One Dream - One Day

by Tara Sun

CHAPTER 4

Sandy woke next morning with a smile on her face, remembering her dreams of knights on white horses galloping to save her from the dreaded dragon. Sandy giggled and laid there not wanting the dream to end but her smile slowly faded and she began to think.

“This can’t be real, can it? It must be a joke. But what if it’s not? Could it be Gary?” She knew he liked her but he was kinda weird anyway. He didn’t seem the type to leave roses and silly notes. But what if it was? She liked him but not in that way. Could she start to like him that way? “I mean it’s not like guys are lining up at my door,” she thought. Maybe she could learn to like him that way. It was better than being alone, wasn’t it? But what if it wasn’t him. Who else could it be? The old guy upstairs? He creeped her out the way he stared at her. Dirty old man! Could it be Mr. Gorgeous from 4B? “Yea right,” Sandy snorted, “as if.”

Sandy sighed. It had to be some cruel joke. She was fat and ugly. No one will ever find her attractive. She was doomed to be alone. Sandy’s dream flew out the window and she began to cry into her pillow.

Thirty minutes later, a red-eyed Sandy sat on the edge of the bed and slipped her feet into her fluffy slippers. She had learnt along time ago that feeling bad for herself didn’t help matters. She’d read all about acceptance. She accepted that she was fat and fated to be alone. Why moan about it. Just get out of bed and move on. She had friends. Well a few anyway, like Gary. And she had promised to cook him dinner tonight. “So get off your fat duff and get moving girl, we have things to do,” she scolded herself. So with one last fleeting thought of white knights she sighed and heaved herself out of bed.

An hour later a big pot of spaghetti sauce was simmering on the stovetop and the apartment smelt like tomatoes and wonderful spices. Sandy was at her computer chatting and reading emails. Sam38293829 was online and wanting her to turn on her web cam.

Sandy1963: hey Sam, did you send me a rose?
Sam38293829: nope, why?
Sandy1963: no reason
Sam38293829: did someone send you a rose? Should I be jealous?
Sandy1963: nah it’s ok, you know I love you
Sam38293829: I love you too babe
Sandy1963: when are we going to meet Sam? You’ve cancelled on me twice already.
Sam38293829: Yea I know sugar, it’s hard to get away.
Sandy1963: Sam? Are you married?
Sam38293829: Why do you ask that princess?
Sandy1963: I was just reading something on the net about married men and warning signs and stuff
Sam38293829: oh? Am I giving out warning signs?
Sandy1963: yea a little
Sam38293829: so you don’t trust me, is that it? If you loved me, you’d trust me.
Sandy1963: do you love me?
Sam38293829: of course I do? Now you don’t believe me?
Sandy1963: then why can’t I have your phone number?
Sam38293829: you don’t love me
Sandy1963: Sam, I do but …
Sam38293829: but what? I am sensing you don’t. I can’t be with someone who doesn’t trust me or believe me
Sandy1963: no I trust you
Sam38293829: yea right, you’ve hurt me. I gotta go
Sandy1963: Sam! Wait!
Sandy1963: Sam?
Sandy1963: Sam?

Sandy closed down the chat and sat with tears running down her round cheeks. She had always known, deep inside, that he was just playing with her. But oh, it was so nice to hear those three words. Ever since she got that rose and note last night she has been miserable. She should be happy about having a secret admirer but things never work out the way they should for her. Sighing, Sandy got up and went into the kitchen to finish things for dinner, although she hardly felt like visiting anyone. She just wanted to curl up and cry … and perhaps eat some chocolate.

But she didn’t and at 5pm she was struggling at the door with a pot of spaghetti sauce and a bag with pasta and bread. As she pulled the door behind her she heard the bell of the elevator and turned just in time to see the elevator door closing on 4B with a beautiful woman hanging onto his arm and laughing. Sighing Sandy thought, “well guess it wasn’t him. How silly of me to even think it might have been.”

Two hours later Gary sat on his couch rubbing his belly and smiling, “Sandy, you make the best darned spaghetti! I am stuffed.”

Laughing, Sandy replied, “Thanks Gary. It’s nice to cook for someone else for a change.”

“Hey Sandy, listen, can I talk to you for a sec?”

Sandy’s heart did a little flip and she nodded, “Sure Gary, what’s on your mind?”

“Well, er there is this girl I like, a lot, and I don’t know how to tell her. You’re a girl, how should I do it? Do you think a rose is too corny?”

“A rose?” Sandy stuttered, “well a rose is not corny at all. In fact I think it’s a wonderful way” She flicked a crumb off her shirt and hoped her lipstick wasn’t smudged.

Gary nodded and grinned, “Yea, you’re right! Tomorrow I’ll get a rose and ask Claire out. Thanks Sandy, you’re a pal!”

“Great, glad I could help,” Sandy muttered as her heart sank. “You know, I’m not feeling very well, mind if I skip the movie and go home to bed?”

Sandy made her way down the hall to her door and stopped short. There was another bag hanging on the doorknob!! Looking around she grabbed the bag and went inside. The small bag sat on the coffee table innocently yet Sandy stared at it with trepidation. Slowly she opened the bag and found 2 roses and another note.

“Sandy, here are 2 roses. Each time I will increase the number of roses and when I get to a dozen I will deliver them personally. I hope that is ok with you. And each time I’ll tell you a bit more about myself. Well, guess I should start. Well, I am a guy – hahaha – and 30 years old and single. That’s enough for now. Take care beautiful. --R.”