text: "That's how you get near boiling water dumped over your head." My beautiful wife said as I wrapped my arms around her from behind. She had been fiddling with the coffee pot when I snuck up on her. "You take such good care of me." "I expect you to finish the basement today." I'd been putting off the last bits of sheet rock for weeks. We finally had our perfect home and I was still slacking off. She poured a cup of coffee and handed it off to me and then got started on her own. I'd grown accustomed to her having providence over much of the house. She was 10 years my junior, but she ran a tight ship. One of the things I adored about her is she would call me on my BS. "Sam stop leaving your socks on the floor, Sam put the toilet seat down." Living alone for your 20's leaves bad habits deeply engrained. She turned to me with a smirk on her face. " I'll shower, you get to work!" "As you wish." Quoting one of the greatest movies of all times. I want to complain about having to work on household improvements on my time off from work, but my heart wouldn't be in it. In fact I'm thrilled that my wife encourages me to not lay around and read all day. The sheet rock went faster than I had anticipated. A few screws, a bit of mudding and our basement no longer looked like a dungeon. Just as I had capped the bucket of mud I heard feet rushing down the stairs. I looked up to see my wife in all her naked glory running full boar at me. She jumped at the last second, into my arms almost toppling me over. She was planting kisses all over my face doing her best to smother me. "We did it! We freaking did it!" Her joy was infectious. In between giggles I asked " What did we do? Finish the basement? I know, I'm here." "No you big dumb idiot! We did it!" She had been waving something in my face that I had been all too distracted to see. I craned my neck back to try to get a lock on the stick she was waving around haphazardly. Shock took over my limps. I couldn't figure out if I needed to collapse or drop her. Luckily she had a death grip on me so she wouldn't be falling out of my arms. "Hold the phone! Are you telling me you're pregnant?" She bore holes into me with her eyes before attempting to once again end me with a make out session. " Yes!Yes!Yes!Yes! Finally! Do you have any idea how many of these damn tests I've been taking?" "I didn't even know we had them." "Of course you didn't. I take out the bathroom trash every time I use one." She finally extended her legs to floor and with a final kiss on the lips she turned away from me. "It's finally happening. I'm going to be a mother." The lights flickered and her voice took on a low growl. She ever so slowly turned back around. The timely flicker of the lights made it seem like she was skipping portions of the turn. After ending her turn and staring straight at me she opened her mouth to speak. "Beep!" "Beep!" "Beep!" "Beep!" I opened my eyes and I was once again in bed alone. I lay there feeling the depths of my love for my wife and my unborn child. Knowing that they weren't real. Just something my brain created to pass the time. In the early dawn light, I could recall our wedding, our first kiss, and signing the paperwork for our house. Now all that was left of her was a seemly bottomless pit left in the center of my chest.