The Dream Isn't Done

When there's no light to
Break up the dark
That's when I look at you.



Thunder clapped overhead.

Oh shit, I thought before looking over at Alex. “Did you hear that?”

Raising an eyebrow and letting out a small chuckle, he looked at me. “It was just thunder, Quinn. Calm down.”

Straightening my too-large tee shirt nervously, I took a deep breath before saying, “I’m perfectly calm. It just gave me a bit of a start that’s all.”

“That’s all?” Alex asked sceptically.

I nodded quickly. Truth was, thunderstorms had always scared me. As a kid during storms, I could be found curled up in my bed, the blankets pulled up over my head. The fear hadn’t faded as an adult.

“You’re scared, aren’t you?” Alex pressed.

“I am not scared,” I scoffed, turning away from Alex. “It’s just a little thunder. Thunder never hurt anyone.”

I let out a small squeal as another clap of thunder sounded over the van. Squeezing my eyes shut, I asked, “Vehicles are good places to be in storms, right?”

Alex chuckled as he moved closer to me, laying his hands on my arms. “Quinn, there is nothing to be scared of. Thunder is just a little noise.”

“I know,” I murmured. I grabbed a blanket next to me, wrapping it around my shoulders. “But does it have to be so loud?”

Alex wrapped an arm around me, pulling me into him. He kissed the top of my head before laughing. “I can’t believe that you’re scared of thunderstorms.”

I pulled away from him, raising an eyebrow. “Are you making fun?”

Biting his lip in an attempt to suppress a smile, he shook his head. “I wouldn’t do that.”

“You would so,” I told him. “And you are.”

A flash of lightning caught my eye and I laid my head on Alex’s lap. “Okay,” I whispered. “Now I’m scared.”

A pair of lips were pressed against the side of my head as I let out a sigh. Alex stroked my hair back from my face.

“Why are you so scared?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Thunderstorms are just so… scary.”

“What else are you afraid of?”

I bit my lip, mulling over my boyfriend’s question. “Birds. I really don’t like birds.”

“Okay, we’ll never get a bird as a pet.”

“Good.’ I smiled. “And I don’t like the way mirrors look in the dark.”

“What?”

I looked up at Alex who, from the look on his face, had no idea what I meant by my last fear.

“I find mirrors just have this look to them that, when the lights are off, is unsettling. I don’t like it.”

“Is that why you didn’t have a mirror in your room at your apartment?”

I nodded. “It makes me anxious. I can’t sleep.”

“You’re really weird.”

“Shut up.” I glared up at him. “I’m sure there’s something stupid that you’re scared of. Tell me, Alex. What are you afraid of?”

Alexandre was quiet as he thought about my question. “I’m afraid to loose you,” he offered.

“That’s not what I meant,” I said, sitting up and pushing my dark hair back. “I’m afraid to loose you too. But I mean, what is your biggest fear? That can’t be it.”

Alex sighed and rolled his eyes. “I guess I’m afraid of being alone.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “I was always afraid that I’d be a bachelor for the rest of my life and die a lonely, grumpy old man.”

I smiled, shaking my head. “I hope you know that‘s never going to happen now. Je serai toujours ici. There’s no getting rid of me.”

“I guess it’s a good thing I don’t want to get rid of you.”

“Est-ce tout?” I asked. “That cannot be it.”

“Dummies,” he finally admitted. “I’m terrified of those ventriloquist dummies. I don’t like the way that they look at you.”

Alex looked at me to find me smiling foolishly at him. “Why are you smiling?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess it’s nice to see you vulnerable. It’s nice to see that you’re not perfect.”

Alex laughed at that. “Quinn, mon chéri, I am far from perfect.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” I told him. “You do seem flawless.”

“Well, I’m not,” Alex assured me. “I’ve done things I’m not proud of, Quinn. Everyone has.”

“Really?” I asked. Alex was really opening up tonight. We hadn’t had a serious conversation like this in quite some time. “Like what, Alex? What things have you done? Quels sont vos regrets?”

“I guess I regret not spending a lot of time with my parents growing up. Especially now that they’re gone. I regret punching Jane’s first boyfriend in the face after he broke up with her. Jane didn’t talk to me for a week and he gave me a black eye. I used to regret not taking this trip sooner.”

“Used to?”

“Yeah. I don’t anymore. I just keep thinking that if I hadn’t of waited, if I hadn’t of put off this trip for so long than I wouldn’t have been at the store when you came in that day and you wouldn’t be sitting here in front of me right now. It’s funny isn’t it?” He continued. “How if only one thing had changed about that day, you wouldn’t be here right now? Hell, I probably wouldn’t be here right now. It’s sort of funny how God’s plans for us work out, isn’t it?”

“I never thought about it like that,” I admitted. “Nadine hadn’t even wanted to go into the store. She practically begged me to go down for coffee down the street and forget about getting a book. I almost did.”

“I’m glad you didn’t.”

“Moi aussi,” I agreed. “I truly cannot imagine my life without you, Alex.”

Alex pressed his lips to my forehead before whispering, “Une vie sans toi est vide de sens. I love you too, Quinn.”

“Toujours.” I promised, pressing my lips to his.