Sea Air by Meeringa Jule

Author:Meeringa, Jule [Meeringa, Jule]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: AmazonCrossingEnglish
Published: 2015-02-24T08:00:00+00:00

A touching scene awaited me in the living room. Mathis sat on the sofa, his head tilted to the side, obviously asleep. Pippi Goes on Board lay open in his lap. Three dozing children enveloped in fluffy duvets snuggled up against him, including Tristan, who was sucking his thumb. I grabbed my camera to capture the image, and the flash startled Mathis from his sleep. He blinked, stretched, and said, “Hello, Nele.” Gently, he began to disentangle himself. “How’s Ines?”

“We don’t know yet. No severe head injuries, but she’s still unconscious.”

“And the baby?”

“The baby’s okay.”

“Thank God!”

“Where’s Christoph?”

“Here!” I heard from the kitchen. “I was just making some coffee. Where’s my wife? With Marco?”

“No, Marco sent us both home. She’s right behind me.” A minute later, Sandra tapped at the door and then fell into Christoph’s arms. “I’m wiped out. Let’s go home. It’s all so awful. I’m afraid I won’t be able to sleep all night, though it doesn’t look like the kids will have that problem.” She smiled down at our brood. “Christoph, please take Anneke, and we’ll go.” Christoph did as Sandra said, and a few moments later, the three were gone.

“Coffee?” Mathis pointed to the full pot Christoph had carried into the room. I shook my head.

“No, I’ll put the kids to bed, and then I’ll try to sleep, too.” Mathis had Paula in his arms and was already carrying her into her bedroom. I lifted Tristan, who briefly opened his eyes and smiled at me before drifting back to sleep. Tears came to my eyes. I laid him carefully on the mattress in Paula’s bedroom and covered him with a warm blanket. “Sleep well, sweetheart,” I said softly and kissed his warm cheek. “Your mom’s going to be just fine.” Then I gave Paula a kiss, too.

“I’m going to go.” Mathis headed for the door. As he was about to open it, panic seized me. I was suddenly afraid to wake up the next morning to uncertainty, not knowing what to say to Ines’s child.

“Can you stay with me, Mathis? I really don’t want to be alone right now.”

“No problem. I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

I thought again about how uncomplicated Mathis could be, at least in certain ways. But the sofa was out of the question—it was far too uncomfortable.

“Do you want to sleep in my bed?”

“I don’t know, Nele.”

“I don’t mean it like that. I just . . .”

Without a word, Mathis turned and headed to my bedroom. He took off his jeans and socks and lay down. I grabbed a second comforter and lay down next to him. We lay next to each other silently for a while, and then he stretched out his arm. I cuddled up close to him and fell asleep in an instant.

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