Chapter 8

Billy wasn't comfortable underneath the comfy blanket, had laid lateral, fetal or tried all the position on the bed, not by reason of insomnia again so he didn't take his Lithium or Prozac. Because he felt longing for someone he loved for almost two years. Half minute of eleven o'clock to midnight but his eyeballs still awaken. He opened his laptop and tried video calling Grace, a channel of messages for two years. Synchronous. Real time. No delays except internet buffering. Tried several times. Finally, she answered.

"Sorry, Love. We just finished our rehearsal for our show…" Grace's face was damp and sticky. She wiped her face with her forearm, and wide upturn on her mouth's corner.

"Why you're still awake at the middle of the night? Insomnia?" Grace talked like a mom and blew to relax when he heard no from him.

"I just miss my beloved wife."

"Wife? Yuck."

"Okay. Bye."

"Ooops. I miss you too."

Grace held her phone landscaped and settled her butt on a stool at the backstage. She had so many conventional queries about treatments, medications, therapies, emotions and life in L.A. And career as Billy became a manager of the satellite company Liza once held, managed. Billy just placed his hand on his cheek and enjoyed watching her.

"How're you now, Love?" Grace veered to check on Billy's condition: mental and emotional.

"Fine as my bulky body shows. Hale and hearty." Billy was smiling after darkness drowned him so rough.

Grace flaunted his dainty face, happy because he's doing better and a Billy who talked jolly and wore smile always which courted her heart flashed on her mind. Grace stopped shortly and something popped up, "Who's this John your talking 'bout yesterday?"

"Ah, that crackers. He's my bloody crazy friend… kind and concerned though."

"I want to have knowledge of him more. May I talk to him tomorrow night."

"Oh Love, sorry… He's on a business trip to San Francisco. You'll meet him soon. I'll tell him."

"Aunt Liza told me you're boozed up almost nightly… one night, a barman brought you home crippled by liquor. I always told you alcohol can trigger your depression."

"Grace, Love… this is the only I know to reduce isolation. Feeling helplessness and lonesomeness. By the by, that's not a barman as I told aunty but resist to. I told him he's John."

"Fine. But don't tanked-up, just tipsy. Okay."

"Okay mama." Billy teased. And the chitchat went on until Billy forget 'twas a night tended for peaceful sleep, he laughed out loud and chuckled like someone tickled him.

"I forgot something to tell you, Love."

Bring it out, Love."

"I dreamed of a weird one last night."

"What was that about?"

"Wait. I…" He stood to get something – "I even made a poem about it."

"Read them for me."

"I entitled it with Dream-Coat."

"DREAM – COAT

Once I close my toying eyes,

A sun's gleam peep saying byes

A pipe channeled me in the core of my imagination.

An illumination blindly folds my sight

The pipe vomited me nowhere in the night

Astonishingly shrilling in the navel of the ocean –

Conveyed by an ugly canoe paddled by a beautiful woman.

We're going to land, oh! – my eyes enlarge

She crazily bumped the ugly canoe's façade

But how I innocently amused by a beautiful mirage:

Animated weed dangled my feet,

Thrusting me near Miss Wit.

Whilst bird soaring on top dabbling melodious beats.

Suddenly our stolen glances meet

Cowardly stare at her, out-of-my-mind

Closing my eyes as our lips going to dab.

Fidgeting! Fast beating! Waiting!

I opened my eyes in morning sun's gleam

My head is pounding like I want to scream…

Sadly, hold my head and say, "'twas just a dream!""

"You never fade… I mean your words still mean something."

"Mmm-hmmm."

"…" a long pause "wait. Who's that Miss Wit?"

Billy said she's the woman he met – a sexy, slender, witty one.

"Those traits are exactly opposite of me." She frowned. "You're flirting someone else?"

Billy just laughed and said, "Those traits are exactly describing you as I behold."

"I love you" consoled the boiling emotion of hers.

"I will flirt no one, just you."

Flirt burst her ire. So this is just a fling-fling, she whispered. She rolled her eyeballs.

"Night." She is about to end the video call when Billy blurt out "Wait!"

"You know that my love for you is never a flirt or blended with such or obsession or sort of…"

Grace unintentionally clicked the hang up tab.

A minute later, smartphone sounded a message ringtone and quickly handed his phone, and was hers: I know very well your love – was, is and ever true. I was just playing with your teases or jokes or whatever it is. I was just go-with-the-flow as you know. I accidentally fingered the hang up tab, sorry (with emojis).

Billy smiled and quickly replied: As your piece tell it all. This is my pacifier.

LOVE is gentle,

quiet,

beauty,

music,

patience,

unselfish…

… But also love could wind up the pangs.

Dawn actually. He didn't sleep, AGAIN.