and cream eyes. He opened his mouth but she put a finger to her lips. She made motions with her hands. Robbie didn’t understand. He held up his hand and waved it slightly. She pushed him gently back into his seat and pressed her face to the window. “She could look out her own window.” Robbie thought to himself. The girl breathed on the glass. Robbie was confused. "Was she simple or something?” The girl pressed her finger on the fogged glass and made three quick movements. “K”, Robbie was grateful his mother had taught him letters, “A”, the fog was disappearing. The girl kept going and breathed on the glass again. Robbie read “Kara” as the girl pulled away. She pointed to herself and smiled. Robbie opened his mouth but the girl put her finger to her lips again. She breathed on the window again and grabbed his hand, pulling it up to the fogged glass. He wrote “Rob” but the fog faded out from under his hand. Kara’s breath was warm on his hand as she re-heated the glass. “Robbie”, Kara made a few quick gestures with her fingers and pointed at him, mouthing his name. Robbie realized that she was talking with her hands and probably spelling out his name. He looked helplessly at his palms. She put her hand gently onto his shoulder and smiled as if to say “It’s ok, I can still understand you.” She closed her eyes and leaned into Robbie’s shoulder. Robbie could feel her even, sleepy breathing on his neck. Her hands lazily made the shapes for his name again and she made a barely noticeable, humming sigh as she exhaled. It would have been drowned out by the hum of the rain on the rails but her face was so close to his ear. Her soft breathing put him to sleep.
- Lewis Krummen