In Sickness And In
He just had the weirdest dream. In the dream he was dead, and Emily, his sweet and always perfect Emily, was laughing like a crazy witch. He stared at her and could not breathe. The world was snowing. Winter was already here. He turned his head and saw his still warm dead body. He tried to remove the pillow. He tried to yell for help. He tried to beg for Emily's mercy. Nothing worked. He failed. He stood there and heard the howling wind. What had he done? What had she done? What the Hell had happened? Why? Oh Why? Was there a reason for everything? He just stood there and had too many questions. Then he, somehow, once again, thought of Stephanie. He was now dead and she, undoubtedly, mist be very happy. Even if she didn't have a diamond ring. Even if she was living in sin with a lawles man, that tall dark crazy mercenary.
All of a suddenly he felt the familiar biterness. His heart burst inside his ribcage. Pain. Great scorching pain. Something cold and cruel and extremely unpleasant pulled him out of this cozy ooziness. He came back to the land of the living and started coughing. The first thing he saw when opening his eyes was Emily's smiling face. "Rise and shine, Joe." Her voice was so sweet and beautiful and innocent that it scared the shit out of him. And now, as he hastily chews and swallows the perfectly baked homemade English muffin, he feels the desperate need to fight off the sudden insecurity. Everything on the breakfast plate is just as perfect as his darling wife and they frighten him. He eats his breakfast as quickly and quietly as possible, trying his best not to do anything sudden or say anything stupid to provoke or anger Emily.
Detective Joe Morelli cringes inside a little as he finishes his breakfast and kisses his lovely wife goodbye. He doesn't know why but he decides he'll make appointment this morning with his doctor about snoring, and he will also buy her some flowers and help with the dishes after dinner this evening. Red roses, she loves red roses. He gets in his car and drives away as his wife stands on the porch waving at him.
He wants to stay alive. He's only thirty-six.