The Beat

by Carmen Ficarra

After two weeks of spending every night together, she finds she likes him more when he’s sleeping. He isn’t trying to please her then, nor is he trying to please himself. Asleep, he’s free from effort. The tossing and turning comes naturally. His dreams emerge from a place that asks nothing of him, no agreement, no helping hand. So she watches him as he follows the rhythm of his own silence, unaware that he is both the journey and the beat.

6S

Carmen Ficarra lives in Seattle, sharing music, art and other creative activities with older and disabled adults. His writing credits include short fiction, television and print news, advertising for the hardware industry, and sex advice.