Page 71 of Sixty Meters Under

He ran his hands over his face and looked around the room. Ayame shifted in bed, and he heard her voice: “Ryosuke? Are you alright?”

“Yeah. I just had a bad dream,” Ryosuke said, but he couldn’t remember what he’d dreamt about. He only knew it was a nightmare which left him with an ugly and uncomfortable feeling.

His watch showed 7:24. There was no point in trying to fall asleep, but he laid back on the mattress since he wasn’t in the mood to get ready for a new day.

A rustle of covers on the other side of the bed, he felt Ayame’s body pressed next to his. She wrapped her arm and leg around him and nuzzled her face in the crook of his neck.

“Merry Christmas, love,” she said sweetily.

“Merry Christmas to you too.”

Ayame pressed her lips to his and placed something on top of his stomach. Ryosuke blinked a few times, surprised to find a small gift.

“Where did you get this from?” he asked and felt guilty that he didn’t have anything ready for her. He also wondered what could Ayame get him in a place like this?

“I had it hidden in the nightstand,” she replied with a smile and added, “Open it.”

“But I… I have nothing for you.”

“It doesn’t matter. There are no gift shops here anyway,” she said with a laugh.

Ryosuke took the edge of the red ribbon between his fingers and pulled. The bow untied and the white box opened on all the sides revealing its contents. Ryosuke couldn’t help but smile at the clever idea. A pile of various heart-shaped cookies laid on his stomach.

“It is a present for both of us. I knew we wouldn’t have the opportunity to buy any gifts for each other this time, so…”

“Yeah, I know. Didyoumake these, or-?”

“No. I spoke to Anna, and she agreed to help me with that. She told me to come to the kitchen and tell what I wanted and how I imagined it and someone made them for me,” Ayame explained.

“That was indeed a nice idea.”

“I think so too. I’m glad you like it.”

Ryosuke smiled and tried a cookie. Ayame also took one and they savored their sweet taste together.

?

Lennart entered the canteen and the first thing he noticed were the children gathered around the Christmas tree. He walked among the half empty tables to the serving counter. When he got his food, he went to the table where his mother and Hugo were already sitting, drinking their morning coffee and enjoying their breakfast.

“Good morning,” Lennart greeted.

“Slept well?” Anna asked.

“More or less. How are you, Mom?”

Anna shook her head. “Worried about Björn. The pill helped me to fall asleep, but it didn’t help me get rid of the worry.”

“Björn will be fine. He’ll need a few days to recover, but he’ll be fine,” Lennart reassured her.

“I don’t understand what happened? Something must be bothering him terribly to drink so much.”

Lennart and Hugo exchanged a look and Hugo said, “Lennart is right. I also believe it’s something temporary and that he’ll be up on his feet soon.”

Anna sighed. “I wish I could be as convinced as you two.”

“I’ll talk to him,” Lennart said and sipped his coffee. He noticed a little girl passing around their table and approaching another.

“Mommy, Mommy! I got the doll I wanted!” the girl exclaimed excitedly.