Me:Already on my way home.
I almost tack on a heartless ‘thanks for nothing’, but when Karli nuzzles into my side again, I realize that’s not the truth.
But I can’t admit that to Sean.
***
Somehow, I fell asleep on the lumpy stack of towels—a.k.a. the bed—with Karli cuddled up beside me. I had a weird dream that Sean was kneeling on my stomach, holding me hostage.
But now I’m not sure it was a dream because it still feels like something is pressing down on my stomach making it hard to breathe.
My eyes flit open, taking their time adjusting to the dimness. It must be early morning. I reach for my stomach. There’s something there. It’s hard, and black, is this… a tire?
Why on earth is there a tire on my stomach? I shove the tire and it tumbles to the floor with a plunk. My lungs fill with oxygen and I sit up, dragging in a full breath as I try to make sense of what’s going on. Is this our tire?
Karli startles. “What happened?” She blinks rapidly and sits up like she forgot where she was.
“Oh nothing much, just sleeping with a tire on my stomach. Do you know anything about that?”
Even in the dim morning light, I can make out the color filling her cheeks. Her lips part but then she slams them shut. “So, um, I sleepwalk. I probably should have warned you of that last night.”
“You sleepwalk?” My eyes widen at her nonchalant excuse. “Karli, there’s a tire where there wasn’t last night. That’s more than just sleepwalking.” How did I not wake up tothat?
She stands and when she does I catch sight of the black streaks covering her arms and sweater. This woman seriously took a tire off in her sleep? That adds a whole new meaning to the phrase, “I could do that in my sleep.” I have so many thoughts on her unconscious activities. We are next to an interstate, she could have walked in front of a car.
“Sometimes when I’m stressed about something before I go to bed I try to fix it in my sleep.” She pulls her hair up, twisting a tie around it so it stays in a knot on top of her head.
“That sounds…scary. And dangerous.” I’m curious where else she has ended up in her sleep, but also a little terrified to know.
“It’s fine. I promise,” she says. She tips the tire on its side and rolls it to the back doors. “I’ve never left my house or done anything this dramatic.”
This is more than a little dramatic. It’s so unsafe. She needs to get help or something. Is there a cure?
I grab my shoe and tug it on, pulling the laces so hard I’m worried they’ll snap. I want to fight with her on this, but I hold my tongue because something tells me she won’t appreciate my unwanted opinions.
Karli already has the tire out of the van and I jump down. “You didn’t happen to get us a new tire while you were sleeping, did you?” I say, deciding to take the safer route and make light of the situation.
“Apparently not,” she says, her gaze fixed on the empty axel. “That would have made things easier.”
I pull out my phone and find what I’m searching for in less than two minutes. “Well, luckily there’s an auto shop connected to a service station on this next exit. I’ll walk down and get us a new tire.”
“And what am I supposed to do?”
“Why don’t you put your feet up and rest?” My lips twitch.
She scoffs. “Fat chance of that. I’m coming with you.”
“Okay.” I knew she wouldn’t go for that, she wants to be in control, so I’ll let her. I have practice in that area.
Karli grabs a few things from the van then we head out. Traffic is slow, practically nonexistent, but still no one stops to ask if they can help. We fall into silence as we walk. A silence that comes completely naturally to me, but judging by the way Karli is fidgeting and looking around, she’s ready to burst. Or she has to pee.
“What is it?” I ask.
She tucks a stray piece of hair into her bun. “What is what?”
“There’s something on your mind, so spill it.”
“Just more questions. I don’t do well with quiet.”
