My Wife, My Man?

Chapter Thirty-nine

"One who loves you, loves you with your dirt." An African Proverb

"Oh, my! Was the bed too awkward for you two?" The laugh was accompanied by a sudden penetration of light into the room. The curtains were swung open.

Perli stirred first, shielding her eyes from the violent rays of the sun. Then came Jack, who yawned and massaged his neck. His body was in pain from the uncomfortable position he slept in.

"Oh, my head," Perli groaned as she lifted her head from her husband's chest.

She awoke with an aching head: feeling as if she had just gone to sleep. It must have been less than two hours since her eyes had shut. Perhaps she was exaggerating a bit, but the pain that roamed her body was real. Her body felt as if she had been mercilessly hammered with a sack of potatoes.

So much for falling asleep on the couch.

"Good morning, Maggie," Jack greeted tiredly, blinking slackly to adapt to the violent light.

Perli smiled her greeting to the older woman. Her throat felt too barren to voice her words.

Laughter emerged from Maggie's sealed lips. She liked what she saw and expressed it by grinning from ear to ear. "Good morning to you too, youngsters. You both look awful!" She noted the look of tiredness on their face and the mess they had both created around them. "Are you guys singing the lazy song today?"

The question shifted Perli's attention to Jack. In between the greeting and Maggie's question, he had managed to drift back to sleep. He felt too exhausted to make any conversation with Maggie. The peaceful nature of his sleep along with his muffled breathing, allowed a certain baby-like appearance to emerge in his face.

Perli smiled stupidly as she looked at him. She felt happy seeing the little smile that shaped his lips while he slept. She wondered what sort of thoughts he was having.

"Perli?" The sound of her name drifted her attention back to Maggie, who collected the glasses which they left on the table.

Perli groaned, dropping her head onto the arm of the couch. "No," her answer was muffled as her hand then ran over her face. "What time is it?" She attempted to rub the sleep off her eyes.

"Well," a smirk found its place on Maggie's face, allowing the single word to roll off her tongue. She pointed at the clock. "It's almost ten."

"Ten?" Perli placed her hand on her forehead; she felt it throb. She shut her eyes, trying to wash away the dizziness that came from drinking. "Maggie, we'll be up in a bit," she assured her, knowing that bits could very well turn into an hour.

There was a brief silence. "A bit?" Maggie took on a voice of curiosity and laughter as if to fish out some sort of answer to her question.

Perli chuckled softly. "Yes, a bit's madam."

"Okay," came a cheer in Maggie's voice. "Then come quickly to the dining room, breakfast will be ready in a few."

"Maggie, you don't have to worry yourself like this," Perli breathed, knowing all her effort to serve them a delicious breakfast would go to waste. From the manner, things were looking, neither Jack nor herself were planning to get up anytime soon.

"What do you mean? Young lady, get your ass off that couch and get up there," Maggie pointed to the stairs as she commanded, "right now! Drag your lazy husband along!" There was strictness in her voice, a tone she took as an attempt to sound bossy.

Perli puffed out a chuckle. "Okaaay, ma'am," she pulled her words, her voice still a bit tired. Her sleepiness had begun to fade. "Give us an hour... Or two."