The Dream Isn't Done

let me be your wings
let me be your only love
let me take you
far beyond the stars.



“Come with me.”

“You’re crazy,” I laughed, raising my eyebrows and shaking my head. “Absolutely crazy.”

“What’s so crazy about it?” Alex demanded, his dark eyes serious.

All I could do was laugh at him. “I’ve known you for - what? A month? A little less then that?”

“So?”

He was crazy. This boy was truly crazy. “You’re actually serious, aren’t you? You’re legitimately asking me to leave with you.”

“Yeah, I’m serious,” Alex told me. “I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t serious.”

Alexandre’s apartment had a beautiful view of the city. The view was the first thing I had noticed when I walked in through the front door two weeks ago. One month had passed exactly, since the day I entered the bookstore and had an enticing conversation with an intelligent and witty Scotsman. Three weeks and four days had passed since Alex hunted me down and demanded I agree to dinner with him. Three weeks had passed since Alex lost everyone he had ever cared about.

Only three days had passed since Alex had begun planning his trip around the world.

He had come to me, eyes full of excitement and pure joy, as he announced that he was selling his apartment, the store, everything. He was leaving for the States - the first stop on his trip.

“I’m leaving.”

“Bye.”

Alex had busted through the front door of my apartment - unannounced and uninvited. I was curled up in the corner of my couch, with a cup of hot cocoa, relaxing. It had been an unnerving day.

Rolling his eyes, Alex dropped himself onto my couch. “Shut up. I didn’t mean now.”

“You should have specified.”

‘What’s with you?” he asked, obviously referring to my sour mood. “Why such a sour puss?”

Sighing, I leaned forward, leaving my mug on the coffee table. “It’s been a long day. But seriously, where are you going?”

“Where am I not going is the question to ask,” Alex replied, his concern melting away as a smile lit up his face.

“Okay, where are you not going?”

“No where. There’s no where I’m not going.”

“I’m really confused,” I told him. “You’re making zero sense right now.”

‘I’ve always wanted to see the world, Quinn,” Alex confided. “There’s so much more to the world then what we see on television and I want to experience it. I want to live it.”

“Okay, so you’re going on a trip? How long are you going to be gone?” I asked.

“That’s the thing,” he replied. “When I leave, Quinn, I don’t mean to come back.”

“What? Wait a second, Alex, you’re just going to leave?” I demanded.

Alex smiled at me softly. “What do I have here? My parents are gone, my sisters are scattered all over this country. Why should I stay?”

Over the past three weeks or so, I had grown fond of Alex. He was a wonderful man and had become a very good friend to me. And although I had only known him a short time, I knew that I would miss him when he was gone.

“What are you going to do about your apartment? The bookstore?” I asked.

“I’m selling it. All of it. I don’t need it,” Alex smiled. “My parents left me their estate, any money they had. I can do this.”

“Tu es fêlé,” I told him shaking my head. “But have fun.”

“Come with me,” he begged. “It’ll be much more fun with someone along for the ride.”

“I have a job now, Alex,” I exclaimed. “I cannot just pick up and leave. I have a responsibility. Je peux pas.”

“Live a little, darling,” Alex pressed. “Quit your job. Sell your apartment and come with me. If you ever want to leave, you can, and I’ll do whatever I can to get you settled some place.”

“I can’t, Alex.”

“You keep saying that,” he sighed. “But you can.”

“Have you ever thought that maybe I just don’t want to? Cela n'est pas trop tiré par les cheveux.”

“No,” said Alex, stubbornly. “People dream of giving up everything and seeing the world, Quinn. I’m giving you that chance. Come with me.”

I shook my head, sighing out, “no.”

“Please?”

I looked up at Alex, his eyes pleading. “Please?”

I don’t think I will ever know what possessed me in that moment. What took hold of me and caused me to utter that one word.

“Okay.”