Before:

     Niki kept her bed as close to Chunk's as she could without invading the privacy that seemed so important to him.

     Every other night, Chunk sat on the bed to say nothing and stare out at nothing until, like a fallen oak, he fell to one side to begin snoring.

     That night, however...

     Chunk sat on one side of the bed rather than in the middle the way he usually did...

     and he began to speak, to mumble, the mumble of someone articulate.

​     After five minutes of that, he looked in Niki's direction, looked her full in the eye, then turned back around to continue mumbling.

     He did that three times before Niki finally caught on.

     He wants me to join him, she thought.

     She walked over and sat next to him on the bed.

     Without looking in Niki's direction, but without shoving her away, Chunk continued to speak...

     and Niki listened.

CONTINUE