Lewis entered Madison's room
as quietly as he could. She was lying in bed, not moving.
Lewis went to her side and smoothed hair off her forehead. Madison's
eyes opened. "Lewis," she whispered. Then she went into
a fit of coughing.
"Are you in pain?" Lewis asked quietly, sitting beside
her.
"Not too much."
"You liar."
Madison tried to smile. "I'm scared, Lewis," she whispered,
reaching up for his hand. Lewis covered it with both of his own.
"You're going to be fine...I promise."
Madison sighed, as if every breath was harder and harder to take.
"You knew the space account was dangerous."
"Yes."
Tears started rolling down Lewis' face. "Don't leave me here,
Maddi. Please."
"Lewis, I've wanted to tell you since the second we met."
Lewis looked down and, through his tears, saw her eyes fixed on
his face.
"I love you," they both whispered at the same time.
Then there was an awful beeping noise...
"Lewis? You're going to
be late," a voice whispered. He felt lips brushing against
his forehead.
Lewis opened his eyes to see Madison's beautiful face above him.
He stared at her.
"Did becoming a Kiniski make me grow a third eye?" Madison
teased.
"You're..alive," Lewis whispered.
"Of course I am! But we're gonna be late if you don't get
up."
"I drempt you died," Lewis whispered.
"Lewis, the honeymoon may be over, and we may have to go
back to work at DrugCo, but I'm not dead."
Lewis sat up and kissed her. "Accidents do happen at DrugCo,"
he said.
"Not any that would ever take me away from you," Madison
smiled.
As Madison got out of bed, the early morning sun caught the diamond
ring on Madison's left hand. Lewis smiled.
"Thank God it was just a dream," Lewis murmured as the
alarm clock started to beep again. He hit snooze and went to surprise
his wife in the bathroom before Oswald locked them both out for
the day.