Life Can Be Good


                                            >A gentle breeze caressed your cheek.

                                            >The oak at your back and boughs up above groaned plaintively; peacefully against the wind.

                                            >There you sat upon a rolling hill of vibrant green.

                                            >A pink-orange hue hugged your panorama, warming the dark places of your world.

                                            >You dug your toes into the grass; it was cool, soothing, cathartic.

                                            >And below your eyes feasted, beholden to a vast expanse.

                                            >A sea of golden wheat danced before you, a beatific ballet of refulgent amber.

                                            >And beyond that - heaven.

                                            >A glowing ember hung on the horizon, hiding drowsy half behind a distant snow capped mountain.

                                            >The gentle blue sky was blushing; deep, calling reds burst forth and tapered out into a velvet yellow, engulfing the heavens in a lurid aurora.

                                            >And then it graced your cheek.

                                            >A pressure, a sensation.

                                            >A familiar touch exclusive to this place.

                                            >Moist.

                                            >Tender.

                                            >Loving.

                                            >You lifted a hand to welcome the affected cheek, but before you could-

                                            >You awoke.

                                            >Your eyes, still filmed over in dream, flittered open.

                                            >For a fleeting moment your landscape lingered, your ceiling acting as canvas.

                                            >But the visage soon faded and your eyes saw your bedroom true.

                                            >It would have been understandable for you to grow forlorn, wistfully wishing for your return to dreamscape.

                                            >But you smiled.

                                            >You need not dream.

                                            >The tender moisture still tingled on your cheek.

                                            >For you, reality was far more the dream than slumber could ever provide a man.

                                            >And as you turned your head on the side of your marked cheek, it was left no wonder why.

                                            >Turquoise gems beamed warm in greeting, fixed upon yours with the kind of tender welcome that somehow seemed new every single morning.

                                            >Yellow streaked on a cascade of red silk that draped over her shoulders and came to rest on her pillow.

                                            >And her lips-

                                            >Those merciful petals that every morning bestowed your wake-up call-

                                            >Turned in an affectionate smile.

                                            >"Good morning, sleepy head."

                                            >You grinned into your pillow at Sunset's customary greeting.

                                            >Even after so long she always managed to make it seem fresh.

                                            >Raising your hand from beneath the covers, you gentle brushed a lock of red from her face back behind her ear.

                                            >She closed her eyes and slightly moved her hand against your touch.

                                            "I was having a bad dream..."

                                            >"Oh? What happened?"

                                            "You weren't in it."

                                            >You trailed a finger across her supple cheek down to her chin.

                                            "This is much better."

                                            >Sunset lifted her hand to meet your own.

                                            >Grasping it warmly, she guided it to her chest, holding it soft yet firm to her.

                                            >The beating of her heart rippled from your hand, echoing through your body.

                                            >"You say that every morning."

                                            >You shuffled in close to your love.

                                            "And every morning it's true."

                                            >Sunset's smile flared, affecting a rosy hue on her cheeks.

                                            >You slipped your hand from Sunset's grasp and slid it behind her back, drawing her into you with the motion.

                                            >Lips embraced as your bodies met, locking in sync, snug in the warmth of your bed.

                                            >If only this, this very moment, could last forever.

                                            >Both of you drew back in time and, eyes open, simply stared into one another.

                                            >Being lost isn't always a bad thing.

                                            >Sometimes lost is exactly what you want to be, comforting in the thought that you could linger on.

                                            >And lost is what you both were in each other's eyes.

                                            >At length you spoke.

                                            "Let's not get up. Let's just stay here a little while longer."

                                            >Sunset smiled and nodded her agreement.

                                            >Working against the early morning, your love turned languidly, her back to you.

                                            >In a heartbeat you pressed yourself against her, wrapping your arms around.

                                            >You held her tight, delicately weaving your fingers in between hers against her stomach.

                                            >Tight in your cuddle, you rested your head on the cusp of her flowing hair.

                                            >Closing your eyes, you inched in closer.

                                            >Shimmer's hair tickled your nose as you began to breath in the alluring scent of her highlighted mane.

                                            >It wasn't an aroma of shampoos or conditioners that drew you in.

                                            >There was simply something about Sunset herself that smelled wonderful to you.

                                            >And that was the great thing about it - she didn't need anything to make you happier.

                                            >That intrinsically, truly, you loved her for her.

                                            "Mmm...I love you, Sunset."

                                            >"I love you too, Anon. Now and forever."

                                            >Rapturous sleep quickly reclaimed you.


                                            >When you awoke, you found yourself alone in bed.

                                            >Mid-morning sun beamed through the window lifting your room in bright spirits.

                                            >You sat up, stretched and yawned.

                                            >Mind enclosed in a post-slumber fog, you aimlessly surveyed your room.

                                            >Nothing out of the ordinary save for a tantalizing fragrance wafting in the air.

                                            >It tickled your nose and riled your stomach.

                                            >Your interest (and nose) piqued you lumbered to your feet and followed the scent outside of your room.

                                            >Step by heavy step you walked down the hall and trod down the stairs.

                                            >Your house was thick with the smells of cooking.

                                            >Finally, your quest came to its end as you turned the corner into your kitchen.

                                            >The room was a carnival of olfactory delights.

                                            >Bacon, a pan still sizzling on the stove.

                                            >Sausage, a platter of which sat beckoning on the table.

                                            >Orange juice, freshly squeezed and weeping with condensation.

