Dreams on Hold

Marie and Alex had been married for over 30 years. Their life together was built on love, trust, and shared sacrifices. They had five kids, each one a blessing but also a challenge. With so many mouths to feed and bills to pay, big dreams always seemed just out of reach.

One of those dreams was a family trip to the beach. Every year, they talked about it. Every year, something got in the way—car repairs, school expenses, or just the reality of living paycheck to paycheck. But this year, for the first time, it looked like their dream might come true.

Alex had taken on extra work to save enough money, and Marie spent weeks planning the details. They found the perfect destination, booked the hotel, and even put down the deposit. Their kids were thrilled, and for once, everything seemed to be falling into place.

But then, the news broke: earthquakes in the area.

Marie, always the worrier, couldn’t shake her anxiety.

“Alex, have you seen this?” she said, holding up her phone. “The towns near our resort are being evacuated. It’s not safe.”

Alex barely glanced at the screen. “It’s fine, Marie. That’s nowhere near us. Stop worrying so much.”

“But what if it is near us? What if something happens while we’re there? We’ll lose everything,” she insisted.

“The hotel said they’d warn us if anything changes,” Alex replied, his tone sharper now. “We’re finally doing this, Marie. I’ve been working nonstop for months to make it happen. I’m not canceling because of a few headlines.”

“But we can still get our deposit back if we cancel now! What if we wait and they keep the money?”

“And what if we cancel and it turns out there’s no danger? This is our one chance, Marie. Next year, we won’t have the time or the money. You know that.”

The argument escalated, their voices growing louder and sharper with every exchange. For the first time in years, their dream of the beach felt more like a wedge driving them apart.

Their eldest son, Ben, peeked around the corner, a worried look on his face. “Mom, Dad, are you okay?”

Marie turned toward him, forcing a smile. “It’s fine, honey. Just a little disagreement.”

Alex sighed. “Go play with your siblings, Ben. We’ll figure it out.”

As Ben disappeared down the hall, Marie crossed her arms. “We’re not just gambling with money, Alex. We’re gambling with our family’s safety.”

Alex threw up his hands. “You always do this! We finally get close to something good, and you find a reason to back out!”

Marie flinched, his words cutting deeper than she expected. “And you’re so stubborn that you’d risk everything we’ve worked for just to prove a point!”

It was at that moment their neighbor Linda decided to step in.

Linda was the kind of person who always seemed to know what was going on. She’d just come back from a trip near the same area and had seen firsthand the cracks in the roads, the frightened locals. She knew the danger was real, but she also knew Alex and Marie too well to think they’d listen to a lecture.

So Linda got creative.

Knocking on their door, she greeted them with her usual warm smile.

“Hey, Marie, Alex. I couldn’t help but overhear your little debate,” she said. “Listen, I just got back from that area, and I’ve been following the news closely. Things aren’t looking good. And—don’t laugh—but a friend of mine had a dream about a big quake hitting that region this summer. June or July.”

Marie’s eyes widened. “A dream?”

“Yup. And you know what? I saw something online about it, too.” Linda pulled out her phone, showing them a news article she’d quickly put together herself, complete with alarming headlines.

Alex frowned. “This is ridiculous. Dreams? Fake news? Come on, Linda, don’t encourage her.”

But Marie had already grabbed the phone. She read the article twice, her expression hardening with every word.

“That’s it. We’re canceling,” she said firmly.

Alex stared at her, stunned. “Marie, wait—”

“No, Alex. I’m not risking our family over this. Cancel it now.”

And just like that, the dream was put on hold again.

That evening, the house was quieter than usual. The kids could sense something had shifted. Alex sat at the kitchen table, staring at the cancellation email on his laptop. He hadn’t spoken much since the argument ended.

Marie watched him from across the room, guilt and relief battling for space in her chest. She hated fighting with Alex, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d done the right thing.

“You okay?” she asked softly, sitting down beside him.

Alex nodded but didn’t look at her. “I just… I wanted this so badly, Marie. For the kids. For us.”

“I know,” she said, reaching for his hand. “And we will go, Alex. Maybe not this year, but someday. I promise.”

He looked at her then, his eyes tired but soft. “It feels like we’ve been saying ‘someday’ for 30 years.”

Marie smiled sadly. “I know. But someday is still better than never.”

The following weekend, Linda joined the family for a barbecue in their backyard. The kids were running around, laughing and playing, while Alex manned the grill.

“Thanks for stepping in,” Marie said quietly, handing Linda a glass of iced tea.

Linda shrugged. “What are neighbors for?”

Marie hesitated, then asked, “Do you think we made the right choice?”

Linda took a sip of her tea, her expression thoughtful. “You made the choice that felt right for your family. That’s all that matters.”

Across the yard, Alex called out, “Burgers are ready! Who wants cheese?”

As the kids crowded around the picnic table, Marie smiled. Maybe their beach dream was on hold, but moments like these reminded her why it was worth waiting for.

Linda watched the family with a contented smile. Sometimes, keeping the peace was the greatest gift you could give.