A shrill scream awakened him from his already tenuous sleep, piercing the winter night’s silence, destroying it, like a bullet straight to the heart. That precious silence of darkness had been fatally wounded never to return, at least not in his lifetime. Jason sat bolt upright filled with terror, excitement and an overwhelming urge to protect those he loves. In an instant, dreaming had become nothing more than a distant memory. The time had come, he could feel it, and he just knew the stranger was almost here. He has known for some time now that he would arrive and change everything, the question is: was he ready? Will he ever be ready?
It was yet another vibrant morning in the big city. Spring was in the air as well as in Jason’s every step, blissfully unaware of what the rest of the year would hold, for he was living the dream. He would never admit it but as he walked down the street there was not an eye that would pass him by without an admiring thought, every man aspired to have what he did and every woman wanted to be held in his strong well dressed arms. However this morning, as with any other there was no room in his heart for vanity. No room to notice the beautiful women falling at his feet, he simply stepped over them as if avoiding snakes in long grass. His heart was overflowing with love for one woman. He sat at his desk treasuring his lot in life, playing with the ring that newly adorned his finger, smiling at the prospect of going home to his wife in their new apartment.
The time passed by as it tends to do, Jason's anxiety grew, it was almost time. He had been away from his love for too long. The band on his finger seemed to glow brighter as if preparing to guide him home. Not that he needed the guidance, he longed to be home, to be unchained from his desk and fly towards the freedom that home offered so abundantly. Then, as if the universe read his mind, the clock made that graceful movement that is almost enough to move a man to tears. The minute hand had seemed to caress the hour of four so passionately that when the clock finally struck five it was truly electrifying.
He glided through the crowded streets of the city spurred on by the thought of her welcoming touch. Even as he was crammed onto the bus wedged between the armpit of someone who had clearly embraced the aroma of the scorching day and the terrifying squeal of a new-born ready for a feed, he was still a picture of serenity. The vision of his wife, in fact the fact that she was actually his wife gave him a continuous internal giggle well suited to a school boy half his age. Suddenly there it was the gates to heaven itself, he stumbled off the bus almost losing his briefcase and nodded to the gate keeper as he opened the door to the apartment building “good evening sir” the faceless man uttered but Jason had only one aim and that was to board his carriage to the top floor to his angel. Impatiently he waited as the lift rose, loosening his tie wanting to escape every bond work had thrust upon him to fully indulge in the delights to come... two more floors to go. His heart races his breath shortened and every second lasted a lifetime... one more floor to go. A deep breath as he hears the magic chime that means he has reached his destination, six more steps would take him within touching distance, so he stands up straight as if to present himself and takes the first step.
Finally he was home his feet barely touching the floor as he reaches for the handle and opens the door, “my love” his deep commanding voice fills the modern apartment. Then he sees what he has been waiting so long for, a figure appears from behind the wall, tall and majestic his breath was stolen away by the sight, his eyes devoured the vision before him, wondering how her little white satin dress could be so brave as to conceal the body of his love from him, only to tease him with the view of her endless caramel legs, to hang off her curves so perfectly so invitingly. And then the magic, she smiled, she could have stood there in all of nature's glory and still her smile would have stolen his attention. The Sun itself must be jealous of the radiance of her face when adorned with such wonder, and yet she chose to utter those words, those words that mean everything that show she wants to be with him “hello husband”.
That was it, he had to have her, he had to be closer he had to feel her long curly hair between his fingers. It was seamless, one moment they were on opposite sides of the room, the next he had his angel in his arms. They were entwined, more than lovers, more than soul mates, they were the air each other breathed, they were each other's alpha and omega. He whispered in her ear “Catalina my angel, my world, how I have missed you” she smiled and playfully pushed him away, with the swivel of her hips, she turned and walked away. Jason loved her playful side, for as much as she drove him wild she knew what she wanted and how to get it, he admired this in her and was impelled to play along,
“So my darling wife”,
She turned with a memorising grin and in a soothing somewhat raspy voice, enhancing the slight Spanish accent that had any one hanging on her every word, “si” she paused “husband”.
“What’s for dinner?”
She picked up the nearest thing to her which luckily was a cushion and threw it at him. He laughed as he knew she too had been at work all day, if he had wanted a dinner on the table woman he married the wrong woman. Although she would give him the world he never expected it and for this she loved him and blessed him a hundred fold in so many ways. His laugh was the key to her heart, it always had been and with that she ran into his arms once more, wrapping her legs around him supported in his strong arms this is where she felt safe this was the meaning of happiness.
