The Morning After

Jacquie slowly opened her eyes, and for a few minutes, she just lay there, staring at the ceiling. Noah was still sitting beside her, his hand wrapped around hers, his eyes fixed on her face. She could feel his gaze, but she didn't move, didn't even flinch. She was lost in thought, trying to shake off the haze of sleep and focus on the day ahead. As she lay there, she was aware of Noah's concern, his worry about her health and well-being. She knew he had been trying to get her to talk to him, to open up about what was going on, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Not yet, at least. After a few minutes of silence, Jacquie finally stirred, her eyes drifting over to Noah's face. She smiled weakly, and he smiled back, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Hey," he said softly, his voice full of concern. "How are you feeling?" Jacquie shrugged, trying to play it off like she was fine. "I'm okay," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Noah didn't look convinced, but he let it drop, for now. Jacquie swung her legs over the side of the bed and planted her feet firmly on the ground. She took a deep breath, feeling a little more grounded, and then stood up. Noah stood up too, his eyes never leaving hers. "Do you need any help?" he asked, his voice gentle. Jacquie shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I just need to get ready." As she walked into the bathroom, Noah followed her, sitting down on the edge of the bed, watching her as she began to get ready for the day. She washed her face, brushed her teeth, and ran a comb through her tangled hair. She moved slowly, deliberately, as if she was trying to conserve her energy. Noah got up and walked over to the closet, pulling out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt for her. "Here," he said, holding out the clothes. "I thought you might want these." Jacquie smiled, taking the clothes from him. "Thanks," she said, her voice a little stronger now. As she got dressed, Noah couldn't help but notice that she seemed a little more herself, a little more energized. He hoped that this was a sign that she was turning a corner, that she would start to feel better soon. As she finished getting dressed, Jacquie turned to him, her eyes searching his face. "I'm going to go make some breakfast," she said. "Do you want some?" Noah nodded, feeling a surge of hope. Maybe today would be a better day, a day when Jacquie would start to open up to him, to tell him what was going on. He followed her out of the bedroom, his heart full of anticipation.