Morning Music
by Jasper Diamond Nathaniel

Elliot lay awake, his cheeks burning as the sun crept in through the mangled curtains and came to rest on his face.  “Let’s get up,” he said, “don’t you want to have a real morning?” Maxine, her eyes closed, rolled over to face the wall and squeezed the pillow over her ears.  He knew what was coming next but he touched her shoulder anyway.

“Stop it,” she said, “I’m serious,” and then she pulled the covers over her shoulder and inched closer to the wall.