“Thinking of you keeps me awake. Dreaming of you keeps me asleep. Being with you keeps me alive.”

The pit-pat of the rain outside fills the room.

The bed springs groan, and the sheets rustle.

boom, boom, boom. The front door.

pit-pat, pit-pat, goes the rain.

The thunder outside cracks and booms.

Boom, boom, boom. pit-pat, pit-pat.

"I'm coming!"

Boom, boom, boom. Pit-pat, pit-pat.

"I'm coming, damnit!"

thump, thump, thump. Her feet against the floor.

Tick, tock. The clock ticks 10.

Click goes the lock.

creeeeeeeee-

The door opens. The rain pouring outside. The thunder growls and the lightning cracks in the night sky.

A cloaked figure stands in the doorway. The lighting shines a light on his face.

Wrinkles, with healed scars.

The soft eyes and wrinkles of the figure clash with the scars and rebel clothing all over the body.

“Thinking of you keeps me awake. Dreaming of you keeps me asleep." she softly says, tears falling down her cheeks. She holds out her knobby hands. Old with age, but young and strong.

"Being with you keeps me alive.” The cloaked figure says, his husky voice, his big hands reach out and hold hers.

"Come, come inside." She gestures inside and hobbles out of the doorway. He walks inside. His boots thump against the tiles as he walks to the kitchen table.

"Water?" the woman says, after a while.

"Yes please."

the water gushes from the tap into the glasses.

the clink on the glass onto the table.

"I want to stay with you. Your house is warm. A good place to come after a dark experience..." He confesses as he puts down his hood.

Shaggy, wet, dark hair shines in the light.

"You know we can't! They specifically said that we cannot be together!" She argues.

"If there's a will, there's a way." He says, sighing.

"Of course. When we did that last time it did NOT work out." She retorts.

"But you know we can't live together. Our emotions would clash... and then... then-" she sobs and slumps into a chair.

"Well, I'll still love you anyway." He says, smiling. She touches his cheek and kisses it. "Well unless we get into trouble, then I might not." He says playfully.

She gasps, smiling, and says, "You're infuriating."

"And you're a punch to the gut."

"Thanks for the compliment, Mateo."

"Anytime Aisha."

With an angry face, Aisha spins around as Mateo says, "Nojado, nojado." Aisha calms down.

Mateo looks around and returns a smile.

"What's on your mind, mi Mateo?"

He found the record player in the living room. He tiptoes into the other room, and the static flicks into a sound.

A melody wafts into the room like steam.

Aisha walks into the room, Mateo standing, softly singing the words, "Will it be a pavement or a sidewalk? when I finally lay my eyes on you?"

smiling, she waltzes to him, his big arms wrapping around her. Both sing the words, the words float into their hearts, and the melody wraps them like a warm tortilla.

They dance, sing, laugh, and cry. Both faces, blushing and moist from crying.

In the final song, the piano feels like a soft breeze on a hike. The duo floats around the room, as they sing the words.

they sway with the melody, their chorus fills the room, and the house fills with love and joy.

It pours out of the house, into the other houses. Giving until they had just enough.

Mateo and Aisha sigh with relief.

"We should do this more often." Mateo chuckles. "Only when it's raining though," Aisha says.

"I know that Mija."

Aisha opens her eyes, and they fall on the clock.

3:30 AM

"When do you have to leave?" Aisha wonders.

"Dawn. It's not until 6 am. We have a little more than three hours. Don't rush the night." Mateo says, his eyes still closed.

"I've been thinking though..." He says, sitting up, "What if you keep something of mine, and I keep something of yours? So we can remember and keep each other close?"

"Wow. That's a first."

"What is?"

"An idea that came from you that's not breaking the rules."

"Ay, Mija"

Aisha rushes upstairs, and grabs a set of necklaces. one had an A, and the other had an M.

She hands one to Mateo, and she puts on the other.

"There. That's my gift. I can do something else-"

"No need. It's perfect." he says, smiling, clutching the necklace in his hand, "Could you put it on?"

Aisha nods.

Aisha steps back, looking at Mateo.

"I love it. Je t'aime, moi Mateo, mon mari"

"You know I don't know french that well, Mija." He chuckles.

"I know. That's why I said it." Aisha says. "Well, what does it mean Chérie?"

"I love you, my Mateo, my husband."

