Looking out of the window on a cold, wintry day, he realized that this was the first time in a while since he had spent a full 8 hours in bed with Diane. Brushing aside the little snowflakes on the bedside window that had somehow managed to survive the safari state of his room, all thanks to the in-built heating system of the cottage, he turned around and focused his gaze on his bed mate, who was still asleep.
At 35, Diane looked lovelier than he remembered- which was actually because there was nothing to remember since he had always left for work quite early for the past 10 years, barely looking at her while planning a thousand strategies on expanding the company in his mind, the habit which finally got him to the post of a director in that same company. But even after that, Dennis seemed engrossed in pushing his career more than his interactions with Diane, leaving her to practically take care of their three kids - 3 bubbly boys of whom he was proud, yet ashamed because he rarely attended their sporting resorts. What was Brian's position in his football team again? Or was it a basketball team? Nah you need height for that or, do you? Phew, never mind.
Diane slept on, unaware of her husband's scanning gaze. She was what most people called a supermom - how she ran her tea-shop, took care of three boys and still had the best of abs was a mystery to many. A bigger mystery was, why did Mr Dennis seem not to take his wife with him on outings? But anyway, family affairs were solely family affairs so all beaks were clipped on that.
Dennis felt a surge of guilt. She looked so calm and peaceful, lines of stress were already on her face but did nothing to dim her beauty. He realized that he needed to make things up to her, and the weather seemed to agree to that. So he reached out and touched her face. Then, he stopped dead cold.
Something wasn't right. She felt colder than usual. He placed a finger on her wrist. There was no pulse. Her face was turned away so he could not see her eyes. He tried turning her head to his side, and what he saw made him scream - scream right out of sleep.
He jumped up, drenched in sweat, as Diane came running to the room, followed by the boys.
"Dennis, dear, what happened? Are you okay?"
He looked around, confused. It was 12 noon and the sun was happily casting rays into their room. The calendar showed 24th of July and he realized it was his first day out of his annual leave. He sighed.
Sensing he needed to say something to her alone, Diane looked at her boys gently. They instantly understood and scampered out, but not before each of them gave Daddy a mini bear hug.
"It was a nightmare, Diane. I-I saw you right beside me, but......" It was a painful sentence to complete. His beautiful wife, disfigured and dead?
Diane placed a hand on his shoulder and slowly dragged his head to her chest "It's okay, dear. It was just a dream that won't happen. We'd just pray about it. Don't be tensed" she soothingly stroke his back.
As they prayed and then went out to meet the kids, his eye caught what looked like a snowflake on the window. In his heart, he knew better. The wheels for a getaway weekend for two immediately sprung to life in his mind.
Efunnuga Henrietta Adedayo
