When We Are Sleeping

Paul and Daphne were in bed by midnight this evening. They’d come home from a night out at a little café with friends, catching up over a empty cups of espressos and cappuccinos, cigarette butts overflowing from the ashtray. It was their usual Friday night routine but tonight Paul found himself with his eye on Daphne much more then typical. He had taken extra pleasure tonight in the melodious sound of her laughter and the soft striking smile that had first grabbed his attention what seemed long ago. Something had changed, changed in the both of them.

Daphne had just settled into sleep, her hair smelling sweetly of the product she kept on the bathroom sink, ashes of rubbed mascara speckled beneath her eyes. At first he listened with his eyes closed to her breathing, hoping it would lull him to sleep like usual but it didn’t. He stared at the ceiling of their apartment, a sorry little thing; old and worn with paint peeling from the very ceiling Paul looked up to. As modest as it was, over the past year the two of them had made it home; something they shared and belonged to. The sound of a few cars came from the open window and the couple in the next apartment beside them seemed to be having a go again.

He stirred restlessly with a heavy sigh and turned on his side to look down at Daphne. He studied her profile in the glow of dim streetlight. Tonight in the midst of this cold and empty apartment she seemed more lovely and new then she had before.

By the tired state of him, Paul yawned rather loudly and in the close quarters of their futon it roused Daphne a bit. “What are you still doing up?” she whispered into the dark.

Paul smiled, and kissed her check then shoulder. “Can’t sleep.”

Daphne smiled too and turned onto her side, away from Paul. He, by habit, nestled behind draping an arm over her waist. “It was fun tonight.”

“Yeah it was,” he agreed. “We should go there again…what was the name of that place?”

“Café Europa.”

“…They had a good espresso.”

Paul felt Daphne laughed quietly underneath him. “That’s probably why you can’t sleep, Paul.”

“Oh really?” he replied with a playful tone. “Perhaps I’m just in awe of how pretty you look this evening.”

Daphne laughed again, turning over to stare at him now. “You don’t say…well then I don’t think you’ll be getting sleep anytime soon. I am awfully beautiful you know.”

The pair both laughed at one another. “Oh you think so, eh?” he grinned.

“Well enough to catch your eye,” she teased back.

“Yeah,” Paul yawned again, growing tired. He pulled her close and they closed their eyes. “You are.”

Daphne kissed him lightly before letting herself fall back into sleep.

“I love you in the evenings,” he whispered.