Chapter 6  Teresa Comes Back

 

     "I'm here," someone said.  I opened my eyes.  It was Teresa!

     "Asleep!" Teresa said with a smile.

     I looked at my watch.  It said nine o'clock.h

     "What are you doing here?" I asked.

     "I came back for my laptop computer," Teresa answered.  "I need to have the laptop at work."

     "But that was yesterday!" I said.

     "No," Please listen," I said.  "We're rich.  I've got $200,000!"

     Teresa looked at me.  "I don't know what you're talking about," she said.  "I've got to go to work.  I can't stay here listening to your stories."

     "But it's not a story," I said.  "Please listen."

     Then I told Teresa about Mel Parks and MegaMonster Movies and about the computer, and the television and the car.

      "Oh, yes," she said.  "But where are computer, and the television and the car?"

      She was right.  There was no computer or television in the living room.

     "It was a dream," Teresa said with a smile.  "Something you thought about when you were asleep."

     Teresa was right.  There was no computer, no car, no MegaMonster, no Chip.  Just a dream.

     "But why?" I said.  "I don't usually dream about cars and computers and televisions."

     "I don't know," said Teresa.  "But I don't have time to sit and talk about your dreams." She was still angry with me.

     "No, wait!" I said.  "I had the dream because you're not happy with me. Every morning you tell me to find another job so we can have a nice car and a better television.  And I want you to be happy, so I dreamed we had all of those things."

     Teresa looked at me for a long time.  Then she sat down next to me.

     "Well, I think I understand now," she said.  "A nice car and a new television are important.  But you are much more important.  And if you really want to be a writer then I am happy.  I'm sorry."

     "Thank you," I said.  And we kissed.  It was a long kiss.  I was very happy.  Teresa wasn't angry with me now.

     "I must go to work," said Teresa, "but I just need to look at my e-mail to see if there are any messages."  Teresa turned on the computer.  The computer went "Ping".  There were no messages but I saw the word "Help" on the screen.

     "Look," I said.

     "What?" Teresa asked.

     "Help on the screen," I said.

     "I don't see anything," she said.

     "I closed my eyes.  Then I heard a voice.  A woman's voice.  An America woman's voice.

     "Help!" said the voice.  "Help!" I could hear water.  It was Chip and she was in the water.  "Help!"

     "I can't see anything," Teresa said.

     I opened my eyes.  There was nothing on the screen.

     "Did you hear anything?" I asked.

     "No," she said, "it's all in your head."

     "Yes," I said, "it must be."

     "I've got an idea," Teresa said.  "Why don't you write down the dream?"

     "That's a good idea," I said.  "Yes, it's a really good idea."

     "Now, I must go!" Teresa said again.  She stood up and went to the door.  This time she took the laptop computer.  She looked beautiful.  I knew she wasn't a dream.

     "Thanks," I said.

     "Why?" asked Teresa.

     "For the idea, for the help...for everything,"  I said.

     She smiled at me.  Then she closed the door.

     I got a notebook.  Then I got my old pen and sat at the table.  I worte the first line of the story.

     "I'm leaving now," Teresa said...

 

                                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                                                             End