Work Text:
Nightmare
Mary woke up covered in sweat and short of breath. The cause of all of this was a nightmare, vivid and still fresh in her mind. In the bad dream her husband Matthew died in a car accident the same day their George was born, making him an orphan and his wife a widow.
The dream was so real Mary could still feel the pain caused by it. She turned her face towards the side of the bed usually occupied by her husband and she felt relieved when she saw him peacefully sleeping next to her.
It wasn’t in her character to be completely overwhelmed by feelings, let alone by nightmares, but she had to make sure he was fine. “Matthew” She whispered while tugging at his sleeve “Matthew, wake up”.
Matthew stirred and made some sleepy noises and in the end, he opened his eyes. “Mary? Is it morning already?”
“No, it isn’t. I just had to make sure you were fine. I am sorry to have disturbed you but I had a nightmare about you being dead and I...” She started to blush as she was starting to feel silly.
Matthew smiled tenderly at his wife and embraced her, positioning her head on his chest. “Don’t worry, darling. I know how bad and real dreams can be, I experienced them after the war and my accident, when I thought everything was lost. However, as you can see, I am perfectly fine, and I am here.” He said, kissing the top of her head.
Mary, reassured by his words and his presence started to fall asleep again.
“We can go for a walk with George tomorrow, he loves exploring the grounds. What do you think?” Whispered Matthew.
“Uhm uhm, yes” Mumbled Mary.
After a while, they were both soundly asleep.
Mary woke up. She had a beautiful and vivid dream in which Matthew was holding her and was talking about their son.
Suddenly she felt a sharp and unbearable pain in her chest.
Matthew was dead, he died exactly six months before, the day George was born.
She started crying without making any noise, the sorrow too big to fight.
She thought of him. She remembered his joyful face while he was holding their newborn baby. His last kiss. The last time she saw him alive.
For six months now, she had lived in sadness and pain not even enjoying completely the first important moments of her son’s life.
For six months now, the only moments she was happy were when in her sleep she was still with Matthew.