                                            >Pancakes, cloyingly sweet alongside the scent of maple syrup, hung in the air and stood in a tower upon the table.

                                            >And the piece de resistance: your amore, swathed in a fine white robe that emboldened her hair in contrast, center stage at the stove.

                                            >Your eyes drank up the sight as she turned, a plate of bacon and eggs freshly hot in her hand.

                                            >At the sight of you she pouted playfully.

                                            >"Awe, now I can't say it. It only works if you're still in bed."

                                            >Sunset gingerly placed the plate on the table.

                                            "You could still say it, Sunbun."

                                            >Shimmer slowly advanced on you as you stood in the doorway, her hips swaying deliberately with each step.

                                            >"But it wouldn't be the same. You're already awake~."

                                            >Sunset's robe, diaphanous and flowing, would hang idly from her if not for the cord at her waist.

                                            >Yet it still betrayed the whisper of her body beneath, thinly veiled as they were.

                                            >Her breasts, ample and unrestricted by undergarment, pressed curvacious and pert against the silk of her mantle.

                                            >Legs, soft, supple, and lithe trailed on from the knee where the robe ended.

                                            >God, you wished they could go on forever.

                                            >Sunset must have been aware of your leer and cocked a coy smile, waiting for your response as she halted before you.

                                            "Are you sure about that?"

                                            >You stretched out a hand and placed it on her hip, gradually drawing her in to you.

                                            "Because I swear this must be a dream."

                                            >Shimmer placed her hands upon your chest and looked up at you, smiling coy and bright.

                                            "Go on, say it. Wake me up."

                                            >With a pleased giggle, Sunset gripped the lapels of your pajama shirt, rose on her tip-toes and cooed into your ear.

                                            >"Wakey, wakey, Sunny made some eggs and bakey~."

                                            >She fell back to her feet, her eyes fixed a beatific gaze to yours.

                                            >It was you who broke it.

                                            >An impulse came over you.

                                            >You squeezed her hips with both hands.

                                            >Quickly, you closed the gap between the two of you and planted another tender kiss upon those yearning lips.

                                            >And yearning they must have indeed been.

                                            >Roughly gripping your lapels once more Shimmer pushed off on her toes again, greedily taking as much of the kiss as her hunger demanded.

                                            >Neither of you wished for it to end.

                                            >But, perhaps, it dawned upon Shimmer that breakfast may soon be spoiled if not acted upon soon.

                                            >She broke from you and patted your chest playfully.

                                            >"You should save some of your appetite for breakfast, Love."

                                            "Do I really have to?"

                                            >Your lament was met with a coquettish "hmph" as Sunset turned away from you and crossed the kitchen.

                                            >Pulling an open chair, she invited you to sit.

                                            >As you walked forward to accept her invitation you could not help but bask in the sight before you.

                                            >Morning sun cascading through the windows, washing the kitchen in an opaque orange glow.

                                            >The air thick with the sweet aromas of a breakfast cooked with love.

                                            >A kitchen table, quaint and picturesque, beleaguered by dishes and foods fit for a king.

                                            >Yet made expressly for you.

                                            >And the center of it all, ushering you in to a world that you once swore was unattainable, was your darling girl Sunset.

                                            >You floated forward on a cloud of thankful wishes and disbelief.

                                            >Taking your seat, you surveyed the spread before you covetously.

                                            "Sunny...this is unbelievable. Seriously."

                                            >Another giggled graced your ears as Sunset draped her arms over your shoulders, crossing them upon your chest.

                                            >She nuzzled her head against your neck and planted a few fine kisses.

                                            >"Do you like it, Hun? I made it extra special for you this morning."

                                            >You looked around once more at your idyllic life and took a deep breath.

                                            "It couldn't be any better, my Love."

                                            >"Oh, I don't know about that~."

                                            >You cocked an eyebrow.

                                            "Oh? Why is that?"

                                            >Your darling wife planted a few more preparatory kisses on your neck.

                                            >"Because I have some news~."

                                            >The rolling lilt of mystery in her voice affected a smile upon you.

                                            >You reached your arms behind you, wrapping them around Sunset.

                                            "And what would that be?"

                                            >Another giggle.

                                            >"Oh, let's just say that our company will soon become a crowd."

                                            >You cocked your head slightly, trying to decipher her riddle.

                                            >And then, like a rising sun's first peak over the horizon, it dawned on you.

                                            >Butterflies fluttered madly in your stomach.

                                            >A heat began to rise in you.

                                            >You spun in your chair and looked intently at Sunset whose features could not express the full extent of her joy.

                                            >You yourself were filled with an indescribable feeling of happiness.

                                            >Excited, exuberant, you bolted up from your seat and scooped Sunset into your arms.

                                            >There in the kitchen, in the light of the blossoming morning sun, you spun your wife around with you, here silken red and yellow hair dancing in the air.

                                            >Laughter, full of joy, full of excitement, could be heard from houses down echoing from your kitchen.

                                            >Placing Sunset back on her feet, you both drew into a longer, loving kiss.

                                            >Breakfast was forgotten.

                                            >It could wait.

                                            >What mattered now was this very moment.

                                            >What mattered, beyond everything else-

                                            >Beyond the day to day grievances and petty troubles.

                                            >Beyond the tedium of work and the stresses of life.

                                            >Fundamentally, none of this mattered.

                                            >What mattered, truly mattered, now and for always, was the girl in your arms.

                                            >And the little one soon to come.


                                            >Life can be good if you make it so.


                                            FIN