That night I dreamt of a future I knew I would have with Michael and it was fantastic. I just new it was a glimmer into our future. Standing in the kitchen I peaked into the living room and there was Michael playing with our daughter. She was adorable with dark brown hair and emerald green eyes just like her daddy. She had dimples like me and my family’s clef chin. I can’t believe I am actually a mother to a beautiful little daughter and pregnant with another and I know it’s a boy. The feeling of complete happiness was absolutely amazing, I never wanted to wake up from this paradise, but deep inside I knew it was a dream and that soon my reality would take over. Suddenly there was a loud boom and clanking that woke me from my paradise. I opened my eyes and jumped from my bed, Michael was still beside me. I thought for a second I was still sleeping and that my beautiful dream was fast turning to a nightmare. But then I could smell smoke. I shook Michael and screamed “You have to wake up, there is a fire.” Scrambling to gets some clothes on and grab some meaningful items I ran to the door, just like they trained you in school I touched the door with the back of my hand and sure enough it was hot as hell. “Michael, my house is on fire, we have to find another way out.” Michael walked to my bedroom door, kicked it in and sure enough the whole house was on fire. We ran to my bedroom window tried to open but it was stuck. The smoke was starting to get to me, but Michael was one step ahead of me and broke out the bedroom window. “Susan, we are going to have to jump, unless we can climb to that tree from your roof,” he said trying to keep me awake. “I think we can make it to the tree, let’s try the tree, before I break both my legs falling out the second story window.” Michael lifted me up to the roof and soon he was standing next to me. We franticly ran to the other side of the house where we could reach the tree branches and started to climb onto a branch. Soon we were at the trunk and climbing down to safety. Before we could reach the bottom the fire trucks arrived. A fire fighter gave us oxygen and checked our vitals. The fire fighter said we both looked good but recommended we go to the hospital just to be safe, Michael declined but insisted I go. I of course refused. “I can’t believe I lost everything I own what am I going to do and where am I going to live while my house gets fixed?” I said feeling numb. “Like you even have to ask, you know you are more than welcome to live with me while all this gets figured out. Also I will take you shopping later today so you can get some new clothes and toiletries,” he said as he rapped his arms around me. “Michael, I can’t accept all that from you and are you sure you want me living with you?” I asked. “Susan If I had my way you would have been living with me months ago,” he said trying to comfort me “Are you sure? I could rent an apartment. I don’t want to be a burden to you,” I said. Michael held me tighter as he realized how this was affecting me. The realization of what just happened hit me like a ton of bricks and I started sobbing. He kept whispering that everything will be ok and not to worry that I would never be a burden to him and that he would love nothing more than me living with him indefinitely. I cried for what seemed like an eternity when the police said they were done and leaving.
After the police and fire department left Michael and I walked in my house to see if there were anything worth saving but all that was left was charred and water logged. Once again I cried. My face had clear lines from my tears running through the soot on my face. I have nothing left, no clothes, furniture or even pictures. Luckily my purse was in my bedroom and I was able to carry that with me on the roof. Turning to Michael I asked “What do you think happened?” He shrugged his shoulders and said “The fire chief said they would have a report ready in the next week or so and that you should call your insurance agent to report the fire.” I shrugged my shoulders in response and walked out of my burnt down house and sat on the stairs. All my pictures are gone of my parents and childhood. It feels like I don’t even exist anymore. I got up and started walking around aimlessly in a circle, before I could continue, Michael grabbed my arm. “Why don’t we go to my place shower and go shopping so you have a few items you’ll need to feel human again?” he asked trying to take my mind of what could have happened to us. “I’m not sure I can handle shopping will you just get me out of here,” I said franticly. “Sure, but we still need to do some shopping you have only what you are wearing and I’m sure you don’t want to meet with clients in pj’s,” he said trying hard to comfort me. “I know but I can’t think about that right know when all I want to do is take a bath and cry.” We drove in silence to Michael’s house. I walked in and went straight to Michael’s master bathroom. He has the most perfect bathroom with a huge two person jetted tub. I started running water and put some bath salts in the water. I climbed in and laid there for a long time with my eyes closed. All I could think about was how did this happen, we were asleep together and then there was all that noise before I smelled the smoke. I know every appliance