Sometimes Love Isn't Enough

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Gale drifts off to sleep shortly after, her legs entangled with mine, with one hand settled on my chest. She nuzzles her nose into my chest, before finally settling. I watch her breath change not too soon after and I know that she is out cold.

I stare up at the ceiling for hours, unable to sleep, my mind racing with so many different emotions, sadness, worry, fearful, bitterness, regret, happiness and excitement, contentment, and an overwhelming feeling of love for the woman in my arms. The hours are dwindling until our lives change forever. The realization that Gale has no idea what is coming pains me more than I want it to.

Leaving is just an effect from what the true issue is. It is that I am a coward in many ways, and I always have been, it has just taken me a long time to realize it. There are many reasons that I have earned the title of coward, but the biggest reasons are leaving her without a word, and letting this paralyze me to the point that I can't fight for my marriage, or fight for myself to overcome this. There are other issues, but every issue can be traced to being a coward, not being the man that Gale deserves to have.

Tears fall sporadically throughout the night, as sleep continues to evade me. I toss and turn for a bit after Gale rolls over to her stomach. I trace words on Gale's naked back gently, like love, forever, trying to remember the feel of her skin. Just touching her so intimately makes my desire for her grow again. There will never be a moment in my life that I won't want this woman. It is still hard to believe that we have spent nearly twenty years together, and now it's inevitably coming to an end.

"Look," I nervously say holding up Gale's book, The Woodsboro Murders.

She turns her face towards me, giving me a perplexed look, before smiling pointing at the book. "What are you doing with that?" she points.

My heart is beating wildly as the seconds pass. This is by far the scariest thing I have ever done. I can't help wonder how she's going to react. I know we've tried before and it didn't end well, but we've both grown since then. Maybe now, it can finally work. All I know is after three Ghost Face murder sprees, I can't live without her. I wouldn't want to.

"Um, will you—will you sign it for me. Gale?" I ask in a shaky voice. I hope she is able to appreciate how I did this.

A small breath of laughter passes through her lips and she smiles at me. "You hate that book. Besides," she turns to look out over the porch, to the mountains. Her shoulders come up as she places her hands on the porch railing. "I'm done with that kind of reporting."

Gratitude and proudness of her overcome me. Gale has come a long way from the cut throat reporter she was four years ago. She's grown, and changed for the better. She understands and appreciates that it in'ts just about her, about the fame.

I roll my eyes while grinning, putting the book down on the railing. "For me? Will you sign it for me?"

She stares at me in confusion and laughs, shaking her head. "You're a nut."

I hand her the pen.

"Mmm, okay." She opens the book and immediately meets my eyes, before looking down at the ring that is sitting in a box in the middle of the book.

Our eyes meet again and a second later, my eyes are on the book. Gale looks back, placing the book down to pick up the ring.

Not knowing what else to say in the moment, I work up the courage and say it. "Will you?"

"Dewey,"

I smile looking a way, now feeling even more nervous. I look back once again. "I know it will never work and you know it'll never work, but what I am asking is just to see if we are wrong. We don't know everything, Gale." I feel my eyes light up as I tease her, "I mean, you think you do, but..." Neither of us can help but laugh.