Could It Be?

THIRTY-ONE

Vince hasn't really slept.

He wants to. He has been trying. But he can only keep his eyes closed for long before opening them up again.It's nine AM and he's lying on his side, smiling like an idiot even though he can barely feel his arm. Never mind that when Elaine's head is rested there. She's also on her side, her back against him. His other arm holds her close by the waist, hand resting on her tummy, secured there by her hand.

It's every bit what he used to miss on late nights. So much as he tries to doze off, he can't really bring himself to do so.

The house is still quiet, and he thinks he's the only one awake. He has been looking at Elaine for, give or take, an hour. How can he stop, really?

She moves a bit away, closer to the edge of the bed, sliding away from his arm. Her hair falls over her face as she tucks her hands under her cheek.

He reaches out to move the hair away from her face, propping herself up to get another peek at her. He smiles (as if that ever really went away over the hour) and quite unable to help himself, he leans closer to kiss her on the cheek - once, twice, and once more. When that doesn't wake her, he gets at it again, trailing kisses along her jawline, then moving to her temple, then her hair.

He pulls her closer, arm again on her waist. Carefully, but of course it still wakes her up.

She grunts and mumbles something that begins with "Vince..." but the rest of it he couldn't understand. While she sounds a bit irritated (Elaine loves to sleep when she can), her bugnot just transforms his smile into a grin.

He pulls at her arm to make her face him and she turns, squinting, her eyebrows meeting. Getting a glimpse of his face, she buries her face on the pillow. "Sobrang abala mo..."

He rubs her back, pulling her even closer. "Sorry..."

"Shouldn't you be sleepy?"

"I should be, yeah..."

"So bakit ka nambubulabog ng natutulog?!"

The bratty tone she uses on him makes him laugh. She looks up, frowning, and he couldn't help but kiss her nose. "Ang sungit naman..."

"Kasi naman anong oras pa lang ba..."

"Nine?"

"We slept at six..." She sighs. "Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like it's funny."

"What's funny?"

"I don't know!" She is going to turn away from him again, but he keeps her steady against him and she just tucks her face on the hollow of his neck, wanting to sleep again. "Magpatulog ka naman..."