“Constant” A to Z Challenge The Letter C

Blogging from A to Z Challenge
April 2016
This month I will be participating in the “Blogging from A-Z Challenge” 
What is it?

Blogging every day.  It begins on April First with a topic themed on something with the letter A, then on April second another topic with the letter B as the theme, and so on until I finish on April thirtieth with the theme based on the letter Z.   The theme of the day is the letter scheduled for that day.

This is a fictional piece.

Constant

Claire was curled up in a fetal position in the over stuffed chair in the corner of the bedroom.   Her legs and bare feet were pulled up under her.   Her head rested uncomfortably on the arm of the chair, both hands pressed against her cheek.
It was well passed midnight.  Except for the slivers of moonlight filtering through the blinds, the room was dark. The thermostat in the house was set to keep the temperature at 63 degrees at night.    It was cold.  Her body shivered under her thin nightgown.
She heard a rustling sound and a movement from the bed caught her eye.  She picked her head up to look, but soon realized it was only the shadows of the backyard pine branches swaying in the wind.
She stared at the bulk of his body under the covers, watching for signs of his breathing. She settled back down when she heard him cough.
He had carefully over all of their years, lulled and cradled her in his safety.
If she became impatient with him, he would smile at her and tell her it didn't matter, he still loved her.
"I'm not going anywhere," he would say.  And she believed him.  She believed in him.
She thought about how gradually in the last few years, he had begun to slow down.  One by one he lost interest in the things that he used to love, perhaps even her.
Yesterday, when he woke from his nap, he stared at her.  His eyes narrowed and he asked her who she was.
But tomorrow she knew he would look for her, frightened if she was out of the room for more than a few minutes.
She would smile and gently say,  "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."
She was stiff now from the uncomfortable position she had gotten into. Her head, neck and shoulders hurt.
Just like she had done every night for the last fifty-plus years,  she climbed into bed to nestle up next to him and grab onto his warmth.