She was laughing in her sleep.
It made a change from the usual grumbling sighs and groans. Her sleepy laugh was the most melodic sound, breaking the silence of the night. As I climbed into bed after an evening of preparing lesson plans, she rolled away from me. It was my turn to chuckle. She hated her sleep being disturbed, and I tried to sneak under the duvet as gently as possible.
Rachel looked so soft when she was asleep, nothing like the stern Miss Mason she was revered to be in school. So peaceful, so gentle, her true nature revealed in the midnight quiet. I gently brushed her shoulder with my thumb, noticing how cold she was. She sighed appreciatively as I pulled the duvet up to her chin; she liked to be snuggled and warm.
"I need those lesson plans, Grantly." she mumbled, her voice muffled by the duvet. My fiancee was clearly deep into a dream, but I couldn't help a laugh escaping.
"What?" she groaned, rolling over to face me.
"I'm sorry… Go back to sleep."
"What did I do?"
"Told Grantly you need his lesson plans. Something you want to tell me - dreaming about other men?" Rachel shot me a panicked glance. "I'm joking. Come on, let's go to sleep."
She slid into my arms, her head curled into my neck and an arm over my stomach. I kissed her gently on the forehead as I felt her become heavier in my arms as she fell back into sleep.
"I love you, Adam Fleet." she murmured.
"I love you too, Rachel Mason." I replied. "I want to give you everything; the whole world and more."
"Oh, shush, you soppy man. Let me sleep."
Shuffling further into the duvet, I clutched her ever tighter, determined to let her know just how loved she was. Rachel Mason, the woman of steel, the world in my arms. Kissing her forehead once more, I closed my eyes, at peace in knowing that this was now my life. And I could not be more content.