Afloat Season 4 E. 4

 

Gratitude is the heart's memory.
            — French proverb

________________

Maitama

David's fingers tightened around the stem of the wine glass before he consciously forced them to relax. He lifted it to his lips and took a long sip, welcoming the faint sting as the wine slid down his throat. It’s cool liquid did little to soothe the heat searing through his skin.

Tricia took a slow step forward, instinctively drawing her robe tighter around her nightgown. The movement was small and unconscious, but David noticed it all the same.

Taking a sip from her own glass, her gaze lingered on him. "Are you sure you're okay, David? You're trembling."

"Just exhausted." David lied, setting the glass back down on the side table.

"Besides, I actually thought someone had broken into the house."  He said while actively fighting the urge to allow his eyes wander freely over her. Instead they drifted to the brass lamp lying on the floor beside the sofa. Tricia followed his gaze before letting out a slow breath.

"When I saw you waving that thing around, I thought you'd finally gone mad." 

A faint humorless smile tugged at the corner of David's mouth as he decided to ignore her words. 

"Tricia, you nearly gave me a heart attack."

She shrugged nonchalantly; "Not my fault. I honestly thought you'd gone back to your house."

David leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees and staring down at his tightly laced fingers. "You really couldn't sleep?"

"I couldn't. This house feels strange without Alex."

Hearing Alex's name made David’s heart skip with guilt. He looked up slowly, "Well, I'll admit," he said quietly, "it feels different without him."

Tricia suddenly glanced down at the half-empty glass in her hand, her expression softening. "Yeah. I keep expecting to hear him singing terribly."

David chuckled and Tricia smiled briefly, taking a small step backward.

"I only came down for water, now I think I'm hungry."

David raised an eyebrow. "You skipped dinner remember? Or should I say, you chose fighting me over eating good food."

Tricia gave him a mean glare and turned around. "I am going to make a sandwich." With that she headed toward the kitchen.

David retrieved his wine glass and called out, "mind if I join you?"

She rolled her eyes over her shoulder and without another word stepped through the doorway.

David remained where he was for several seconds after she disappeared.

Don't go. Alex trusts you.

The warning echoed clearly in his mind. Alex wasn't like any other friend. He was more than a brother and had given him almost everything, his connections, his trust, the keys to his home. Yet every second spent in his house felt like a deliberate test of David's restraint.

He closed his eyes. Drawing in a deep, unsteady breath, he squeezed the bridge of his nose. Maybe he should just pick up his keys and walk out to his car. Better still, lock himself in one of the guest rooms. But leaving Tricia alone was not an option.

Sighing deeply, he locked away the chaotic thoughts screaming inside his head and followed her into the kitchen.

CONTINUE

 

Catch up on  AFLOAT Season 1