was off because I checked them before I went to bed. I wonder if someone started this fire, who would want to hurt me and Michael. We have not done anything to anyone. I don’t have any enemies. God this is crazy. I opened my eyes to see Michael standing in the door way looking at me intently. “How are you doing? Can I get you a glass of wine or something?” he asked with a smile on his face. “Wine sounds really nice, thank you,” I said closing my eyes again. Without another word Michael left to get me some wine and I was once again alone with my own thoughts. We could have died or been seriously hurt in that fire. Why did this happen? What am I going to do if its arson? I am so scared. I have never felt so lost and helpless in my life. Soon Michael was back with a large glass of white wine. He turned to leave, but before he left I asked him to sit with me. Michael’s bathroom is so large and it has a beautiful settee along side the tub. “Will you turn on some music?” I asked. “Sure” he said then walked to the stereo and turned it on. “Why don’t you take a shower, you look terrible just like I did before I stared this bath. Soon he was in the adjacent shower getting cleaned up. The fire has left us both covered with soot and smelling like smoke. I finished washing myself and started to towel dry my hair. Michael came over to me naked and rapped me up with a robe. It was his robe and it smelled just like him. I love the way he smells. I walked over to his bed, took off the robe and climbed under the covers hoping to just rest a while, hopefully after a little nap I will be able to come up with a game plan to get my life back in order. It took about two seconds before I was sound asleep. The days events had completely wiped me out and I needed to regroup. It felt like I had just closed my eyes when Michael was waking me up. I opened my eyes to realize I had been asleep several hours because it was dark outside. “Are you hungry?” asked Michael. “Yes, I’m starved.” I got up and put back on the robe Michael let me borrow after my bath and walked downstairs to the kitchen. Too my surprise there was a candle lit dinner waiting for me. Michael had once again thought of everything. There were red roses and the table was set and ready for us to eat. Dinner was steak, steamed veggies, salad, and garlic mashed potatoes and it smelled wonderful. He pulled out my chair and waited for me to sit down scooting in my chair like the perfect gentleman he is. After about three glasses of wine and this amazing dinner we moved to the couch and started to watch a movie. We were wrapped up in each others arms and engrossed in this really funny love story. This is exactly what I needed considering these crazy last few days. Michael realized I was no longer watching the movie and just staring at him. He smiled and said “What are you staring at?” “Only the most amazingly sexy man I have ever seen or known in my life, thank you for taking care of me today.” I said as I kissed his hand. “You are welcome, I am glad I was there for you,” he said as he kissed me back. “Oh, I almost forgot, I had a little shopping done for you, and had my personal assistant set up your closet for you. It’s next to mine and is linked to the bathroom. This away you can get dressed and ready conveniently,” said Michael smiling, knowing that he had completely surprised me. I got up from the couch and walked to “our” bedroom. Michael’s bedroom is huge with two large walk-in closets one on each side of the bathroom. “Yours is the one on the left,” said Michael with a smile that told me he was pleased, that I didn’t know what he had planned. Hesitantly I opened the door and my jaw dropped open, open so far it could have touched the ground. There were suits, jeans, blouses, t-shirts, sweaters, shoes, bras, panties, and lingerie. He even purchased me a purse from every designer I had ever heard of. The far corner had a makeup counter with all new cosmetics and products to style my hair, everything high-end and name brand. I turned around to face Michael, “How, how did you do this, I wasn’t asleep that long,” I said as I grabbed some jeans and a t-shirt putting them on while waiting for Michael to respond. “When you were talking to the fire marshal I called Jarred and had him take care of everything, it was already done when we got here.” “You did what? Jarred, I can’t believe this, I did not want anyone to at work to know I am together with the boss. They will treat me differently now that they know. I did not want that, I wanted them to respect me for my skills not because they are scarred of fucking with the boss’s mistress.” My face was bright red and tears were running down my face. “Susan, we can trust Jarred, he has known about you this whole time and you are far more than a mistress,” said Michael. “What do you mean Jarred has always known about us?” I asked looking confused. “Jarred has been my best friend for many years, there is almost nothing in my life he has not seen and been through it with me,” he said. “I will pay you back for all of this just let me know how much you spent and I will find a way to pay you back for it,” I said with as much conviction as I could muster up. “No”, he said looking a little upset. