Perchance to Dream

Running to the beach with tears streaming down her eyes was not the way Sasha thought she’d be spending this evening. It was supposed to be a surprise romantic reunion with her boyfriend of two years, Eric. Oh how she missed him so for these past weeks while he was in another state from her to train for his new position in the hospitality industry. She was so proud of him when he told her of this great opportunity he had to advance his career. Little did she know he also wanted to advance his relationship with the new girl at work and this solo adventure without his girlfriend was the perfect time to do just that. Romantically but cluelessly on her part she came out to surprise him on his weekend off but she was the one surprised after all. Turns out his great new coworker who was so helpful showing him the ropes of his new position taught him a few new positions.

Sasha walked in on the two of them “in flagrante delicto” is the phrase. She saw red and now she can’t even remember how she got here at this beach. All she can think about now is the pain in her heart seeing her one love with another woman. “How did I end up here? Life was just so promising a few hours ago.” She thinks to herself morosely. Just then there appears out in the dark distant ocean, a single sail boat bobbing up and down on the horizon. It surprises her greatly as it is quite the cool dark night to be sailing at this time. “What time is it anyway?” She has lost track of time since the thrill of landing this morning, died the moment she spotted her lover with that homewrecker.

She takes a look at herself and her surroundings for the first time in what seems like hours. After that terrible scene with Eric, it seems she has not even been in her body, let alone observing the world around her. She first begins to look down at her small hands with her perfectly manicured fingernails the color of red which was done at her favorite salon. “I wanted Eric to see me perfectly put together so I could remind him of our first date.” She lets a few more tears fall from her red and swollen eyes. She looks back up at the sail boat still in the distance and spots a figure walking on the vessel adjusting one of the sails. “Grandpa was a sailor. Grandma said he wasn’t like the lotharios today but a true gentleman. Grandma used to tell me old tales of when they began courting and how she just knew they were meant to be right away. Just like I knew right away with Eric. I should have loved a sailor like Grandma too instead of a wannabe playboy like Eric.”

On this overcast night with barely a few visible stars and the crescent moon high, the boat is now riding further away and she wonders again who would be sailing on such a dark night. Since the boat is leaving and there really is nothing more to see here, Sasha decides to leave from this tragic tableau she has created for herself and gets up from her sandy seat. As she makes her way towards the road to call a Lyft, she snuggles closer into her oversized sweatshirt. Funny, she doesn’t remember buying it so big but now notes what a good choice it was on such a night.

Finally she makes it back to her hotel room, opening the door slowly as she looks around what was to be her home for the next week. She thinks about going home shortly as there is no longer any need for her to stay in town after Eric’s betrayal. Sasha makes her way to the bathroom to get ready for bed as she will have an aggravating day ahead of her talking to customer service representatives from the airlines to try to change her flight without too many fees; and of course she’ll need to speak to the hotel about checking out early and what the refund will be. “All the unforeseen hassles of heartbreak.” She goes to the shower slowly stripping off her clothes for the day in front of the wall mirror noticing not only the oversized hoodie but also the roomy t-shirt underneath she doesn’t remember packing for this trip. “Hmmm. Strange.” She also notices the slight cut above her eye brow and how still so read and swollen both her eyes are. It looks as if she has been crying for months as well as survived a slight tussle with someone recently. “Well that’s not possible. I am just so upset that I’m imagining things. Get a grip girl.” She steps into the stall and takes a long intensely hot shower as she tries to wash away the day’s events. Settling into her bed pulling the covers high she spots in the shadows a figure moving steadily towards her. This must be a dream or nightmare as she doesn’t seem to be able to move in the slightest as she is enraptured by the man. And yes she can tell it is a man by his frame and movements.

“Who? Who are you?”

“What, you don’t recognize me, love? Why did you leave me earlier?”

“Eric?!? I would never leave you but you broke my heart.”

“Never love. You are the only one for me.” He moves from the shadows limping strongly on his right side, practically pulling his leg and foot forward by strength of will. He holds his left rib cage as blood pours through his fingers.

“AAAhhhhh!!!” Sasha pops up out of the bed in a cold sweat as the sun streams through the thin drapes and there is no longer anything in front of her eyes. Her phone is ringing loudly on her nightstand to the left of her bed. “It was a dream. Just a dream!” She tells herself to try and slow her heavy breathing and stop her racing heart beat.

“Hello?” She states slightly out of breath and overly emotional.

“Sasha?! Are you ok?! It’s me Julie.”

“Oh. Julie. How are you? It’s so good to hear from you.” She begins to cry again; trying not to weep as hard as she did yesterday.

“I’m fine. More importantly, how are you? What happened sweetie? You’re supposed to be happy on vacation. You’ve been looking forward to travelling for weeks.”

“It’s Eric. He was with someone else. Oh Julie, he broke my heart into a million pieces.” The tears started to flow again.

“Sasha. What are you talking about? You two haven’t been together for months. You guys only went out a couple of times. He was never your boyfriend. I thought you got over this infatuation.”

“No. That’s not true. We were together. We were in love!”

“No you weren’t. Eric told me and Michael he didn’t know why our mutual friend set him up with you as you were beginning to get too possessive. He’s actually part of the reason why I’m calling you.” She hears an eerie coldness on the other end of the line along with the sound of Sasha wiping away her tears and sniffing. “Apparently he and his girlfriend were just recently attacked. It made me worry about you since you insisted on going on vacation alone. I don’t think you're safe in a big city all by yourself.” Julie is silent for a moment before continuing the conversation.

“They’re both in the hospital and just woke up this morning. They were attacked as they were in bed together…. Where are you right now anyway? You never told me exactly where you were going. They just woke up this morning in the hospital.” Julie pauses from jumping around subjects as the unease within her grows. “They may be able to identify their attacker.” She paused again. Then in a hushed shocked tone she asks the dreaded question that has begun to weigh on her, “Sasha, what did you do?!”

There is nothing but deafening silence for so long that Julie thinks Sasha won’t answer her. “ We were meant to be together. Just Grandma and Grandpa.”