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"...phy, wa...p..."
"Murph... pl...ke up..."
"Murphy, wake up—"
Abruptly, Murphy shot his eyes open. A bout of terror and panic possessed him before he was able to take in quick, rapid breaths. After regaining control of his breathing, he meaningfully exhaled as he rested his left arm on his forehead. His entire body was covered in beads of cold sweat, and his hair sleeked and stuck to his skin.
Before he could think to himself, a soft voice mumbled, "You were talking in your sleep again..." Resting his arm by his head, Murphy peered down to see a familiar brunet sitting at the foot of the bed. Hazel eyes looked at him with concern, and he looked away, staring at the ceiling as he reluctantly stated, "It was the same dream, Henry..."
This was not the first time. Murphy would have a horrid dream, though he would not go into detail about what happened, and Henry would sit there and offer some comfort until he was ready to go back to bed. Nevertheless, the younger male still had trouble finding the right words or actions to do so. As Murphy sat up, resting his arms on his knees as he stared at the ground, Henry slightly turned towards him, burying his fingers into the comforter underneath him. It was hard to see the ex-convict this way. He was the robust and dependable kind of guy, and Henry admired that. Yet, this was the one excuse that had him cower over and feel weak.
"You would think..." Murphy began, keeping his eyes on the dark carpet, "that after everything I've been through in that town, it wouldn't bother me..." He made no effort to continue talking, though Henry kept his ears open. Listening would not be enough, however. Hesitantly, though it would take effort to reach over, Henry held one of his hands, silently letting him know it would be okay. In return, the older man lightly squeezed the other's hand while holding his free palm to his sweaty forehead. His face cringing, he murmured, "I... I still miss him..." Slightly frowning, Henry attempted to say some words, but as his lips parted, nothing came out. Instead, he squeezed his hand tightly. He hoped the simple action could let him know this: it was perfectly normal to miss a loved one, and even if they weren't physically here, they would always be with him.
Henry assured Murphy that his son would always be with him. Henry would always be with him, too.