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings Michael, I am so appreciative you did all this, it’s just too much, I don’t like feeling I owe anyone for anything,” I said. “Susan, I did it because I love you and I want you to move here with me, I know a lot has happened, but it feels like a sign to me. Maybe I’m a romantic but I see us settling down and having children. I would like a girl first and then a boy. I have felt this way this since the moment I first met you. Nothing is going to change the way I feel about us or make me see things any different,” he said looking a little disappointed by the way I was reacting to his surprise. “Still, Michael, this is a lot of money, I would like to pay you back.” I said with conviction. “NO”, he said, I will never take a dollar from you, this is my gift for our future, and if you can’t just accept that I don’t know what to tell you.” “This isn’t over, but for now I will table this discussion and we will revisit it at a later time.” “Always the lawyer,” said Michael and gave me a brief kiss. The rest of the evening went on without a single issue. I was tired so I decided to ditch the jeans and t-shirt for a set of new pajamas and went back to his bed. Michael joined me a short time after and we spent the night in each others arms and slept peacefully, until the dreams started again. First it was the same dream as the night of the fire, but there was something different, I felt fear building in my stomach. Suddenly my daughter started crying and I ran to her. Michael was slumped on the floor and bleeding from his head. There was a strange man standing over him with a crowbar and was threatening to kill my daughter. Screaming I ran towards him, suddenly there was a strange tingling in my hands and a burst of power came pulsing out of my palms at my family’s attacker. He flew across to room hitting the window. The window shattered and he flew out the window to his death. I woke suddenly and immediately started crying. Michael instantly grabbed a hold of me and tried to calm me but there was nothing he could do to take that picture out of my brain, it felt as though it was burnt into the back of my eyelids. “Susan, what’s wrong? Honey what’s wrong?” exclaimed Michael. “You were bleeding and he was going to kill our baby daughter,” I said in hysterics. “Honey, it was just a dream, you were just having a bad dream.” “No it was real, I know it I can feel it. It’s going to happen I know it,” I said as I continued to cry. “I know what you are saying but even if it may happen it will be several years before we would have to worry about this,” said Michael trying to calm me down. “I know I am sounding irrational but it was real I know it. We had a small daughter and I was pregnant with our son, she was beautiful with black hair green eyes and my family’s clef chin. Suddenly she started to cry, I came running into the living room and you were slumped on the floor bleeding and there was a scary man standing over you threatening to kill our baby.” I was shaking and crying and completely incapable of being consoled. “Susan what can I do to make you feel safe or better?” asked Michael. “I’m sorry Michael give me a couple of minutes and I’m sure I will be ok,” I said trying to sound convincing. “Take as much time as you need, you know I will be right here, I’m not going anywhere,” he responded. After about fifteen minutes I tried to shake off the feelings from that horrible dream forcing myself to calm down. Michael could feel my muscles relax because he leaned in and kissed me. Lightly rubbing my back and arms he turned and walked towards our closets, he was getting something for me to wear. In minutes he came out with bra, panties, jeans and a sweater, and handed them to me. “Thank you Michael, do you want to go for a walk? I think I could use some air,” I asked hoping he would agree. “Sure babe, what ever you need. Do you want a cup of coffee and something to eat?” asked Michael. “I don’t think I can eat even if I wanted to,” I said shivering again at the thought of my dream. We walked down stairs together hand in hand and out the door we went. As soon as the morning’s crisp air hit me I realized that it may be just a bad dream and we will be ok. I still can’t help but love that little girl even though I know she is not even real yet. Michael is what is real and I need to enjoy him while I have him and not focus on what hasn’t even happened or may never happen. We reached the park in about ten minutes and Jarred was there with a blanket, picnic basket and two lattes. Smiling, I thanked Jarred for the coffee and my closet surprise. “I can’t believe you got everything in that closet for me Jarred and everything is the perfect size, how did you know what sizes to get me?” I asked Jarred. “Michael told me what size and what to get you right down to the slippers, I told you are very special to him, I have never seen him like this before, not ever,” replied Jarred. I started to blush, but before I could say anything else Jarred politely excused himself and said he would see us another time. Shaking my head I sat down on the blanket and started to un-pack the picnic basket and instructed Michael to sit next to me. I pulled Michael close to me and whispered into his ear, “You are full of surprises, I could totally get used to this!” I said then kissed him.
