89 Like a Monster

- DOMINIK -

Vanessa falls asleep almost instantly. It's the most beautiful thing, watching her lie in my arms—dark eyelashes curled delicately against her cheeks, bottom lip in a soft, open pout, breath even and soft. It's like holding the world in my hands, and now where do I go from here? How do I make this right for us?

Those are the thoughts that carry me off to sleep, and it's not until I'm in the most blissful dream that I even realize I've fallen asleep to begin with. It's a simple dream—a simple day. There are so few of those in my waking life anymore. My parents are alive, and we're together out in the mountainous fields under the sun. 

I'm not a little boy, though. It's present day, and my father and I are talking about business—something we have never done. He's advising me on how to handle a difficult situation, the creases of his eyes revealing his age as he talks.