Anew

12

Three nights later, Scarlet tossed in her bed, lost in a dream.

She and Gabriel were in a field and he was gently swinging her around as he sang—loudly and off key.

Scarlet was laughing hysterically and demanding to be put down.

“No. Not until you agree to dance with me and sing at the top of your lungs.” Gabriel broke into song again.

She could barely speak through her laughter. “I can’t sing. I sing like a duck.”

“A duck?” He swung her around again. “Ducks don’t sing. They quack.”

Still laughing, Scarlet said, “Exactly.”

“Very well.” Gabriel kept her in his big arms and started waltzing with mock seriousness. “We shall quack, then.”

He proceeded to swing her around, her long hair sailing in the wind, while he quacked.

“Quack, quack. Quack, quack.” Gabriel’s duck imitation was spot-on.

Scarlet was laughing so hard her stomach and cheeks began to hurt. “Stop quacking.”

“Not until you dance with me.”

“Fine, fine.” Scarlet controlled her laughter for a moment. “Just put me down.”

Gabriel looked at her closely, pressing his nose to hers as he spoke. “If I put you down, you’ll dance with me?”

Scarlet smiled. “Only if you quit quacking.”

He smiled broadly. “Very well.” He set her on her feet and eyed her carefully.

Scarlet burst into laughter and took off running. “But first you have to catch me….”

And off she ran, laughing until tears fell down her cheeks, with Gabriel right at her heels.

Quacking away.

Scarlet woke up with a start.

What the…?

With a smile, she shook her head. The dream had seemed so real. As if it had actually happened.

She laughed to herself as she turned on her side.

Gabriel quacking?

What a silly dream.

She shook her head again and snuggled back into sleep, a smile still on her face.