Counterpoint

Chapter 79

Alexander

   The sun rises before Thomas does. His breathing is slow and steady as he slumbers on, I grimace slightly at the sight of the damp mark left on my shirt from Thomas' drool. It had taken so long for him to finally fall asleep. Anxiety had been playing keep away with his peace of mind and had led to a rather restless night for the both of us, unlike me Thomas isn't accustomed to nights will only a few hours of sleep. Sunlight seeps through the shades and I keep my hand resting on his head at just an angle to keep his eyes in shadow.

   It had been such a struggle for him to fall asleep originally, he deserves to sleep just a little bit longer. He may be meeting his daughter for the first time today. Thomas has a firm belief that first impressions are the end all be all, so having him well rested when he meets his daughter for the first time would probably be beneficial for the both of us. I can imagine once he does get up for the day that he will be bustling about full of anxiety and nerves as he showers and brushes his teeth and tries to choose the least obnoxious outfit from his wardrobe.

   I wonder what little Martha will be like. She spent the first three years of her life separate from her only living parent, so the likelihood of her being exactly like Thomas or Martha is nonexistent. Then again, she is only three years old, all children seem to behave in a relatively similar manner at this point in their development. Thomas stirs ever so slightly in his sleep, his head shifting on my chest as his curls brush my chin. A quiet groan emanates from deep in his throat, his fingers clenching onto the fabric of my shirt as his eyes struggle to open.

   "What time is it?" He grumbles.

   "It's almost nine thirty."

   "That late?" He jumps slightly and I place a hand on the back of his head, lowering his head back down slowly. "I need to get up."

   "So you can rush around like a frantic lunatic?"

   "I need to get ready Alexander. I have to get Martha today." He tries to rise and I pull him down again with a bit more force.

   "Settle down." I grumble as I grip onto his curls. "There is no need to get up just yet. It's only nine thirty in the morning and the house is silent; I doubt that any of your siblings are even up yet."

   "If they are smart they won't be here when I get out of this bed."

   "Thomas, a lot of them didn't know."

   "Don't play devil's advocate."

   "I'm not." I snap without any real heat behind it. "I'm trying to be the voice of reason and common sense. You can't blame your entire family for the actions of a few members."

   "I just want my family to be whole and the people standing in the way of that are my own family members. Do you have idea what that feels like?"

   "No, I don't." I condescend as I release my hold on his hair. "But I know you and you don't do well with holding onto animosity or pain for long periods of time." He sighs deeply as he slowly rolls off of me and out of bed. I fight the urge to roll my eyes when his feet touch the floor and he instantly starts to head in the direction of the connect bathroom. Thomas pauses just a step from the door and glances over his shoulder at me.

   "You know, sometimes I really hate that you think you know me so well." I sit up and regard him with a look of amusement. A thousand witty and scathing remarks were dancing on the tip of my tongue, but they were temporarily silenced by the parting of his lips. "But in moments like this it is probably for the best that I trust your understanding of me. I will take your suggestions under advisement." I scoff quietly at his words, even now he has to be so difficult. "Thank you for staying Alexander."