Disclaimer: What you recognize as Janet Evanovich's belongs to her.
"Make It Go Away."
Tonight was the same as every other night since that fateful day when my worst nightmare had come to fruition.
I'd gone to sleep, letting my mind drift to happier times, when my life was meaningful. I had a job that I was reasonably good at, a girlfriend that was liked by the other guys at the shop, a moderately priced house in a reasonably good neighborhood, and I was envied by others because I had it all right there at my fingertips.
Just like every other night since that fateful day, my dreams went to the last night we'd spent together.
I turned to her, running my hand up her naked thigh to her core and then continuing until my hand cupped her breasts. I moved my face against her and then covered her mouth with my own.
That's where things went to hell in a hand-basket. The wet tongue lapping at my face was wrong. Just like every other night, it pulled me from my dreams. My eyes opened and there between me and the pale comparison for the woman I wanted was the woman I was left with. She was sleeping…or maybe she was just pretending to be because she knew she was merely a fill in.
I flopped over on my back and closed my eyes, willing the dreams to come back and take me into denial land. At first, I'd think it'd worked and I was going to break the cycle tonight. But just like every other night, the images were there…burned into my brain. I should be used to this. But I wasn't.
At all.
The image of what I'd seen that day would stay with me forever. It started out fine, taking care of my usual stuff. I'd made the trip out to the motel on route one and spent an hour…exchanging goods with Terri.
As much as I wanted the woman that was my dream, there was no denying that Terri new how to get down and dirty. A man had his needs after all, and she knew how to service them.
There were no calls, so I'd assumed everything was going good. I'd even had plans for that evening. That was going to be the big night. It hadn't even mattered that it'd been nearly three months since we'd had bedroom maneuvers. She was mine, and I knew she was mine for the taking.
I'd been returning from my rendezvous, heading back to the police station, when somehow, my life took a turn for the worse with the image that was now forever etched in my head. But, more than that, it wasseared into my very soul, and I couldn't comprehend this nightmare had come true.
Each day I would delegate the dream to the back of my mind, hoping by some miracle that the images would change, but it was still niggling at my thoughts here and there, day in and day out.
I'd had different dreams… Once upon a time. Now, I knew they were all for naught. They'd all come crashing down around me on that fateful day.
The day that I was returning from my trip to the motel.
I was alone that late afternoon when my world stopped right then and there.
Like a bad dream come to life, I couldn't help but think of the irony of it all...
But
Time stood still, as out on the corner of the church lawn came my nightmare springing to life...
Stephanie and Manoso in wedding attire.
There was a large group of people greeting the married couple as they made their way down the sidewalk toward the waiting limousine, throwing rice on them. It had to be his family that I'd seen, because the guests weren't known to me. I could see Edna and Frank there as well, joining in the celebration.
Now, here I am, reliving this nightmare night after night. I can't get rid of that image that's burned into my brain. No matter how much I try. No matter who I bring into my bed to stand in for the woman I want.
I wake up once more, this time in a cold sweat. Terri's body is close to mine now.
I look at her lying there.
A pale substitute.
Nothing works.
My life is over.
My dreams dashed.
I'll never have my dream, Cupcake in my bed as my wife.
I look at the wedding band on Terri's hand. It's all wrong.
I never thought Manoso would man up and show her he was the marrying kind. I'd never taken the threat of him serious because I'd banked on him not being marriage material.
I guess I'd figured without the force that was Stephanie. I'd failed to take into consideration she could make a man do many things he might not think he was ready for just for one smile. To have her love was worth any price.
My nightmare now taunted me.
Manoso was willing to pay the price that I'd thought I'd still had time to pay. I'd waited too long to give up the Terri's and the others. While I was deciding, he'd stepped in and stolen my prize.
Now I had nothing.
No happy ever after.
No Stephanie.
Nothing.
Just a nightmare that gripped me in its clutches every night. This was my lot in life.
The End