. It's been a long time since you've had a girlfriend."

"Thanks," Chris mutters sarcastically under his breath, "I don't know yet, sweetie."

"But what about when I get big and grown up and stuff? I don't want you to be lonely."

"Awwww," Chris laughs, "Nova, that is a long time from now. I promise you, I will be just fine. What about you? Any playground boyfriends that I don't know about?"

"No, boys are gross."

"Amen to that."

"Can I have a girlfriend instead?"

"Of course you can, sweetheart."

"Boys have cooties."

"Kids nowadays still say 'cooties'? Some things never change."

x

Sariah woke up to her watch buzzing at 8:30, admittedly grateful that Chris had made her sleep in. She crawled out of bed and made herself a quick cup of coffee, knowing that Chris would likely be home soon and that they'd be able to begin their day together. If today was anywhere near as good as yesterday had been, Sariah would consider herself extremely lucky.