My Neighbor's Wife

Chapter 4

It was twelve midnight; Ben lays awake beside his slumbering wife. Darkness surrounds him- only the glow of the moon and the stars lights their bedroom. The only sounds that he can hear were the songs that the drunkards across the street were singing and nothing else.

He was tossing and turning- finding a comfortable position in which he can sleep but it never comes. He's been like that for hours. His mind was very active- buzzing with random unintelligible thoughts. Finally deciding that he would take a walk to tire himself- hoping that when he gets back, sleep would welcome him- he slowly gets up from their bed, careful not to wake his wife.

Reaching the front door successfully, he creeps downstairs avoiding the steps which make loud noises. He reaches the bottom when a gust of wind hits him making him shiver. He was thankful for bringing his jacket- a while ago he decides on not bringing it because it's not that cold inside their house; he assumes that it was the same outside. He was preparing to leave when he notices that someone was sitting in front of his neighbor's pie shop. He ambles towards the person but stops two feet away when he realizes that it was the baker.

It looks like Mrs. Lovett was having the same trouble as him- unable to sleep. She seems to be in deep thought because when he sits beside her on the bench that she was sitting at she does not move nor acknowledges his presence. He notices that she was shivering but she doesn't seem to mind. Being a gentleman that he was- he takes off his jacket and wraps it around Mrs. Lovett. That's when she notices him- she does not utter any sound but her mouth was form in 'O' and her eyebrows was shot upwards.

He smiles at her then asks "What are you doing here outside, Mrs. Lovett?"

She also could not sleep; it was that time of the night where she just lays still in her bed and thinks of everything- from her past to her future. But, as time goes by she feels suffocated inside her chamber- memories from the past that she wishes to forget and fears from what the future has in store for her; they were all in her head. So she decides to head outside and clear her mind.

She looks at him for a second then turns away- she smiles "I can't sleep." she simply answers.

He gives out an audible sigh and focuses his gaze up in the sky. "You know Mrs. Lovett... I want to travel to different places."

She just looks at him- urging him to continue on what he was saying. "That's my dream- explore the world." He looks at her "If I hadn't met Lucy, maybe I would be cruising now."

Her brows furrows "you- you're saying that?"

He chuckles as he shakes his head "No, of course not. It is my choice to stay and marry Lucy- I never once regretted my decision. I am happy- I love my wife and she loves me back, there's nothing more that I could ask for."

His eyes were filled with adoration as he mentions his wife. It was true that he did not pursue his dream just to be with Lucy. The first time he saw her he immediately fell in love with her- it was love at first sight. He said to himself that he will win her heart and if that did not happen then he's going to leave. Fortunately, Lucy felt the same way for him. Nothing can replace her in his eyes- she will always be number one in his heart, no matter what happens.

He continues "how about you Mrs. Lovett?"

She crosses her legs over her thighs and cocks her head to the side- thinking "My dream?" she asks more than to herself than him.

"I dreamed of living by the sea..." she sighs, her expression turning sad.

"With the man that I love..." she glances at him "... and with our children."

"Sorry." He suddenly says as he takes her hand and gives it a light squeeze.

"What for?" she asks in confusion.