• It was so damn hot.

    The air itself seemed to stagger drunkenly under the obscene temperature. A soft warm breeze played the thick curtains, allowing chinks of light to peer into the darkened room.

    She made a little noise in her sleep and rolled over. A faint smile tugged at my lips as she pulled a doona over herself. She had spent all morning griping over the summer sun, and here she is, practically passed out, with her subconscious trying to keep warm, even as she sweats.

    Her hair spread over the pillow, messy and pretty as maple leaves in summer.
    I sighed. She had to be at work soon. I hated having to wake her. She looked so peaceful, like maybe she was hibernating under a foot of snow.

    ‘Sweetie.’ I rested a hand on her shoulder. ‘Sweetie. Time to get up.’ She groaned and threw the doona disgustedly in my direction. ‘Come on.’ She coughed.

    ‘Ok, ok.’ She dragged herself upright, and wavered out of our dark cocoon to dredge up some work clothes.

    I blinked… I guess I’d drifted off to sleep, because when I was done with my blink, she was back.

    She bent towards the mirror, concentrating on changing her face, wearing just a bra and jeans.

    Her ribs stuck out like kindling under a thin veil of skin. Her arms, willow wands, drooping. I don’t think I’d seen her this bad before… she was still beautiful through a haze of tears. I padded up to her and hugged her from behind.

    How was I to know that this was complete happiness, at the time.