Episode 4

**********Episode 4***************

... Louisa...

I wake up to a dream of ice blue eyes and golden hair calling out to me in soft, ethereal whispers. I swear I can hear them outside my windows, it's everywhere.. perhaps it's just my thoughts and imagination... this crazy longing for him, the frantic thumping in my chest at the memory of him. But I can't help my thoughts wandering to how it'd have felt like having him watch sentry beside my bed, looking down at me with those celestial eyes. Well dream or not, it's a welcome call, an invitation to memories better than the one I experienced at the alleyway with those thugs. I check outside my window overlooking the driveway just to make sure, but I'm greeted by silent and quiet streets. The light poles glistening in the main street and beyond.

"Stop it" I reprimand myself, "I'm not going crazy over a stranger..who definitely I'm still grateful saved me, but we barely met"

Though I admit I was a bit disappointed to not spot him at the driveway smiling up at me, mouthing that he'd keep his promise to ensure my safety.

I live in a two bedroom flat, on the fifth floor of a large building complex. The two windows adjacent each other in my bedroom offers me what I call an imaginary panoramic view, the one closest my bedstead overlooks the driveway , connecting the main street and the world beyond. The other surveys the building exterior, exploring the architectural structure and flat spaces lining diagonally all the way to the summit.

I live comfortably, enough to afford a bourgeois lifestyle at least..that is.. after my parents died.

Yes, my parents were rich.

It was a different life before this, ostentatious living, though it was one of solitude and isolation.

My parents spent all of their money on things to fill the void from them never being home. They worked long hours, built successful businesses, and left me with plenty of money, but I'd much rather have had time with them. Instead, a plane crash took them from me.. permanently.. when I was seventeen. With one tragic accident, I went from independent and unsupervised teenager to an orphan that had to be dealt with. Luckily my aunt and uncle took me in, but I've always been on my own, whether by choice or not.

I pull out my phone and send a text to Claire, my cousin, friend, and business partner. She won't care that it's three in the morning. The woman is an insomniac.

Can't sleep. Need to talk.✓

I watch the little dots on the screen as she types.

What happened?✓

If I tell you, don't freak out.✓ I reply

The phone rings in my hand and, before I can even mutter a hello, she's talking. "What the hell happened, Louis"

"I got mugged tonight."

A sharp intake over the line is the correct reaction I expected. "Are you okay? Where are you?"

"I'm fine. At home. Some guy rescued me. He beat the shit out of one of the assholes and the other two ran away."

"There were three of them?"

"Yeah. I'm…" My throat tightens with the reminder of what might have happened. "I'm okay. If he hadn't shown up though, I'm pretty sure I'd be dead right now."

"Shit," she whispers. "Why were you alone?"

"Kelsey has the flu."

She exhales. "Then you call me. You know I'll come in right away and help. It's not safe anymore for anyone this days, especially you or do I have to remind you how important you are to me?."

"I know Claire, "

I don't want to tell her that we've been shorthanded on more than one occasion. That I regularly surcease alone.

"Should I call the police?" I ask

"You didn't?"

"I was afraid…I didn't want Jake to get in trouble. He's visiting from Norway."

"Jake?"

"The guy who rescued me."

Claire hums teasingly. "And he's why you can't sleep, isn't he?"

My cheeks burn. "Maybe. He was…like some kind of Norse god. So tall, and he smelled so good."

"Then why the hell did you go home alone?" She snorts a laugh. "I'd have climbed that man like a tree."

"I don't know. I was…well, I was flustered. I'm surprised I even noticed him after everything that happened."

"Did you at least get his number?" she implored

I shake my head, then roll my eyes in disbelief. She can't see me. "No. So stupid."

"Yeah, that was pretty dumb."

I laugh. "Thanks."

"I'm just kidding. Maybe he'll turn up. It's a small town."

My heart swoons at the thought of seeing him again. Next time, I won't let him go without establishing our next contact . "There was something between us. Like…magic. A spark. I don't know how else to describe it."

"Disillusionment. If you want to describe it." She chuckled

I sway my head "Fuck you Claire" but I can't help flushing

I bite my lower lip and think about the dreams I had over the course of the night. "Maybe. But It felt more real than I can explain."

"How? You barely know him. You don't even know his last name."

She's right, of course. But that doesn't lessen the strange connection I feel. The pull to see him again. "I don't know. With my luck, I probably won't ever see him again, and he'll be just another 'what if' on my list." I yawn and sigh, my eyes finally drooping as fatigue hovers like a ghost in my periphery. "I'm going back to sleep. Thanks for being available when I needed you."

"If you see him again, you'd better tell me all about it. I've always wanted to take a vacation to Norway."

I laughed. "I promise. Maybe he's got a brother."

"Ah, if only."

We hang up, my heart feeling lighter. She's always there when I need her. Then I fall back onto my bed, head nestled on my pillow, and close my eyes. Immediately I swear I can smell Jake as though he were in the room. I picture him, hear his voice, and drift back into the fantasy of my Norwegian prince.