Listen To Your Heart.

When I opened my eyes she was sitting on the side of my bed smiling, her white dress flowed over the side of the bed. She gently brushed the hair out of my eyes and started humming her favourite song; Let It Be by the Beatles. I smiled and grabbed her hand; she leaned down and kissed my lips tenderly. “You slept in darling” she whispers. I sit up and my hands get tangled in her hair. I close my eyes and take a deep breath in, I smile because she smells of strawberries. I run my finger tips along her jaw like it was only yesterday I felt her skin against mine, I pull her mouth to my own and ardently kiss her soft lips.

“I love you” I whisper, she rests her forehead against mine. “Not as much as I love you m’dear” She closes her eyes and smile, my hands wonder her face. “Am I dreaming?” I asked, she opens her blue eyes and strokes my face with her delicate little hand, “Yes love” she replies with. “I don't want to wake up then” I whisper, she sighs and smiles. I didn’t even care that this was a dream; it was just simply, perfection.

There was someone else’s voice and Belle’s face saddened, “John, wake up” the voice called. Belle grabs my face and I know the dream is ending but I don't want it to. “I love you with everything I have John Cornelius” she whispers. I shake my head and press my lips against her own, when I open my eyes I'm in a dark room and she is gone.

I look to my left were Grace is standing with a smile on her face, I look down disappointed. “I thought I’d let you sleep in darling, I mean you did go to sleep at 8 this morning. Would you like to go out for dinner?” she asks kindly. I look at her and I can see her smile is fake, I know I’m hurting her. The curtains are open and it is raining outside, I sigh. “No” is my answer, she looks down and nods. I get out of bed and pull on my jeans, she is still looking down. I kiss her forehead softly, she deserves better.

I walk into the kitchen and look at the table. A box of lucky charms sat in the middle, I stare at it. Grace walks up behind me and grabs hold of my hand, my eyes stay on the box of cereal. “It’s all the hotel had, don’t you like it John?” she whispers. I can see Belle sitting at the table eating a bowl of it for breakfast like she did every day, her favourite cereal. She looks up and smiles at me, “I’ll fight you for them John if I have to” she giggles and scoops a spoonful into her mouth. “Don't tempt me” I whisper. Grace looks at me and at the table. “What John?” she asks. I look at her but when I look back Belle is gone.

“What time is it?” I ask. She stutters on her answer, “4:05 John, I thought I’d let you sleep in. You don't get enough sleep these days”. “I’m going to have a shower” I mutter and pull my hand out of Grace’s, she nods to herself. “Yes dear” is what she whispers.

I put a CD in the stereo and sigh, it was the CD Belle left behind when she ran away. ‘Here Comes The Sun’ by The Beatles starts playing. I look into the mirror and Belle is standing behind me smiling. “Dance with me John” she says grabbing my hands. We are both smiling, I move one of my hands to her face and start rubbing her cheek. I close my eyes for just a moment and when I open them she is gone.

I look at myself in the mirror. Who have I become? I ask. The song keeps playing and the only thing I want to do is hold Belle in my arms. Then I realise something, what am I waiting for? She is the only one I have ever loved so what is stopping me from making her mine again? I pull on a clean shirt and grab my phone and wallet. I pull on my black long coat and run out of the hotel.

Grace stands at the door shouting, “John, where are you going?!” but I don't slow down. I run into the street and call a taxi. “Where to bud?” the cab driver asks, “New York Times office please” I say quickly.

-

I stare at the doors, this is it. I fix my hair and walk up to the receptionist, she smiles her business smile. “How can I help you?” she asks. I smile, “I’m looking for a Miss Lewis” she types Belle’s name into her computer. “I’m sorry, Miss Lewis isn’t working this evening but I could leave a note on her desk” I looked down. “No, I have to say it to her face.” I turned around and looked out into the wet street. Was I really about to let Belle get away again?

“Look, I know you’re not a loud to give out personal information but I really need Miss Lewis’s address” I pleaded to the receptionist. “I’m sorry sir but like you said, it is prohibited” she replied. “Have you ever been in-love?” she smiled “I’ve been married for 5 years now” I rested my elbow on her desk. “I personally believe that everybody should have a chance at happiness. Belle is my happiness and I need to find her so I can tell her that I really, honestly love her.” The receptionist bit her lip. “My hands are tied sir, I’m sorry” I pulled out my wallet and put the photo of Belle in front of her. “She ran away 3 years ago and I carry this photo around with me everywhere.” I paused. “She broke my heart but I never stopped loving her and I hope, maybe she never stopped loving me” the receptionist sighed heavily.

I told her about all the times I knew Belle was the girl I was going to marry. I told her about the first time I kissed Belle, how my entire body felt like it was on fire. How I felt when I saw her cry, or when she lost her brother how much it hurt me seeing her die a little inside. I told her about the day I thought I had lost Belle for good and how my heart broke. I poured my heart out to a woman I didn't know and she never interrupted; she didn't dare speak a word. I spoke for hours about how Belle was my everything, how much I missed her. Then she turned to her computer and typed something in.

“I could lose my job very easily for this, but lucky for you the pay isn’t that amazing.” She wrote down an address on a piece of paper and handed it to me. I smiled at her, “Thank you so much” I shook her hand and walked out into the street. I smiled; I was so close to finding her, my one and only

Belle Evelyn Lewis.