Chapter 54: Call To Gather
Emily had slept. For more than ten hours, she had lain down, closed her eyes and gone to sleep. Counting sheep that had not turned into scary hulking werewolves in the next second. She had gone an entire night without a nightmare waking her up and Emily was thrilled. For most adults that would be an ordinary thing. Say maybe an indulgence that they let themselves have at the end of a tough week at work.
’I have earned this,’ They would say to themselves after having two glasses of wine and going to bed early.
’I have earned this,’ They would say, lazing about in bed after an uninterrupted sleep, just enjoying a lie in because they could.
For some adults, those many hours of sleep would not be seen as a blessing, but as a setback, a curse.
’Oh no! I overslept, I am going to be late, they would say,’ All panicked as they got ready, angry that they had overslept. Not in the least bit thankful that their bodies had afforded them the rest that they so badly needed.
But Emily was not in any of the two cases. She did not fall into the category that saw sleep as a treat, nor did she belong to the category that saw sleep as a hindrance. She was in the third group, the group that was so very grateful to get some sleep. Any little bit of sleep as welcome as drop a of rain in the desert. Even back at the motel, when she had been running around trying to get ready in time, Emily had not been angry at the fact that they had overslept. Even when she had been breathing down Derek’s neck, rushing him to get ready, she had not truly been annoyed. She had just wanted them to not miss their flight.
But as far as the sleeping thing went, Emily had been secretly elated, and then when she had slept again during the flight and had woken up just before touchdown, she had been so happy she had felt like singing at the top of her lungs.
But she had maintained her cool, not wanting to let it show just how much those nightmare free hours of sleep meant to her. So when Derek had complained about sleep getting in the way of work all that she had done was nod. Vehemently disagreeing with him on the inside.
So now she sat back, listening intently as the delegates from Erasure Corp spoke. Their presentations were long winded and clearly meant to confuse. But each time they made a mistake Emily carefully noted it down, catching it easily. Later she would hand her notes to Derek and he would compare them with his.
When the balding man currently making his presentation stopped saying anything useful and just started using fancy words to eat up time, Emily took the time to zone out.
She closed her eyes and opened them again, smiling softly when her eyelids obeyed instantly. Her body not trying to steal a few minutes of sleep during the day. It was absolutely wonderful, being so well rested after a nightmare free night.