You Stole My Heart

Part 31: Roger Suffers From Nightmares

November, 6. 1973, sleepless nights occurred.

• Time: Three o'clock in the deep night.

Roger had nightmares for days on end, I try to calm him down every night when he wakes up screaming.
Last night it happened again, Roger woke up screaming and sweating.

Roger kept pushing me to wait to wake up. "What is it?" I yawned. "Antonia..." Roger sobbed. I sat up and turned on my night lamp. "Oh Roger, did you have another nightmare?" I whispered.

Roger sighed, he hadn't been able to get full sleep for days because of those stupid nightmares.

I tried to calm Roger down and put an arm around him. "Don't worry, Roger. You're safe in my arms, I won't let you go for a million dollars." I whispered. Roger dried a tear that trickled from his cheek. "Oh Antonia, this dream was so bad." Roger sighed again.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked as I pulled his long golden locks from his eyes behind his ear.

Roger nodded and sighed very deeply, "It all started with our little family, we were separated from horrible people, I was transported on a bus and never saw you and our little boy Benjamin again."

I gave Roger a big hug, "Don't think about it, go to sleep sweetie, you look dead tired."

I put Roger's body back in bed and covered him up. "Hey Rog, if you have a scary dream again, wake me up." I whispered. Roger nodded and yawned, "I'm so grateful to you Antonia."

I gave Roger a kiss on his forehead. "Sleep well Roggie." I whispered. "You too sweet girl." Roger yawned and fell right back to sleep.

Roger often went through different phases, one phase, he has no nightmares at all and sleeps through the night. I usually feel very sorry for Rog, he's had nightmares since he was a kid.

• • • •

When I woke up nine o'clock, his head was under his pillow, there were wet spots on his spots. I wasn't sure if it was drooling or crying.

I heard Benjamin cry loudly in his crib, I put on my bathrobe and immediately walked over to our little son. "Good morning dear!" I whispered as I lifted Benjamin.

I carried the tears of Benjamin that were on the way. "Don't cry anymore honey, come on, let's cheer up daddy." I whispered. Benjamin laughed and started clapping his hands.

I lay in bed with Benjamin in my chest. Roger woke up and lifted his head, snorted and rubbed his eyes. "Wow Roger, did you sleep at all?" I asked, Roger had bags under the eyes and were a bit gray. He looked terribly tired.

Roger shook his head and walked to the bathroom, yawning. I shrugged and stroked Benjamin's cute hair.

Roger came back into the bedroom yawning, he lay in bed and moaned. "Are you okay?" I asked concerned. Roger closed his eyes, "I'm fine, I'm just so tired, I haven't slept at all for days." Roger said as he lay on his stomach.

"I understand you Rog, well, you have a day off today, I'll let you sleep. Benjamin and I will go downstairs." I whispered in Roger's ear. "That would be great, thank you again dear Antonia. You are such a sweet woman!" Roger stroked my arm. "Give daddy a kiss." I whispered with a smile, Roger gave Benjamin a big kiss on the cheek.

"Goodnight Sweetheart." I said as I closed the bedroom door. Roger waved and closed his eyes.

Sometimes I worried so much about Roger he is so vulnerable and so very strong.

I put Benjamin in his child's dining chair to give him his fruit bite. "Here comes the plane." I said while imitating an airplane with a spoon.

Benjamin clapped his hands on the table because he wanted more. "A bite for, mommy?"

Roger loved the fruit snack. "Can you say dada?" I asked Benjamin. Benjamin looked at me, "Dedede." Benjamin made as sound. I put my hands over my mouth for luck, he's been talking a bit at 6 months?

Roger came down fully clothed. "Roger, come here?" I asked quickly. Roger stood with his hands in his pockets and looked at little Benjamin, "What is it darling?" Roger asked. "Pay attention to what Benjamin says." I replied, "Hey Benjamin can you say dada?" I asked Benjamin. Benjamin sucked on his hand, "Dededede." He repeated over and over.

Roger's smile appeared on his face as if he hadn't laughed in years. He grabbed my waist and lifted me up. "He talks, did you hear that, he talks!" Roger said cheerfully. I gave Roger a kiss on the neck, "Yeah, isn't this great?"

_____________________________

Roger hadn't had any more nightmares for the next few days, he was better. It was a genuine relief. Having a nightmare is not always nice when you have to sleep well.

We were both happy because Benjamin said his first word, it was a miracle. A real miracle, after all, he was born prematurely.

This was a short one, my apologies. Bye!