Catalina looked across to the alarm clock; she was surprised to find it was already 9pm. She turned to see her husband laying there dreaming peacefully as he always seemed to do. She was always envious of how at peace he was when he slept, how the stresses of the world seemed to be repelled by his eye lids as he slept. She rose from the bed and giggled as she caught sight of her tousled hair in the mirror. With one last look at her beloved she tiptoed out of the room and through the house picking up evidence of the evenings event as she went, “If walls could talk” she muttered to herself “you’d have a story or two” as she shook her head in amazement she picked up her last piece of underwear from on top of the lamp. Dinner was of course ruined, the potatoes cold and hard and the succulent chicken no longer moist but dried out in the warm air. There were worse thing in life of course. Jason stumbled down the stairs as if trying to regain strength in his legs, smiled at Catalina throwing away the dinner and simply said “I am sorry, I will call for takeout” “never apologise for that” she replied and kissed him passionately.
That night drifted into the past although never straying from either memory. The weeks went by and life continued. Each day the journey to work for Jason got longer and as the now blazing summer sun beat down on him he begrudged being at work. Yet one thing never changed, his uncompromising love for his wife gave him the urge to get through life and to live it spectacularly. Today however his mind was wrought with worry. Catalina had not been herself at all, and although she looked more radiant then he had ever seen, she had been unwell. He could time her sickness with amazing accuracy and it was this pattern that was worrying him.
That night he danced into their home filled with the hope and joy of seeing his angel, but he danced into silence, the only beat was that of his heart. Something was wrong, something was about to change. He cautiously walked round the house, and saw a glimmer of light coming from beneath the bathroom door; “Catalina” and he did not recognise the familiar voice that came back. “Please” she snapped “please leave me”. Taken aback he refused to do as she asked , he pushed open the door and saw her sitting on the floor, without a word he knew their world was going to change.
The spring soon turned into summer and Jason was feeling the heat from all sides of his life. That passionate spring night became a distant memory in fact he was sure he could count the times he had been entwined with his love over the past few months on one hand. That passion Catalina once channelled into seducing her husband was more alive than ever; however it was no longer directed to her hips or her touch but burnt in her eyes. He could feel the scorch from across the room and he knew there was no escape, he would navigate the obstacle course of boxes and new items that filled there once minimalist haven in order to pamper to her ever growing needs. He was happy to do this for the woman he held so dear. Every so often she would allow him to see how grateful she was for his help, she would treat him to a mouth-watering dinner and they would sit for hours dwelling on the future, over the new hopes and dreams. The nights became long and sticky but he never complained he just tried to prepare, mentally, physically, emotionally. This will change his life, he and his wife will change, will they continue to be a beautiful queen and her handsome king, heart filled with devotion for each other? How long can this continue? Will he get his sexy senorita back?
The answers to those questions terrified him. They haunted his once so peaceful sleep bringing about many sleepless nights. The questions had been building the fear in him over the seasons; he had been ever tempted to run off into the autumn leaves never to return, yet every time he pondered that he would see the glowing sight of his angel. He knew together they could adapt they would remain strong, and when they faltered they would be there to bring each other right back.
The nights drew colder yet his little piece of heaven remained at scorching temperatures, it was almost time he could feel it. Was his heaven about to tumble to earthly realms, or as he feared keep going in order to bring everlasting torment to these four walls? This is what plagued him that fateful night; this is what brought about this tenuous sleep. However there was no time to ponder his woeful thoughts that scream, that bullet into the peace of the night awoke Jason and yes he sat bolt upright filed with terror, excitement and an overwhelming urge to protect those he loves. He put on his coat of armour and prepared for battle as his beloved sat in extreme pain. He rushed to her rescue as if executing a perfected plan; he knew where he needed to be but never knew it would be like this.
How could he have done this to a woman he help so dear, how could he be so helpless when she needed him most. He could do nothing but wait as the stranger approached, he held her tight determined not to let her slip away. Then, after a seemingly endless night, the screaming stopped. He was here, Jason’s heart pounded and his breath escaped him as the doctor walked towards him. Then it happened. The doctor handed him a bundle of perfection, this was no stranger, and this was his son. A perfect reflection of his angel, his own strength and her beauty already apparent in him. The fear drained from Jason’s eyes to be replaced by a single tear the moment Catalina reached out and Joy itself was jealous of the completeness that filled his heart. They had become a family
