Chapter 3

(Note: This chapter might get a bit weird. Just thought I should warn you!)

Lucy blinked her eyes several times before they came into focus and adjusted to the bright light that was shining. She was standing by herself in a white room and she was starting to get scared.

"Lucille?"

She turned suddenly and knew that she recognized that voice. "Father?"

"Yes, it's me."

"Where am I and why am I here?"

"Well, I can answer where you are, but why is a different story. You're unconscious and so you're in limbo. You passed out after you did a dance routine with your husband. Now, why are you here?"

Lucy couldn't figure out the answer to that. Everything seemed foggy and she was trying to remember the reasons that got her here.

"Well, I wanted to be in Ricky's number at the club and I needed to fit in a size 12 costume, but it was too small so I went on a diet to fit into it. I guess I overdid it."

"I'll say you did."

All of a sudden, after she mentioned his name, Lucy remembered Ricky and wondered where he was.

"Father, where's Ricky?"

"He's worried about you, as am I. Was risking your health worth being in the show?"

"Well, I wanted to dance in the show. I didn't mean to get sick. I loved dancing in the show, though. It was everything I had hoped for and more. You know how much I love to entertain people. The more important part of it is that I got to dance with Ricky. I love him so much, Father, so much that it hurts. I love when I get to be in his routines with him. We share this connection when we're on stage together and it's just pure magic."

"Ok, ok, Lucille, you don't have to go into detail with me. So, all you wanted was to dance with your husband and for this, you're near death."

"Near death? I just passed out and I'm dreaming all of this, right? It's not that serious."

"Lucille, it is very serious. You were starving yourself. You did damage to your body and in a short amount of time. Right now, your body is in the hospital, trying to recuperate. Your husband is down there, worried sick about you and blaming himself and here you are, telling me that it was worth it. Lucille Esmeralda, I'm deeply disappointed."

"I would never do this to myself on purpose!"

"Well, whether you meant to do this or not, this is the situation now. You're lying down there in a hospital bed with tubes feeding you and your husband out of his mind with grief and guilt. This whole thing could have gone a different way, I hope you know."

"I know it could've. I could be home right now with my husband if I hadn't been so silly and trying to get into the show."

"Lucille, I have to go now, but now I'm going to bring you to the place where you could've been if you hadn't been only thinking about what you wanted."

"Father, don't go! Don't leave me here!"

Lucy didn't have time to see her father disappear from sight. The walls around her merged together and she started to become very dizzy. She closed her eyes and all of a sudden, felt her feet touch familiar carpet. She opened up her eyes and saw that she was in her living room.

'Good old Brownstone,' she thought to herself.

She looked down and noticed that she was in a silky nightgown. It hung a little looser than usual, probably because of the weight she had lost. It still looked beautiful, in her opinion. She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard a key in the door. Her heart began to flutter because she knew exactly who was on the other side trying to get in. The door opened and there he was, the man of her dreams and her reality. Ricky smiled at her and walked up to her.

"Hiya honey! What are you doin' still up?"

"Well...I thought I would wait for you?" Lucy was unsure of what to say because she knew that this wasn't real.

"Awww, that was so sweet of you. I got the best girl in the world," said Ricky, as he softly kissed her.

"How was your show?"

"It went great. The 'Cuban Pete' number went wonderfully. Listen, I'm sorry that you couldn't be in it."

"That's ok. I tried to lose the weight, I really did, but I guess I didn't lose enough of it in time."

"Sweetheart, I love you just the way you are. You dun't need to change anythin' about you. You're so beautiful."

Lucy felt the tears in her eyes and they began to burn.

"You really think so?"

"Of course, I do. I was jokin' the other day that you were fat. I din't mean anythin' by it. Maybe I shuln't have joked about it. I'm sorry, honey."

"Thank you, sweetheart. Thank goodness that I didn't go overboard with that diet. I could've really hurt my body."

"Speakin' of that body, I think you shuld come with me," said Ricky, seductively.

"Why?" asked Lucy, playing hard to get.

"Well, I wunt to show you how beautiful that body of yours is to me."

Ricky gently took Lucy by the hands and led her into their bedroom. As they walked to the side of their bed, Ricky caressed Lucy's face and looked deeply into her eyes. Lucy looked back into his shoe button eyes and felt safe, just like she always did with him. She closed her eyes as he continued to brush his hand against her cheek and she relished in the feelings that he was giving her.

"I love you," he said simply.

