The sky was blue and the breeze was gentle against their faces. His arms felt so natural around her waist and it felt good to feel her arms around him. This was heaven, being with a woman he could really love, a woman who could really love him. He pulled her around and looked Elaine directly in the eyes, searching to reach her very soul. "I love you more than I ever thought humanly possible. I want to spend the rest of my life loving you."
He leaned down and pulled Elaine to him in a passionate kiss. There was a tingle down his spine and straight to his toes. Suddenly, there was laughter. Haunting, evil laughter. Lance pulled away from the kiss to see where the laughter came from.
Just behind Elaine he saw someone. He couldn't make out who it was for the fog. Where had the fog come from? Suddenly, it was cloudy and gloomy looking. The laughter got louder and closer. He looked again as the figure came out of the fog. It was Vivica!! She was pointing at Lance and Elaine and laughing harder. As quickly as the laughter had come, it stopped. She was standing directly in front of them and he was looking into the coldest blue eyes he had ever seen. How had he thought he had seen love there before? Was he that blind? Vivica had an evil smirk on her face and as she moved closer, he felt a chill down to his bones.
"What makes you think you can love her? You can't love anyone, you have no heart. I killed it." Her hand reached toward his chest and appeared to go right through his skin. when she withdrew her hand, there was a withered, barely beating heart. Lance felt panic throughout his body and all he could do was scream, "NNNNOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Help MMMMEEEEEE!!!!!"
Elaine didn't know if she was awake or if she was dreaming, but she knew she heard someone call for help. She sat up and listened. There was a moaning or crying she couldn't decide which it was. All of a sudden, she heard, "Help me!" and it was coming from Lance's room. She didn't stop to put her robe on or anything, but she ran like the wind to his room. As she opened the door, she saw him thrashing around on the bed, covers going everywhere. She turned on the light and he was fighting to breathe it seemed. Elaine ran to him and shook him and screamed out his name. She turned him over and the look of horror on his face terrified her. Tears ran down her face as she struggled to get him awake.
Finally, Elaine had to slap his face. When she did, it was like he gasped a big gulp of air and then started breathing. He grabbed hold of Elaine as if she were a life preserver. She felt as though she could not breathe when he grabbed her. Finally, she just held him and ran her hand thru his hair talking to him and trying to calm him. Her other hand stroked his shoulders and back. She was terrified for him.
Lance soon started to relax and finally Elaine asked what was wrong, what had he been dreaming. He recoiled at the remembrance of Vivica pulling his heart out of his chest. "It was a nightmare. I can't even really remember what it was," he said not looking at her.
"My God Lance, you scared me to death. Are you sure you're okay?" She was still holding him and rocking him to try and ease the terror he had experienced.
He looked at the clock and saw that it was 3:30 in the morning. "Elaine, I am so sorry for waking you up like that and scaring you." It felt so good to lay in her arms and feel her gentle rocking and stroking. "I could stay like this forever," he thought to himself.
"Are you sure you don't want to talk about the nightmare?"
"No. I can't even remember what it was about," Lance lied. He sat up in the bed and the covers dropped to his waist. A thin film of sweat covered him and he shivered from the cold air hitting him.
Elaine slipped behind him and wrapped her arms around him to get him warm. "You okay now?" she asked in a pouty voice.
Lance closed his eyes as he felt her arms go around him. He involuntarily leaned back against her. Her breath tickled his ear and he wanted to hold her so badly. As he tried to turn to give her a hug, the covers started falling and he realized that he only had his boxer briefs on, so he grabbed the covers and pulled them back up.
He sat back on the bed and looked at Elaine. There was a pleading look in his eyes and Elaine's heart felt as though it would break. "You know that I'm your friend and you can talk to me about anything, don't you?" Elaine asked, trying to get him to open up.
"Yes, I know you're my best friend and I know I can talk to you," he confirmed. "I just suddenly feel tired and worn out and in desperate need of a good night's sleep and an old fashioned hug from my best girl friend."
Elaine looked at him like he was crazy. "Well, duh! All you have to do is ask, or, just take it," she said with a little devilish smile. She slipped over next to him and looked him in the eye and said, "Lance, you are the most precious person I know. You are so sweet and caring and loving. A girl could not ask for a more perfect friend than you. You've been there for me more times than I care to remember."
Lance reached out and took her hand and held it in his. "You are THE perfect friend. You have put up with so much garbage from me and yet, you're still here for me. Why is that?"
"Because you're you. Because God says we are to love one another, warts and all. We are supposed to treat others as we want to be treated."
"That doesn't always happen," Lance spit out almost vehemently as he looked away.
Elaine took her hand and pulled his chin back around and lifted his eyes to look into hers. "No, it doesn't always happen that way, but, that is why we surround ourselves with friends and loved ones that will positively reinforce us and lift us up and keep us strong. ALONE, we don't stand a chance against the bad things in this world, but together, arm in arm, we can do anything." She knew that he knew she was referring to Vivica. That woman was about as evil as they came, and, thank God, she was out of Lance's life.
As she looked deep into Lance's eyes, she started feeling so strange. His eyes were beautiful and he was wonderful and she loved him so much. She leaned in toward him and softly kissed his forehead. As she pulled back, she said, "Maybe if I kiss the boo boo, it will go away in your mind. And then, maybe if I kiss the boo boo here," she kissed her fingers and placed them on his chest over his heart, "maybe it will go away in your heart, too. Lance, I don't want to see you hurt anymore. I want to see you happy again."
Lance looked deep into her eyes and suddenly felt as though everything would be all right. He reached out to her and pulled her into a hug that he held for a long time. "Thanks, I needed that. We better get to sleep, we have a long, busy day ahead of us and then a long three months after that. Goodnight Elaine."
"Goodnight Lance. Sweet dreams," and Elaine closed the door and went back to her room.
