Nightmares

Episode 1.3

And he had. A nightmare. I woke up because he was struggling in his sleep, to get out of something.

Then I try to arise him too. "Joshua?" I pat his face lightly. "Baby, wake up"

He opened his eyes and sat up breathing heavily, sweat dripping down his forehead. He jolts his head side by side, looking for something, then focuses on me, "You are here?" He said to me.

"Yes, I'm here baby," I say putting my hand on his face. To make him realize that I really am here. With him. His eyes get watery. And I hate it. To see him cry. It aches my chest. So I embrace him before he bursts into tears. He wraps his arms around my neck. "Shhh, it's okay," I whisper in his hair and rub my hand up and down his back. This is how you comfort him. Softly. Gently. You shouldn't shake him to bring him out of his dream. If you think to divert his attention by engaging him to talk constantly, then you're wrong too. And yeah, also, you don't get panic in front of him. You will scare him more.

After I thought that he has relaxed a bit, I put him down and hug him closer to my heart. He likes to hear my heartbeat. It gives him a protective sense. Though he never told me, I just know, from how he places his ear on my chest sometimes.

"What did you see?" I ask

"Someone was drowning me in a river. You weren't there," he mumbles to my chest.

I release a breath, "You know what is good about a bad dream?" I say, caressing his cheek. There was a teardrop in the corner of his eye. I brushed it off with my ring finger. "That it is just a dream," I give a boop on his nose, and he smiles. "Shall we sleep now?" I ask. He nods, smiling, and closes his eyes. That's how I like my boyfriend, smiley, and not scared.

I felt a little cold, so I rise, Joshua wasn't there beside me. I looked at the alarm clock on the table, 5:55 am. Stretching my limbs, I get up from the bed to find my boyfriend. I didn't have to look much. Through the silky white curtains, I saw the door to the balcony was open, and a silhouette of a boy was standing there. So the cold breeze was coming from here. I thought. I go with the light steps and put a hand on his shoulder. He jumps in fear, looks behind, and sighs a relief to see me.

"Couldn't sleep?" I ask. He shakes his head in no. I ease myself on the railing and pull him closer to me.

"How long have you been standing here?"

"3 o'clock," He is always so honest with me.

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I didn't want to disturb your sleep." He says in his soft voice.

I took his chin and kissed him on the lips. "Next time, if you can't sleep, you wake me. Alright?" I say. He nods.

We watched the sunrise together. I never knew it was this beautiful, the fiery red sun changing itself into orange, then yellow, then white. It's Sunday. Yeah, Sunday morning. But the weather is not rainy. I'm planning to take Joshua out today. It'll set his mood a bit from the dream last night. He likes animals. Maybe zoo.

"I'm making breakfast," I say, going toward the kitchen.

"I'll help," he says following me behind.

Later, he was sitting on the couch, in his oversize t-shirt and shorts, drawing something in a sketchbook. He looks so cute in them. I take out some clothes from his wardrobe that I like on him, then I go and make him change into them.

"Are we going somewhere?" he asked while I was fixing his shirt's collar.

"Zoo," I said. I'll never forget his big smile after hearing this word. He threw his arms around me. I chuckled.

I love to see him happy.

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