Violet

Chapter 14 - Goodnight/Goodmorning

- 9 years later..-

                 I opened the door slowly, careful not to wake up Max as light crept it's way into the room, painting itself down his cheek. I sucked in my breath and squeezed my way through the space between the door and the door frame. I was more than positive- pfft, sorry, pregnancy joke! Nearly 4 weeks!! - that I'd heard weeping downstairs. I considered waking up my husband but hey, I can't rely on him all the time! Especially when he's so... sad. Anyway.
                 As the tips of my toes licked the marble floors, I made my way into the lounge, my heart drumming in my ears. A man in his draughty overcoat stood at an open window, wailing into his thin palms. Though I couldn't see his face, there was familiarity in his misery. My heart tightened in my chest.
"Hello? Sir? Are you lost?"
I wasn't expecting him to reply.
"Vee.. my darling daughter..."
His inhumanly tone of voice sent my stomach falling to the floor. He turned around and smiled so wide his dimples reached his eyes. It was like something out of a horror movie... actually, no, a kids movie. Cheshire Cat. Terrifying! He inched closer... closer... his twig-like fingers reaching out to me.

- BEEP - BEEP - BEEP -

                 I groaned as the screaming of alarms burst my eardrums. Sunlight seeped through the open curtains and I let my eyes adjust to this new lighting. I was accompanied by the warmth of broad arms, pulling me in. I grinned as warm kisses were stamped on my neck and hands were traced along my waist.
"Good morning, beautiful wife."
Chuckling. I love his laugh.
I turned to face him, my excitement to wake up to him- as I have almost everyday for the past 9 years for fucks sake- all too painfully obvious.
"Good morning, sexy soon-to-be husband!"
"Oh come on, we're technically married! We said 'I do' and shit but the event was just... well, yeah."
He smiled weakly. He didn't have to say it but I knew that the thought of having another wedding was hard for him because... well, yeah.
"I know... but I want us to have the wedding we planned for so long. Give it a second chance. It doesn't have to be soon but-"
"-hey. I promise you, we will have this wedding. I'll make you feel like a princess."
He grinned and, as usually, it was contagious. I grinned back, wider.
"Promise?"
"Promise. I love you."
"I love you more."
"Shut up."
We laughed and we kissed and in that moment something so simple was just so perfect. It probably seems so stupid that I'd obsess over something that's happened a million times but after last night I couldn't help it. It was so relieving to be back in reality, back in his arms. Apparently, he sensed my relief.
"You has the nightmare again, didn't you?"
"Mm.. somehow it was different this time."
"How so?" He looked intrigued... or concerned, maybe.
"It felt... more real this time. Like I couldn't tell the difference between reality and... that reality. The whole time I... I thought I was awake. A..And this time he wasn't singing, he was crying! And I saw his face... well, kind of. His features were masked out. All I could see was his shit-eating grin."
He laughed to mask his fear, for my benefit.
"'Shit-eating grin'?"
"Yup! Definitely shit-eating!"
Another laugh, an extra mask. Then, staring and smiling. Sigh.
"Was there anything else?"
"Well... he said my name. He called me his 'darling daughter'. I... I think it was my dad, Max."
Tears slid their way into my eyes. He held my close, grazing his thumbs across my cheeks, banishing the tears.
"Hey... it's okay. Everything's okay."
A kiss against my forehead. A smile that stretches across my cheeks. Ugh, why does everything have to remind me of that damned dream!
"There was one other thing though... I told myself I was 4 weeks pregnant."
"...Well, obviously that's not true! It was just in the dream!"
He looked nervous. Terrified, even. I mean, I wasn't expecting his reaction to be overwhelmingly happy, but I mean, come on!
"Well... I mean, yeah. Sure!"
I faked my brightest smile. He didn't notice. He was too relieved. I was too, for a different reason, though. The fact that the conversation was over. He kissed my cheek and got out of the warm sheets. I was discomforted by the absence of his arms.
"I'll get started on breakfast! Stay in bed for as long as you like. If you still aren't up when it's done, I'll bring it up to you."
Another kiss before he walked out, closing the door gently behind him. I groaned and pulled the sheets over my head. I needed a few more minutes to overthink every single thing I'd said. Unfortunately, that is not what happened. Instead, I was pulled back out of the covers to the smell of food. Hey, what can I say? I have a problem.
Bacon, eggs, and chocolate pancakes. Well, technically the chocolate pancakes were for brea-ssert (breakfast dessert), but hey, still incredible. The dining table was infested with rose petals, and bouquets of the most beautiful flowers, kaleidoscopes of colour encased in vases decorated the table. We didn't speak much as we were too focused on the most important sport in our Household-Olympics- eating good shit.

I pictured the day going smoothly, as usual. Almost perfect, perhaps. Max said he had something amazing planned for me tomorrow, but he wouldn't tell me what. He said it was a surprise. I spent most of the day trying to figure out what it could be. A picnic by the lake? A night at the movies? He said it would be memorable.
Little did I know that I'm the middle of that date, he would receive a phone call... and that that phone call would change everything.

- To Be Continued... -