Author's notes:
Thank you to two great writers and friends, make-mine-a-kiaora and Sue Shay, for their beta-read and the opportunity to work with and learn from them. Check out make-mine-a-kiaora's "Lone Star State," and also check out Sue Shay's "Time & Place" (I favorited these in my profile for easy access.)
In November 2013 at the end of the Red John saga, I posted "The Five Extra Minutes," a one-shot that put the whole Mentalist series up to that point in a different light. That story paid homage to the last episode of the 1980s United States TV sitcom Newhart. "12B: Dream a Little Dream of Me" serves as a one-shot sequel to "The Five Extra Minutes."
I do not own the TV show The Mentalist and get no compensation from it. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes only.
Click. The lamp on the left side of the bed turns on.
"Patrick, Patrick. Are you awake?"
Click. The lamp on the right side of the bed turns on.
"I am now, Teresa. But I want to go back to sleep."
"Remember that dream of yours last night?"
"You mean the one where I was a fake psychic."
"Yeah, that one. I just had the craziest dream I ever had, and it followed what happened in yours."
"You mean in your dream I was the world's greatest detective too?"
"No, in my dream you just thought you were the world's greatest detective. I knew better than that."
"Teresa, it's like you said last night when I woke you up. I'm your husband and I love you, but we've both got to get up early in the morning. Let's go back to sleep."
"We weren't married in my dream either. In fact, I was going to marry another man."
"Okay, now you've got my attention. From my standpoint, that doesn't sound like a dream; that sounds like a nightmare."
"It was a nightmare for me too. I wanted you to say something to me, to tell me how you really felt about me, to tell me that you loved me too; but you wouldn't. You played all sorts of games with me, and you wouldn't admit your true feelings to me. I kept waiting and waiting and waiting. Then I gave up."
"It sounds like I was a real jackass."
"You were, Patrick. I got really mad at you and went to catch a plane to start a new life."
"By the way, were your sister and brother-in-law in your dream? They were in mine."
"No, Grace and Wayne weren't in my dream. Why I don't know. But Kimball was."
"He was? Did he have anything to say in your dream, or was he quiet like in mine?"
"Oh, he talked in my dream. He said you and I were like brother and sister."
"Brother and sister? Really, Teresa? If that's the case, then what you and I were doing a couple of hours ago was…"
"Yeah, from his perspective we were committing…"
"Eew, eew, eew! You know Kimball and I are supposed to play golf tomorrow afternoon. Now there's no way I can look at him with a straight face."
"Sorry, Patrick."
"Well what happened?"
"You drank a lot of booze, borrowed some sort of police car with a siren on it, drove to the airport, and climbed a fence to get to my plane."
"I was able to jump a fence to get to your plane? Where was the airport security, Teresa?"
"I don't know. Remember this was just a dream. Apparently the dream version of you got to break a lot of laws without consequence."
"What happened then?"
"You knocked on the door of the plane."
"Did they open the door for me?"
"They did and let you on board."
"Still no security?"
"Nope."
"Well, what did I do next?"
"You walked up to where I was sitting, and you finally told me that you loved me."
"Well, I'm glad I did."
"Then you started crying, Patrick. And I did too."
"So, did you get off the plane with me?"
"No. Security showed up and dragged you off."
"Finally they show up. It figures. So, you flew off and left me? That really does sound like a nightmare, Teresa."
"No, I didn't leave. I came to the detention center and you kissed me. I stayed with you. That was the end of the dream."
"Well, I'm glad there was a happy ending, although it sounds like one of those goofy romantic comedies that you make me watch."
"Thank you for listening to my dream, Patrick. Will you put your arm around me and hold me close while we go back to sleep?"
"It would be a pleasure, my dear."
Click. The lamp on the left side of the bed turns off.
"Good night, Patrick. I love you."
Click. The lamp on the right side of the bed turns off.
"Good night, Teresa. I love you too."
"Patrick?"
"Hum."
"Have you made the travel arrangements for our vacation yet?"
"No, as a matter of fact, I was going to do it tomorrow. Why?"
"When you get the airline tickets, could you make sure that you get seat 12B for me and 12A for you?"
"Of course, Teresa. But 12B would mean that you would sit in a middle seat. I thought you hated sitting there."
"As long as you're beside me, I'm happy, Patrick."
The End
Author's notes:
Fabian Andre, Wilbur Schwandt, and Gus Kahn wrote "Dream a Little Dream of Me" around 1931. Many artists have recorded it including Ella Fitzgerald on her album, Ella and Basie! (my favorite version).
Thank you for reading the story, and I'd love to hear from you!