Finally feeling like the dream was more of a distant memory instead of an image of my future with Michael and our daughter. I relaxed and let myself feel the joy of being with Michael. He is always pleasant to be around. He smiled at me and said, “I shared my most intimate and tragic story with you last night, plus the humiliating way I stalked you for two years, I want something from your life you haven’t told me.” “Well let me think, I was raised by my dad with a step mom.” I said knowing it was not what he meant. “Susan, you know I already know this, how about something I don’t already know about you” he asked with a lot more seriousness. “When I was a child, my dad took me away from my mother. It was a long drawn out court drama, in the end he won. I never saw my mom again. My dad re-married and Caroline his new wife raised me as her own. He never had anymore children so I was very protected and cherished by them both. When I was sixteen I found out that Caroline was not my biological mother. Somehow I completely forgot I had another mother. From that point on I was by myself. I went to a private college, where as you know that’s where we met, and the rest includes you,” I said looking a little sad. Michael thought for a minute and said “Boy that was extremely edited.” “What else were you expecting?” I asked “I don’t know more information that would tell me about you and in more detail,” he said. “Michael, I can’t handle re-hashing everything right now, with everything that has happened to me in the last two days I just want to relax and enjoy your company and not feel the sorrow of my shitty life” I said trying not to cry. “Fine, he said but you will eventually have to fill me in on what has made you who you are.” He leaned in a kissed me and we fell on to our backs and looked at the sky for a long time. Jarred had packed for us a beautiful spread that included; fruit, cheeses, crackers, breads and wine. I can’t believe how thoughtful that guy is he misses nothing, Michael is very lucky to have him. We continued to lay there a while longer then got up, cleaned up our picnic and started to walk back to Michael’s house. His house is located on a corner lot and is a late 1800’s Victorian. Michael has completely restored it to its original glory and it is breath taking. The house has a porch that wraps around the entire house and a completely manicured yard with a hot tub and in-ground swimming pool. This house is like a huge version of a doll house that every girl dreamed about having as a child. When you enter the double front doors the entryway is completely covered with marble and the walls are tastefully decorated with art from artists like Picasso. Every room has a fireplace with magnificent fireplace mantles and upstairs has six bedrooms and five bathrooms. Michael’s bedroom is the master of course and has an amazing private balcony, and by private I mean you can walk around naked on it and no one would ever be able to see you unless they were in the sky spying down on you. I love that, sitting outside naked enjoying the sun. While my house was being renovated I spent countless hours on this balcony naked enjoying reading novels and loving the quiet. I wish I could feel that way all of the time, calm and full of pure happiness. But every time I start to relax and feel complete, something crazy happens to me. I want a normal life, I want to share my life with someone and not feel ashamed of my past. I just want to look forward to a future. Thinking about the way I feel about Michael is all I can think about as the day progresses. Together we watched tv and just enjoyed each others company no time limits no responsibility and no intrusions. Just us and our contentment, it was fantastic. It was about when the door bell rang. Surprised we got up and answered. It was the chief of the fire department; he had the fire report for me. He said if I had any questions he could be reached at the fire department tomorrow, he just wanted to get it to me as soon as possible. Surprised, I looked at Michael and said, “I thought this wouldn’t be back until next week.” He looked back at me and simply said, “I called in a couple of favors.” “You didn’t have to do that I could have waited like everyone else has to for their reports.” “I know but I didn’t want you to keep worrying and I wanted you to have your answers.” Smiling at him I opened the envelope. It said in bold lettering, Arson is suspected. I dropped the letter on the floor and ran to Michaels open arms. He hugged me for a long time and then picked up the letter from the floor and read it. It said that there was accelerant all over the main level of the house and that gas cans were found in the back yard. There best assessment is that someone broke into the house through the back door and started the fire in the living room. Suddenly the expression on Michaels face changed to terrified, I could tell the weight of knowing we almost died just hit him because he pulled me away from his chest and looked me in the eyes and asked me, “Who would want to hurt you and me?” “I have no idea, I don’t have any enemies that I know of except my bitch of a neighbor, but I don’t think she is capable of doing this, being pissed about my parking habits and burning down my house are two completely different things. What about you Michael? Is there anyone that would want to hurt you and would follow you around enough to know where I lived,” I replied. “Not that I know of but this has told me one thing, you wont be staying anywhere without me or a private security service,” he replied. “No! I am not going to have security that is ridiculous. Nor am I going to be a burden to you. I have already imposed enough and I can’t do it anymore,” I said. Michael took the letter and walked upstairs to his home office. I followed but when I reached his office he closed the door keeping me out. Putting my ear to the door I tried to eavesdrop but I couldn’t hear what was happening in there, but I think he is on the phone. I waited outside the door for a while but gave up and went to our bedroom and climbed in bed.
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