A Need to Rest Calm

It had been a late night, Sinbad needing to work overtime and everything.

At least, he considered it a late night if he were the one to lock up. He then had to fumble around in the dark parking lot looking for his truck key.

More often than not, that often had him dropping his keys and cussing in two different languages.

He eventually got home, though. Usually, everyone was asleep in bed if it were a late night.

Shark certainly didn’t look like he was asleep. He instead stood in the middle of the dark room, pulling his shirt down like he was trying to cover himself.

“What are you doing up?” The redhead noticed there wasn’t any signs of Dennis or Lolly snoring.

The brunet looked down at his feet. “I can’t sleep. I didn’t want to be alone in the house.”

“Alone? Where the hell is everybody?”

“Lolly’s at a friend’s house, and Dad’s spending the night at Miss Kindle’s.”

…

About five minutes later, both men were dressed for bedtime. Shark remained as wide awake as he was when Sinbad got home.

“So what’s gonna get you to fall asleep? Glass of milk, something to eat? ‘Cause it sure as hell isn’t a good idea to be up all night.”

Shark rolled over onto his stomach. “I tried those. They didn’t work. Reading didn’t help, either.”

“Well, then, what is gonna help?”

The brunet looked away, as though in thought. “Maybe sing me a song?”

Hearing this request dumbfounded Sinbad. He didn’t think Shark would ever ask him for that sort of thing. And he didn’t consider himself the singing type, anyway.

The redhead cringed. “I don’t think I know any songs appropriate for bedtime.”

“It doesn’t have to be appropriate. We’re the only ones here.”

Thinking of a song he could try to sing a capella, Sinbad sat up and faced Shark. He placed a hand on his back, and began the first verse of the first song he could think of:

“Six-thirty winter morn,
Snow keeps falling, silent dawn
A rose by any other name
Eva leaves her Swanbrook home…”

Hearing his own singing voice almost frightened Sinbad. It wasn’t a familiar way of hearing himself.

“A kindest heart which always made
Me ashamed of my own
She walks alone, but not without her name…”

Sinbad didn’t get too far after that. When he started the next verse, Shark’s eyes were already closed.

He kept singing just to be safe.

Needless to say, Shark slept through the rest of the night.

…

The next morning, a plan made well in advance had been put into motion.

Hospitals always smelled funny to Sinbad. It didn’t matter how many times he’d been to one lately. Of course, this time he was here for moral support, rather than his own hospital visit.

“Hi, Sinbad!” Hearing Amy’s voice got him to perk up, if only a little. He made his way to where she was sitting in the waiting room.

“‘Sup? Got what I asked for? You remember the deal.” The woman just stared at him like he just admitted he had a third eye. He then clarified: “The bear.”

Amy’s eyes lit up when he said the last word. “Oh, yeah! I had to remember for a second there. Yeah, hang on…” Amy reached into the bag he had slung over her shoulder, pulling out the repaired stuffed toy and handing it to him.

“Aw, thanks. Shark’s gonna be real happy when he sees this guy all fixed up.” He then gestured towards the ultrasound room. “Ready to get this over with?”

“Sure am! I’m gonna be so glad to get to pee after this is over. I made sure not to have it the same time as Jenni since, you know…”

Sinbad didn’t need the details there. He instead sat next to her, waiting for her to be called into the room for her ultrasound.

He glared at the other inhabitants of the room, making their weird looks dissipate.

Certainly, both friends were anxious to get this appointment over with.

—

(Original Prompt)

Song used: