Eva lay face down on her bed, sobbing into a pillow. Thoughts swirled in her head. "Why can't John spare any time for me? Aren't I making him happy anymore?" She lifted her head up long enough to glance at the clock; it was one thirty in the morning. She knew that he couldn't possibly be working so late. She eventually cried herself to sleep.
When Eva dreamt at night, the images in her head were usually vivid and crisp and very realistic. Tonight, however, her dream appeared to be empty. She only saw blackness and for a moment she was confused; she thought that she hadn't fallen asleep after all and that perhaps the power in the apartment had gone out…she then realized that she wasn't alone. She felt her head rise and fall ever so slightly…she was resting on someone's chest. Had John finally come home? No. She knew it wasn't John, but it was a man.
She ran her hands along the stranger's chest; it felt strong and there was a warmth radiating from it that she found to be very comforting. The stranger let out a satisfied sigh, shifted slightly, then kissed her forehead. Eva smiled. She didn't care who she was lying next to; that one small gesture had sent a surge of happiness through her body that she hadn't felt in almost a year. She placed her head back onto the stranger's chest and fell into a sleep so deep that she never heard John stumble into their apartment.
When she woke up in the morning, she had no memory of what she had dreamt…she did however wake up smiling.
"What's with you?" John asked holding his head.
Eva was startled to see him. "Nothing," she replied drowsily. "What happened to you last night? I waited up for you as long as I could."
"Things were so hectic, baby. We finished up around twelve thirty and we all went and had a couple drinks to celebrate."
Eva wasn't sure whether or not she believed his story. "So," she asked in a hopeful voice, "you can go to Stuart's tonight?"
"I promised you we'd go, didn't I?"
"Well, you know, with you being so busy and all I wasn't sure if you still could…"
He kissed the top of her head. "We're going." Even though it was a kiss on the head, to Eva, it still felt forced.
"Well, what are you going as? I didn't bother making a costume for you because you never told me what you wanted to be."
John sighed. "Oh, I forgot. I'll just go rent something downtown."
"Most of Denton's going to be at Stuart's tonight," Eva laughed, "you should call and see if there's anything left."
John took her advice and called. "An ape suit? That's all that's left in my size? Ya, O.K., I'll be by later on to pick it up. Thanks." He hung up the phone and rolled his eyes. "An ape, Eva? Can't you whip something up for me?"
"Sorry, John. If you would've said something, then you'd have a costume…now you're 'Ape Boy,'" she laughed.
He grabbed her waist and pulled her in close. "Me King Kong," he said, actually being playful with her. He got on top of her and started to kiss her neck and ran his hands up her thighs. Eva kissed him once, then pushed him off.
"Rotten timing, John, I have research to do for that article I'm writing. I have an interview scheduled at the hospital for one o'clock." John frowned as Eva disappeared into the bathroom.