They sit around for a while. Mateo talks about how he lives while away, as does Aisha.

She spins into the kitchen, refilling the glass.

"Well then, Je t'aime, moi Aisha, ma femme"

Aisha's eyes smile and close at Mateo.

Her eyes open at the clock.

4:30 am.

She sighs.

"Why'd you sigh Mija?"

She walks into the living room, saying, "You'll have to leave in two hours..." Aisha slumps into a chair next to Mateo.

"Well, then I have two surprises for you," Mateo says, bringing a record. "This is what falling in love feels like, by JVKE" it read, in fancy letters.

He places it on the player. She closes her eyes. The melody fills her body, from the tips of her toes to the last hair on her head.

Mateo dances and sings the song.

Aisha smiles and sways to the song, tears falling from her cheeks.

She sighs and looks up. Mateo is standing there, holding his tattered cloak.

"And this," He gestures to his cape, "Is my second gift."

Mateo gives the cape to Aisha.

"But- you won't have it anymore."

"I have more. Trust me Mija." Mateo says, looking into her eyes, and placing his hand on her cheek.

Another song plays from the record. "Saturday Sun, by Vance Joy," Aisha says, as Mateo nods.

"Why don't we play a game? I have a few..." Aisha suggests.

"Sure. What do you have?"

They start playing games. The two laugh, and play with or at the games.

Aisha sighs with relief as their Go-Fish game ends.

5:50 AM

"Time flies like that." She snaps her fingers, "And I hate it."

"It's always the good times that feel short," Mateo says, "But we're distracted by what's in front of us, that we ignore the little things, like time."

"“Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.” – Bil Keane" Aisha says, the two sighing at the same time.

"Promise me you'll wear the cape?" Mateo asks. "Yes, my love." Aisha says, "You know I will."

A buzz comes from his pocket, and he reaches in and brings out a big but portable "phone" looking thing. Mateo turns the nobs and static comes through.

Jumbled words come through.

almost like it was saying "Come home now, the sunrise is almost there"

Mateo nods and puts it back into his pocket.

He sighs, and his head falls backward. "You have to leave?"

"Yes... Si Mija."

"Let's pray...?" Aisha says, "It'll help."

"Alright."

They come together and hold hands. Aisha whispers, "Our Father in heaven hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, you will be done, on earth as in heaven."

"Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil." Mateo finishes.

He looks into Aisha's eyes. "I won't forget you, or this night. This was worth it."

The music starts. "death bed" by Powfu.

Mateo's cheeks form into a smile, and Aisha returns it.

"Ta ta, Mija."

"Adios Mijo"

His hands slip from her hands. He rushes to the door.

"Wait!"

"What?"

"Kiss?"

Mateo gives her a kiss on the lips. Aisha's tears moisten his cheek.

"I love you Mija. Just remember that. Always." "Always, Mijo."

Mateo opens the door, and the thunder and lightning disperse, but sprinkles of rain greet him with a wet back.

He turns back to look at his one and only lover.

She waves goodbye. "See you next time Hijo!"

"See you Hija," He says as the light falls on his face, and he disappears.

The book goes plop on my lap.

"That was an amazing story, Mama!" My daughter says. "yes. yes it was..." I say.

My husband walks into the room. "Bonjour handsome." I chuckle as he wraps me up in his arms. "Hello, my Mija."

"Marie?" I ask

"Yes, mama?"

"Could you put the book back into your room?"

Marie nods, and rushes upstairs with the book, clutched in her hand.

I look at his chest, the A necklace. And on mine, the M necklace.

"I'm so glad your plan worked out." I say, "It's the first."

"Hey! You know I have amazing ideas. Don't you, Mija." he chuckles.

"I love you, Mateo."

"I love you, Aisha."

"What about me?" Marie says from the stairs.

Mateo opens his arm, welcoming our daughter in the group hug.

"We still love you, Marie. Just know that. In every dark situation, just know that we love you infinitely." He says, looking straight into her eyes, and kissing her on the cheek.

Oh, Mateo. I wish that I could live forever, with you.

"But everything has to end," Mateo said.

"And we're too different." I sigh.

"But isn't difference what brings us together, and makes us work together better?" Marie asks. "Why yes Mija!" I laugh and hug my little one. "You didn't say that when I said it...." Mateo mumbles, and I hit him.

We kiss, and I put Marie to bed.

That's what we are. We're all too different.