"I love you, too", said Lucy, with a sigh and keeping her eyes closed.

Ricky turned her around gently by the shoulders and kissed the back of her neck. He lowered the straps of her nightgown, which gave him more access to worship her.

Lucy leaned back into him and let out a soft moan. She loved the feeling of his lips on her body and loved how he knew the areas on her body that could drive her crazy. She felt Ricky's lips go up the side of her neck and up to her earlobe. He started to whisper his usual Spanish sweet nothings about how he loved her and how he couldn't live without her.

Ricky spun her around again to face him and without hesitation, scooped her up to carry her to the bed. He gently laid her down on top of the covers and stared at her. Words in any language didn't need to be said. Actions would be saying more this time.

Lucy's nightgown was gently lifted off of her and Ricky looked up and down her body with an appreciative look on his face. Starting at her chest, Ricky kissed down her body, but kept his eyes on her face the entire time. Wanting to savor this moment, he crawled back up to her face and put his lips onto hers. Gently slipping his tongue into her mouth, the two moaned together in unison, enjoying the feeling they both brought to the other.

After several moments, the kiss broke off and Lucy sat up. She brought her fingers to the buttons of Ricky's shirt and slowly unbuttoned every button. He shrugged the shirt off and threw it to the ground. Lucy ran her manicured finger all around his chest, taking the time to admire his toned tan skin. She leaned into his chest and began to leave gentle kisses all over. She felt the reverberation of his moan as she used her tongue. Pausing for a moment, she kissed the area right above his heart, since that was the one part of his body that made him who he was.

Ricky decided that the time had come and he laid Lucy back on the cover. He made his way down her body one more time, this time going further than he did earlier. Using his tongue gently, he slowly lapped at her and felt her arching her body into his mouth. Hearing her moan, he knew that she was close. She climaxed and knew that she was ready for the two of them to be joined together.

As he stalked back up to her face, pleased to see her satisfied, he left a sweet kiss on her lips and found himself staring at her again. Lucy didn't keep still as she worked on unbuttoning his pants and pushing them down, along with his boxers. He kicked them off the rest of the way and positioned himself above Lucy.

Slowing sliding himself in, he gasped slightly at the contact made and watched how Lucy arched herself into him, straining her hips to accept him fully. He began to thrust inside of her, while keeping his lips on hers. Both of them moved together, moaning and bucking their bodies. Ricky dipped his head into the side of her neck and began to nibble the skin gently. As they reached their peak together, they released together. Ricky landed next to her and quickly gathered Lucy's body into his arms.

"Ricky, that was...wonderful," said Lucy, still in a daze from their experience.

"Yeah, it was. When we're together, it's magic," he said, looking down at her.

Lucy snuggled up into his embrace and closed her eyes. She felt Ricky sliding his fingers up and down her bare back. She felt chills and wanted this moment to last forever. Suddenly, her moment of satisfied relaxation turned strange when she had a weird feeling in her body. She looked up at Ricky to find him staring at her, his expression was unreadable.

"What's wrong, Ricky?"

"This is how our night could've been if you han't been tryin' to get in the show. Instead, you had to starve yourself and put yourself in the hospital. We could've been together after I got home, but instead you had hurt your body and insist on gettin' into the act."

Lucy didn't know how to respond to her husband's words. The look of confusion suddenly became tears as his words started making sense.

"Am I going to be ok, Ricky?"

"I dunno."

"Am I going to die?"

Ricky looked away from Lucy and let out a long sigh.

"I dun't know how to answer that."

"I want to be okay. I want a second chance, that's all I want."

"You have to leave now."

"I don't want to leave you. Please Ricky, let me stay," said Lucy, choked up with tears.

"You dun't have a choice, Lucy. You need to go now."

"Please! I want to stay here with you, in your arms. Please!" begged Lucy, now crying hysterically.

"No! Go now!" yelled Ricky.

Lucy stood up and put her nightgown back on. As she did, she was crying uncontrollably as she looked at her husband who had his back to her. This dream turned into a nightmare very fast. Her husband would never demand that she leave. She looked over at him again and he was still refusing to look at her. She couldn't believe that the events of the night had turned out like this.

All of a sudden, she felt a pain in her heart. She clutched her chest and began to take long, labored breaths. She looked over at the bed to try to get Ricky's attention and get him to help her, but he was gone. She tried to call out his name, but was unable to speak. She began to cough uncontrollably and suddenly, everything went black.